FreeThink: Who Should own WOM?

FreeThink: a blog published by Maxwell PR

Who Should own WOM?

An interesting discussion was had at the WOMMA conference this year: who should own Word of Mouth marketing?

It's been bubbling up over the past few years but it was nice to see it come out into the open where we could all take a swing at it. There were people representing companies and brands in the room, along with PR agencies, ad agencies, interactive agencies and even a guy from an agency that does WOM marketing exclusively.

I'll skip to the end here - turns out that whoever is signing the checks owns WOM. Kind of disappointing, no? Yeah, I thought so too. So I hope you'll indulge me on my reasons why your PR agency or department should lead your word of mouth marketing programs:

1) We know what's interesting to consumers. We work with members of the media everyday with one goal: to get them interested in writing compelling stores about our clients so that their readers buy more of their newspapers/magazines/etc. This is the fundamental talent needed to get people talking about your brand, and thus generating word of mouth.

2) We know how to tell your story authentically. Word of mouth doesn't work when you're making stuff up, putting a spin on something, or not telling the whole truth. A good PR agency can help you find your story and tell it honestly.

3) We know how to look at the whole picture. PR doesn't just mean "press release" and PR isn't just about media relations. We're creating programs that span traditional marketing disciplines to get media and consumers talking. If your PR agency is just handing you a stack of clips each month and cashing your check, it's time to look around at your options.

In the interest of not looking completely biased, I have to say in all honesty that any of your marketing partners could do great WOM if they follow these guidelines. The traditional marketing silos are all breaking down.

See my next blog entry for more on PR 2.0.
- Jen Scott

posted on November 21, 2007

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	This spirited, open forum by Maxwell PR staff members, studio mates and colleagues features people who are, in our opinion, doing the right things to get people talking. You'll see us rave about organizations building communities and rant about those who are missing obvious opportunities. We sprinkle in a little marketing and PR rhetoric from time to time for extra vigor and enthusiasm, and will share observations and insight based on our own experience honing our craft every day.

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