From my perspective, the majority of the items noted above are really the methods to deliver the breakthrough ideas, and I think that distinction needs to be made.

Paul - Quit it. You’re scaring me.

Maybe them Mormons might have a shot at religio-politico-economy matters (think Customer Polygamy) after all, after the Christian Rights blow their…uh…chance for long term marketing marriages that are actually fun, engaging, not tortuous, sexy.

It’d be great to start a new marketing group or CRM wave in this….er, vein. Something like: SPAWN. Customer Fertilty. OVULATION. SPERM (Single Person Engaged Relationship Marketing). Embry-YES. Zygote.

On a related note: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=43774

Vegans Less Likely To Have Twins Than Women Who Eat Animal Products. Well, I reckon that means marketers need the beef.

Based on Reichheld’s point of view, isn’t WOM just a byproduct of either consumer interest (buzz) or consumer engagement (advocacy)….each representing two different places on the same loyalty continuum? Either way, don’t you have the chance to Wow the customer and create more loyalty? Doesn’t this ‘process’ cut out all the trite and or ‘fuzzy’ BS that people have thrown against the wall hoping something will stick?

A healthcare client recently pointed out that good customer advocacy/WOM/loyalty programs are like six sigma for marketing. Personally, I took that as a positive.

The recent WOMMA gathering showcased both the best and still-working-on-it. Either way, a forum is still a forum where good ideas and smart people can be heard.

Great seeing you guys in San Fran!

The majority of companies are scared out of their freakin’ minds to make a LTR with their customers. It’s all about wham-bam-give-me-your-money. And it has been for so long, than it’s a hard cycle to break. It’s like a drug they’re addicted to. But now days, the drug has lost its effectiveness and is not working any more. There’s no more money fix. And that, my dear friend, is why they are starting to pay attention to all this WOM hub-bub. As they well should!

On board with all these WOM ‘worthy’ and ‘worthless’ distinctions, and it’s interesting to note the short-term vs. long term thinkin’ here — and wanted to co-ponder why you think:

> that despite the relationship marketing and CRM waves, most companies tend to think in terms of single SALE or PROJECT rather than RELATIONSHIP?

> that if a given company knows it needs to allocate x% to marketing and communications for promoting its products and services to the marketplace, why so few really believe that longer term relationships with agencies (like brainsonfire, for instance) can deliver more and better ideas with fewer hiccups and better results?

Is it ADD? Or what?