I’ve just realized that, blog-wise, I’m in the wrong business! I came across an article by Anne Kadet in the November issue of SmartMoney, which describes the ways companies are attempting to “buy” word-of-mouth attention in the online realm. In the article, called “Romancing the Bloggers,” Anne reports on a technology blogger who receives high-tech gadgets free from companies hoping to get a review, as well as an influential member of an automotive message board who has been wined and dined by the automaker. And here I am, writing about cutting-edge issues in marketing and advertising, and so far, all I’ve received for my efforts is a paperback book and a packet of popcorn.
“How about some delicious gourmet popcorn to eat while you read a good book?” said the letter, which accompanied an advance review copy of Word of Mouth Marketing. The Dale & Thomas popcorn was way too sweet for me, but the book was good. Written by Andy Sernowitz, the CEO of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, the book lived up to its billing as “simple, back-pocket, straightforward-but-not-for-dummies guide to getting started with word of mouth marketing.” While I felt that it was best suited to the small businessperson, the content will serve as a good reminder to even the most sophisticated big-brand marketer.
Here are Andy’s four rules of word-of-mouth marketing:
Rule #1: Be Interesting Nobody talks about boring companies, boring products, or boring ads.
Rule #2: Make People Happy When people like you, they share you with their friends.
Rule #3: Earn Trust and Respect Nobody talks positively about a company that they don’t trust or like.
Rule #4: Make It Easy Word of mouth is lazy. You’ve got to help it along if you expect it to go anywhere.
Andy’s message is consistent. Ethics and good service must come first, if genuine, positive word of mouth is to follow.
The article in SmartMoney provides an interesting counterpoint to this message, as it describes the range of schemes used by companies trying to shortcut the word-of-mouth process. At one end of the scale is the relatively innocuous tactic of plying respected bloggers with free product samples, in the hope of seeing the products reviewed online. While there is some possibility that a blogger who hopes to keep the gravy train rolling will gloss over faults he observes in a product, there is also good reason for him to remain fairly objective, because if he produces a review which is completely out of touch with reality, his credibility will be damaged beyond repair.
Less transparent is the practice of paying people to write about products and services, particularly when the “sponsorship” is not identified. Kadet’s article describes a blogger who originally disclosed his ties to his sponsors, but discontinued the practice when it became “too cumbersome.” The blogger maintains, however, that the lack of disclosure is not unethical, because his posts reflect his authentic views.
I guess we have to take his word for it. As we do of the words of “Jim and Laura,” the couple behind the blog Wal-Marting Across America. While Jim and Laura are real people, and really did make their way across the United States in an RV, staying overnight in Wal-Mart parking lots, we can’t be sure if they really encountered so many happy Wal-Mart employees along the way. Why? Well, because what their blog did not mention was that Wal-Mart paid for the RV and the gas, and paid Laura for her writing. These facts were first revealed in an article in BusinessWeek on October 8.
Taking an even bigger hit for this sham than Wal-Mart is Edelman Worldwide, the PR firm behind Working Families for Wal-Mart. A recent AdAge article reflects on the irony that Edelman was a contributor to the WOMMA code of ethics.
To my mind, it all comes down to disclosure. A blogger who creates an audience should be able to leverage the potential it represents. But bloggers who do this by selling their opinions risk losing the audience’s trust, both in them and in the brands they have been paid to promote. Ms Kadet quotes Sernowitz in her article. “Our medium is trust,” he says, “and if that trust is eroded, we don’t have a medium.”
So how do you stimulate WOM apart from paying people? In his book, Andy suggests that you simply ask people for their help, as he did. In his cover letter, he said, “I hope you would be kind enough to tell a friend, blog it, or post a review.” And since I found his material both timely and relevant, I am happy to do so. Moreover, I do so with a clear conscience, because I agree wholeheartedly with Andy’s points. If you don’t believe me, check out our Point of View on WOM.
And, of course, if someone wants to send a free gift—other than popcorn—I will be happy to offer an independent opinion.
(25 votes, average: 2.88 out of 5)
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November 2nd, 2006 at 2:36 am
One of the great things about word of mouth marketing (or buzz marketing or blog marketing …) is that it’s still a sufficiently young discipline that there is no accepted way of doing things, and guys like Andy Sernowitz can write up a few pretty simple rules that will be helpful to most people.
The one thing I think we’d add to the mix is: “give people something to talk about”. Most of the time, people are not absorbed by the products and services they buy, but by what their kids did at school today, whether they can afford the holiday they really want and how they are going to get that long list of things done at the weekend. Brands need to force their way up the list if they are going to be thought about and talked about. Surprising people is often the best way to do this - to deliver beyond the consumer’s expectation.
This is, I think, a little beyond being ‘interesting’. We really shouldn’t under-estimate the significance (and challenge) of turning positive attitudes toward a brand - willingness to recommend - into actual conversation.
November 20th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Your comment makes good sense, Trevor. Marketers need to provide soemthing of value if their communication is to achieve the status of social currency.