360DigitalInfluence

With so many great insights and case studies at this year’s WOMMA in Las Vegas, it’s hard to sum it all up in one post. We saw a number of trends in insights, bringing to light the best practices from top WOM marketers.

Many of these best practices were incorporated in the Team Aquaphor campaign with Active Marketing and Beiersdorf (leading to it’s success).

Active Marketing Group works w/ teams of ambassadors (or their list of influencers) who apply for specific brand engagements/positions made available through Active Marketing Group. Featured at WOMMA was a campaign to create word of mouth around Aquaphor with Beiersdorf.

Beiersdorf knew that Aquaphor is great for runners, especially endurance runners, helping to reduce chafing and blisters that start to form around the 10-mile mark. The running community is a tight community - often sharing experiences, recommendations and bonding around their passion of running.

Active Marketing Group found that “Tribal Leaders” (or influencers) are being asked for recos by aspiring runners/members. This is particularly the case for endurance runners.

Aquaphor ambassadors already know Aquaphor and understand the benefits to using it (voluntarily signing up for the campaign). Once selected, they are asked to participate in a number of events, and wear Aquaphor gear. The rest is up to them - connecting other runners with brand through their own experiences and through the specific bonds they have with fellow runners.

One of the local Aquaphor team members gave us some insight on her role as a ambassador and her reason for sharing…As a formal school athlete, she missed being “on a team”. Aquaphor was able to fill that need, creating a bond between the runner, the brand and other team members. Encouraging conversation around her passion, powered by the brand.

She said, “I’m not a huge blogger, I just talk to people.” (via @JoryDJ)

As an added bonus, many of the brand ambassadors are lead runners, which helps get local press coverage of the winners (with the brand) and create an icon or role model to help spread word of mouth.

Hearing from a true brand ambassador for Aquaphor was a great inspiration to work with people who are passionate.

Here’s a few other key take aways from the conference that can be applied to the Aquaphor Case Study:

Starting and Keeping WOM

@stuartsheldon It doesn’t take a huge investment in a large infastructure to build WOM - it can start small & grow thru convos

@KParrish926 How do we keep people enthused/spreading msg more than 1x? How do we build surrounding discussion 2 keep it top of mind?

@KParrish926 Motto 2 live by - Craft Contagious Content - Builds off of @jbell99 ’s “Care 2 Share” mentality - just make sure it’s spreadable

@seancor When looking for social media communications/mkting - EARN IT FIRST, mandate social media polices

@BryanPerson Jennifer Gordon on Campbell’s (client) online engagement: “It’s not a short-term campaign. It’s a relationship.”

@TheBlackFinn Simple statement but true. The more someone is thinking about ur brand the more likely they will talk about it.

@catchuplady WOM is about stories, not slogans. - @emanuelrosen

@JoelWarady Great take-way 4m Patagonia preso; Trust Your Brand, Tell Your Story, Have Fun. That creates great conversations.

Connecting the Consumer with the Brand

@carriekerpen Don’t start by brainstorming, start by listening to your customers!

@KParrish926 5 Ways to socialize a brand: 1) culture 2)participation 3)integration 4)trust 5) leadership/empowerment

@iamsammcdonald SM never a sub for great products and services. Focus on your customers, SM will be next, natural step.

@joanjen Focus on customer.. the rest will come - it’s about how honest u are that will make the difference. - rob harles, sears

@KParrish926 Is there a natural journey ur brand can follow? How can consumers engage w/ a brand over time? 4m inspiration 2 training 2 race day.

@KParrish926 Engage with consumers on their own terms. Where does it fit into their lifestyle?

@KParrish 926 Authenticity is critical - brand ambassadors need to be committed and passionate BEFORE brand engagement.

Power of the Influencer

@KParrish926 Can c an increase in value (customer equity) by 33% when working w/ social media influencers re: @doctorwom

@paulmrand Over 90% of all consumers say that top purchase influence comes from recos from someone they know/trust.

@JoelWarady: Influencers aren’t influencers simply because they have friends. They must also be able to change behavior.

@KParrish926 Relevance key 2 influence. RT @JohnMacD1 No 1 definition 4 an influencer. Purpose should influence how they r ID’d.

@KParrish926 “All influencers are NOT created equally.” re: Lerzan Aksoy - This is where the value of influencer research and eval. is key

@kristinhersant Jonah: People share w/ the person who is most likely to enjoy that product. Let them find ur target mkt 4 u.

@doctorwom Underlying relationship b/t 2 parties helps drive purchase decision, not necessarily convo/reference 2 brand in convo.

The Experience Factor

@KParrish926 it’s not just about the product, it’s about what goes with it - the experience

@robbondurant Take it from #CSI - two reasons to purchase: motive and intent

@KParrish926 It all goes back to the experience - whether through events or story telling - it’s NOT about the product, it’s about the EXPERIENCE

@stuartsheldon reinforces fact that it’s not just about product, but the customer experience - talked about/remembered just as much

@KParrish926 Case study showed customers acquired thru trad mkting contribute more to co’s revenue over short term vs. those through social media but customers acquired through wom contributed more to sales over time - thru a standing relationship

Social Media in WOM

@2healthguru Forrester:Percentage of US adults “inactive” in social media has fallen from 44% to 18% from 2007>2009

@Nw_Mktg_Guy Social media isn’t a campaign, its a launch platform

@doctorwom Unless u r doing something specific 2 activ8 convos online - most go w/ offline wom as a natural form of comm

@KParrish926 Yes, social media plays a role, but majority of convos are still happening face 2 face. how can we bring these offline convos online?

@genochurch The power of using social media tools… shouldn’t be to just create noise and control the conversation.

@robbondurant Make content EASY to share w/ all audiences online - facebook, twitter, blog embeds, etc.

@KParrish926 We know we can’t control msgs, can stray ‘off-strategy’, but often include a personal connection w/ brand that carries value in wom

@KParrish926 Critical to success in communication/marketing - never let your channels be siloed - whether purchase channels or communication

Social Media ROI

Get out of counting eyeballs and focus on actions happening as a result of the msg/ad/etc (via Yaakov at MediaVest)

@LiveWorld Old way: Get lots of Impressions, New Way: Build/active consumer evangelists - more 4m voice of consumer, less 4m TV

And one for ethics…

@KParrish926 Great best practice summary from Tony DiResta re #FTC guidelines “good disclosure represents good business”.