Further muddying the word of mouth waters
September 28th, 2007
My trusty Google alerts popped up an interview with an author being interviewed on the radio about this new-fangeled “word of mouth marketing” thing.
Sandra Sellani recently published her book, “What’s Your BQ? Learn How 35 Companies Add Customers, Subtract Competitors, and Multiply Profits With Brand Quotient” and said that WOMM had a lot to do with the growth of the companies that are the subject of her book. Fair enough. But when the host asked her how word of mouth marketing works, she responded by telling this story:
Sandra says she has a database of 60,000 that she sent an email to about her new book. But then she goes on to say that she really didn’t have a database of 60,000 people she knows. She has 500. But she hooked up with a guy at Target Marketing who harvested email addresses through an extraction program he put in her computer (people who have emailed her over the life of her computer or had been copied on emails sent to her, etc.).
She says that she wouldn’t buy a mailing list. But this is what, in essence, she did.
First of all, it’s not word of mouth marketing. If you want to try and shoehorn it into a WOM box, it’s viral. But I don’t think it’s even that. Sending out unsolicited emails aimed at getting people to buy something is called spamming. Maybe not with those 500 people that know you, but it is to the other 59,500 who were copied on an email to you or never got past one email exchange with you. That’s not giving permission to spam them. And it sure as hell isn’t word of mouth marketing.
*Photo courtesy of the wonderful world of Flickr.
Other posts by Spike.
Mr. Steve says:
So, she basically said “I didn’t spam them…but IF I DID IT, this is how I would have done it….”
(Sorry, I noticed that we were severely lacking in OJ references on this blog. Thought I’d help out.)
September 28th, 2007 at 6:45 amNathan Snell says:
I feel sorry for the 60,000 people she spammed. I feel more sorry for the 500 who may be lead in the wrong direction for trusting her and what she says.
I don’t even know how you can confuse that with WOM.
My question, however, is what are your suggestions on some ways she could have used WOMM? Pick 100 people from her list of 500 and when they purchase a book, send them 2 (for the price of one)?
October 1st, 2007 at 5:01 amMr. Steve says:
The two for one is a great idea, and would surely lead to some positive evangelists. But only if they are her audience to begin with. Maybe she could have spent time before the radio interview to find out what WOMM truly is, and asked some of the blogs and companies that talk about WOM to listen in and comment. Her website does not have a blog, or any way to comment to her. That would have also been a great first step into WOMM.
I’m still caught up by her use of the term word of mouth, though. I don’t have a problem with the fact that she didn’t seem to use genuine word of mouth to sell her book. I’m not even upset that she spammed those people, because she went about it legally, and was willing to risk the negative feelings people get from spam. I am, in fact, happy for her that she’s doing so well. But I’m not terribly excited that she is continuing the stereotype that successful word of mouth means shouting louder and longer than the next guy. When asked about word of mouth marketing, she should have just admitted that it’s not her specialty, and moved on. She is truly talented in her field, and she has some great things to say about business. That’s what she needed to focus on. When will people and companies understand that there is no formula or computer program to recreate WOMM? It is, by its very nature, organic and unique.
October 1st, 2007 at 9:43 amSandra says:
I’m glad my interview has sparked some healthy debate about WOM marketing. It sounds like there is confusion, however, on my use of the term. WOM means consumers informing other consumers about a product or service. The initial email itself was not WOM - the actions that took place as a result of the blast were - such as one of the recipients who sent the email to his database of 29,000 people who know and trust him. He had already read the book (which I gave him for free) and highly recommended it to his contacts. In fact, many other people called me and told me they forwarded the email to others because they loved the book and knew others that would benefit from it as well. The majority of the original 500 people on the list received at least 1 free book from me and in fact, I have given away hundreds of free books to people that I believed would find it valuable, such as students, business owners, and entrepreneurs just getting started who have little or no marketing budgets - I think the message is that important. The email blast was divided into several categories - friends, colleagues, etc. Each letter was written to address their specific situations. The letters thanked people who may have already purchased a book and suggested that if they knew someone else who wanted a book, or, if they wanted to purchase a book, that this would be the day to do it. Those people that CHOSE to purchase the book received $500 of free materials with their purchase. I also said I wouldn’t buy an email list unless it came from a reliable source such as infousa.com in which people “opt in” to be included on such lists. I actually opt in to be on many lists because I want to know about new products and observe how others market them. The other people extracted were people that had already initiated contacts with me - I do not consider this spam. If I send anyone an email, I welcome emails from them. No one on earth would have purchased this book unless they felt it was of value to them based on the recommendations of other people that they knew or on the information that they were able to access on on the blast including testimonials from others, including Laura Ries and the CEO of one of the top branding companies in the country. - I don’t have that type of power over anyone! This was an awareness campaign with an incentive which ended up creating WOM as people who had read the book spread the word to those they knew. I hope that brings some clarity. By the way Spike, I would be happy to send you a free book - and - if you think it is worthy enough to tell others about - I will send you 25 more at no cost so that you can spread the word. However, if you think it is unworthy, keep it anyway - it makes a great coaster. Sandra Sellani
October 1st, 2007 at 10:34 amSpike says:
Thanks so much for the input, Sandra. I already have a book on order (from an independent book store - go indies!), but thanks for the generous offer.
You’re right, this was for all awareness - which is what advertising is for. Word of mouth, however, is for credibility.
Your definition for WOM is right on, but that’s not WOMM (word of mouth marketing). The email blast is a lot closer to advertising than WOMM. I’m sure the book itself generated a good bit of word of mouth, but I wonder how many of those sales were based solely on the email blast, which brings me to my last point:
Around here we believe that the only WOMM worth doing is sustainable word of mouth. Email blasts and campaigns have beginnings and ends. Real word of mouth marketing, done the right way, goes on as long as the people want it to.
Thanks again for the comments, Sandra and congrats on the new book. I look forward to the read!
October 1st, 2007 at 11:09 amBookexp says:
I am one of the people who received Sandra’s email, and I think her campaign is definitely WOMM. She specifically said in her email that “I am not asking you to purchase my book.” She asked me to “forward this email to your friends”. I didn’t buy her book, but I did forward her emails to 20 friends who I though might benefit from her books.
The difference between SPAM and WOMM is that SPAM wants you to buy something, and WOMM want you to spread the message. Sandra did it beautifully with her WOMM.
By the way, Sandra did not ask me to write this reply. I accidentally found this thread through Google. .
October 1st, 2007 at 5:50 pmSpike says:
Bookexp, thanks for the comment.
“The difference between SPAM and WOMM is that SPAM wants you to buy something, and WOMM want you to spread the message.”
But the whole purpose of her email was ato get you to buy something (and your friends, too).
Now, some can and will argue that WOMM does that same thing (ultimately), too.
October 9th, 2007 at 1:48 pmDon says:
Amen!
October 15th, 2007 at 5:58 am