Class 25 Agenda: Designing WOM Program Presentations to Client

Learning Objective(s):

• To display knowledge of how WOMM principles can be leveraged in an organized WOMM program design
• To apply persuasive speaking skills when presenting to a client

Readings for This Class:

• No Reading

Content & Activities:

Client Presentations

• Blue Group
• Red Group

To Do (for next class):

• No Reading
• Celebration/Field trip to JP Licks.
• 1618 Tremont St
  One Brigham Circle
  Boston MA 02120
  617-566-6676
  

--> Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 24 Agenda: Workshop DWOMP Presentations

Learning Objective(s):

• To fall and make mistakes and learn from them regarding presentations to clients
• To develop conversational, extemporaneous, and passionate speaking skills when talking about the proposal

Readings for This Class:

• No Reading

Content & Activities:

• Mock Client Presentations (students should have printed out blank PDF outline)
• “Competing” group will wait outside.
• Groups will receive 20 minutes to present with 10 minute Q&A. 20 minutes of feedback.
• Groups
• Red Group
• Blue Group

To Do (for next class):

• No Reading
• Presentations:
• Blue Group
• Red Group

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 23 Agenda: Workshop DWOMP Proposal

Learning Objective(s):

• To learn from other groups on how they are approaching their designing WOM marketing program assignment
• To understand persuasive appeals in writing proposals

Readings for This Class:

• None.

Content & Activities:

• Instructor Meetings with Groups to debrief proposal drafts.
• Discussion about building a case for action in project proposals

To Do (for next class):

• Prepare presentation. Dress rehearsal on Friday’s class (same room).
• Classroom Change for Tuesday’s class: 272 F West Village

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 21 Agenda: Workshop DWOMP Process

Learning Objective(s):

• To learn from other groups on how they are approaching their designing WOM marketing program assignment
• To understand persuasive appeals in writing proposals

Readings for This Class:

• None.

Content & Activities:

• Instructor Meetings with Groups.
• Discussion about building a case for action in project proposals

To Do (for next class):

· No class on Friday (canceled due to presidential inauguration).

· E-mail me first draft of DWOMP proposal. for Friday, March 30^th.

· Next class is Tuesday, April 3.

o Prepare outline for presentation.

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 19 Agenda: Integrating WOM Into the Media Plan

Learning Objective(s):

• To understand how companies engage in media planning efforts
• To determine ways for companies to integrate WOM into their media planning efforts

Readings for This Class:

• None.

Content & Activities:

• Guest Lecture: Jodi Long, Consultant
• Jodi Long is a media professional with over 20 years of experience including 14 years in general management and sales management. Her background with CBS includes general management of Radio stations and a national Promotion Group. She also has experience in local and national sales management as well as account management in cross-media planning and strategy. She has a BS in Communications and Marketing from Syracuse University.

To Do (for next class):

· No class on Friday (we substituted this class for Jackie Huba’s guest visit).

· Next class is Tuesday, Match 27. The first draft of your DWOMP proposal is due Friday, March 30^th.

· Continue work on your DWOMP projects.

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 18: Organizing WOM: Company Roles, Structure, and Resource Allocation

Learning Objective(s):

• To understand the importance of understanding existing WOM about your organization, brand, product, or service
• To articulate the opportunities and limitations of tracking WOM through single-source, survey-based measurement
• How to apply market research insights from everyday WOM conversations to strategic WOM marketing programs

Readings for This Class:

• Single-Source WOM Measurement: Bringing Together Senders & Receivers; Inputs & Outputs. Ed Keller & Brad Fay. 2006. Pages 31-41 (Bb). See Class 6 on Blackboard for this reading.

Content & Activities:

• Guest Lecture: Ed Keller, CEO, The Keller Fay Group [link to bio: http://www.kellerfay.com/management.php]
• Ed Keller has worked for twenty-five years in marketing and media research, consulting with clients in the corporate, media, agency and not-for-profit sectors. Ed previously served as CEO of renowned market research firm, RoperASW (and its successor companies), and prior to that, served as the company's president and COO.
• Known as "one of the most recognized names in word of mouth" Ed lectures at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication and speaks frequently to business audiences on word of mouth marketing. He is a board member of the Advertising Research Foundation, serves as president of the Market Research Council, and is President and Director of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA).
• The publication of Keller's book, The Influentials, co-authored by Jon Berry, has been called the "seminal moment in the development of word of mouth." Offering a ground-breaking look at the 10% of consumers who, by word of mouth recommendations, profoundly impact how the other 90% vote, make purchases, invest their money and choose their lifestyles, the book has been featured in leading publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Fortune, Fast Company, Smart Money, Ad Age, Adweek and BrandWeek.

To Do (for next class):

· Continue progress on your DWOMP projects.

· Readings:

o None.

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 17 Agenda: How To Manage Negative WOM

Learning Objective(s):

• To understand the amplification effect for online WOM
• To learn ways to track and monitor online WOM
• To identify methods of effective outreach and relationship building with online influencers
• To identify proactive and reactive strategies to address negative WOM

Readings for This Class:

· ThisCompanySucks.com: The use of the Internet in negative consumer-to-consumer articulations. Ainsworth Anthony Bailey. 2004. Pages 1-15. (Bb)

· Chapter 13: Blogging in a Crisis. Robert Scoble & Shel Israel. 2006. Pages 197-208. (NC)

· Suggested Reading: Chapter 7: The Weird Value of Negativity. Dave Balter & John Butman. 2005. Pages 141-164. (Bb)

Content & Activities:

· Debrief WOM Istanbul trip and WOMM conference.

· Discuss research for project

· How to Handle Negative WOM

• Research on negative WOM and how many people are told.
• But in the age of the internet consumers have more opportunities to have their voices amplified. Bailey discussed the use of corporate complaint websites. According to Harrison-Walker’s content analysis of the United Airlines complaint site, the top complaints were employee rudeness, employee incompetence, receiving misinformation from employees and baggage handling (see Bailey, p. 173).
• Only 28% had visited a corporate website (sample was 158 undergraduates) but when visiting a site, 70% of the people browsed comments while 47% read them in detail.
• Criteria to use in determining if and how to respond to NWOM (Jim Nail’s presentation). Three criteria include:
• How core is the issue to your brand, reputation, and business?
• Is the post influential? (Jim provided various quantitative and qualitative ways to assess this).
• Are comments defending you? How well are they making your case?
• Cases:
• Kryptonite bike lock
• Fiskateers intervention
• Application Activity
• Provide students with a concrete example of NWOM and have them work through if and how they should respond.

To Do (for next class):

· After next class, there will be no new readings.

· You should email your client on your status.

· Readings

o Single-Source WOM Measurement: Bringing Together Senders & Receivers; Inputs & Outputs. Ed Keller & Brad Fay. 2006. Pages 31-41 (Bb). See Class 6 on Blackboard for this reading.

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 16 Agenda: Living in a Branded Society: Societal and Ethical Effects of WOM

Learning Objective(s):

• Distinguish between ethical and unethical WOM practices;

Readings for This Class:

· Sales Pitch Society II. Kate Kaye. 2006. Pages 1-42. (Bb)

· Suggested Reading: Live Buzz Marketing. Justin Foxton. 2006. Pages 24-46. (CM)

· Suggested Reading: To Tell Or Not To Tell? Assessing the Practical Effects of Disclosure for Word-of-Mouth Marketing Agents and Their Conversational Partners. Walter J. Carl. 2006. Pages 1-34. (Bb)

· Suggested Reading: Stealth Marketing: How To Reach Consumers Surreptitiously. Andrew M. Kaikati and Jack G. Kaikati. 2004. California Management Review, 46(4), pp. 6-22. (Bb)

Content & Activities:

· Debrief Dave Balter’s visit

· Review findings of To Tell Or Not To Tell? report

· Discuss Kate Kaye’s piece on Sales Pitch Society II

· Group meeting time

To Do (for next class):

· EWOMP Paper Revisions Due for Tuesday after spring break

· Should have update on research done thus far for client project

· Readings

o Thiscompanysucks.com! The Use of the Internet in Negative Consumer-to-Consumer Articulations. Ainsworth Anthony Bailey. Journal of Marketing Communications, 10, 169-182. 2004. (Bb)

o Chapter 13 of Naked Conversations: Blogging in a Crisis. Robert Scoble & Shel Israel. 2006. Pages 197-208. (Bb)

o Suggested Reading: Chapter 7: The Weird Value of Negativity. Dave Balter & John Butman. 2005. Pages 141-164. (Bb)

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 15 Agenda: WOM As Media Channel?

Learning Objective(s):

• To understand how WOM fits as part of a larger media plan
• To consider the pros and cons of WOM as a “media channel”

Readings for This Class:

o Chapter 6: Word-of-Mouth Storytelling. Dave Balter & John Butman. 2005. Pages 115-133. (Bb)

o Suggested Reading: Firm-Created Word-of-Mouth Communication: A Field-Based Quasi-Experiment. David Godes & Dina Mayzlin. 2004. HBS Marketing Research Papers No. 04-03. http://ssrn.com/abstract_id=569361 (Bb)

o Suggested Reading: Quantifying the Ripple: Word-of-Mouth and Advertising Effectiveness. John E. Hogan, Katherine N. Lemon, & Barak Libai. 2004. Journal of Advertising Research, (September), 271-280. (Bb)

o Suggested Reading: Grapevine: Chapter 5: The Myth of the Influentials. Dave Balter & John Butman. Pages 91-111. (Bb)

Content:

• Guest Speaker: Dave Balter, CEO, BzzAgent, Inc.

Activities:

• Guest Speaker: Dave Balter, CEO, BzzAgent, Inc. (aka, BzzAgent Dave)
• Bio: CEO Dave Balter founded BzzAgent in 2002. Since that time, his company has provided word-of-mouth media services for dozens of Fortune 500 companies and has been featured in The New York Times Sunday Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist and on National Public Radio.
• A co-founder and current board member of The Word of Mouth Marketing Association, Balter is an international speaker on the topic of word-of-mouth marketing. He has presented for corporations, associations and non-profit groups throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. He co-authored Grapevine: The New Art of Word-of-Mouth Marketing, which has become one of the industry's most recognized business titles.
• Dubbed a "serial entrepreneur" by The Boston Globe, Balter built and sold two promotional agencies prior to forming BzzAgent. He was named to the "40 Under 40" list by The Boston Business Journal in 2006 as well as by Advertising Specialty Institute in 2001. Women's Wear Daily named him one of the "Top 7 Individuals Changing the Face of Beauty" in 2001.
• His commitment to corporate transparency has resulted in five innovative blogs, which were profiled in an extensive Inc. Magazine feature and later earned an Award of Excellence from the Society of New Communications research. Balter earned a B.A. in Psychology from Skidmore College and aspires to build the world's largest rock garden.

To Do (for next class):

· Readings

o Sales Pitch Society II. Kate Kaye. 2006. Pages 1-42. (Bb)

o Suggested Reading: Live Buzz Marketing. Justin Foxton. 2006. Pages 24-46. (CM)

o Suggested Reading: To Tell Or Not To Tell? Assessing the Practical Effects of Disclosure for Word-of-Mouth Marketing Agents and Their Conversational Partners. Walter J. Carl. 2006. Pages 1-34. (Bb)

o Suggested Reading: Stealth Marketing: How To Reach Consumers Surreptitiously. Andrew M. Kaikati and Jack G. Kaikati. 2004. California Management Review, 46(4), pp. 6-22. (Bb)

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 14 Agenda: Designing Organized WOM Program for Client

Learning Objective(s):

• Compare and contrast five stages of a research-based consulting engagement
• Identify key questions for clients at each various phases
• Identify roles and relationships between client and consultant

Readings for This Class:

• None

Content & Activities:

• Five-stage framework for research-based consulting engagements:

1. Identify problem/issue/question
2. Data collection
3. Data analysis
4. Data interpretation
5. Data translation

• DWOMP Assignment
• Form groups (Red & Blue Teams)

To Do (for next class):

• Make initial contact with client contact person.
• Readings

o Grapevine: Chapter 6: Word-of-Mouth Storytelling. Dave Balter & John Butman. 2005. Pages 115-133. (Bb)

o Suggested Reading: Firm-Created Word-of-Mouth Communication: A Field-Based Quasi-Experiment. David Godes & Dina Mayzlin. 2004. HBS Marketing Research Papers No. 04-03. http://ssrn.com/abstract_id=569361 (Bb)

o Suggested Reading: Quantifying the Ripple: Word-of-Mouth and Advertising Effectiveness. John E. Hogan, Katherine N. Lemon, & Barak Libai. 2004. Journal of Advertising Research, (September), 271-280. (Bb)

o Suggested Reading: Grapevine: Chapter 5: The Myth of the Influentials. Dave Balter & John Butman. Pages 91-111. (Bb)

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 13.5 Agenda: Special Session on Citizen Marketers: When People Are the Message

Learning Objective(s):

· Identify factors contributing to the recent resurgence in WOM;

· Articulate how WOM is both a set of activities and a larger philosophy.

· Identify ways companies have responded to and/or worked with citizen marketers in the age of conversational marketing.

Readings for This Class:

• Citizen Marketers: When People Are the Message. Ben McConnell & Jackie Huba. 2007. Pages 135-175 (Chapter 7 & Conclusion; CIT)

Content & Activities:

• Guest Lecture: Jackie Huba, Co-Author, Business Advisor, Secretary for WOMMA
• Bio: Jackie Huba is the co-author of "Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force." The New York Times has called the book "the new mantra for entrepreneurial success." For the past three years, "Creating Customer Evangelists" has been a worldwide phenomenon; the book has been translated into six languages.
• As a business advisor, Jackie has worked with Disney, Microsoft, Ulta, Whirlpool, Discovery Education, Campbell Soup Company and others.
• For the past five years, Jackie has been researching the effects of word of mouth on customer loyalty and how that translates into customer evangelism.
• Forbes has called Jackie's work "the word of mouth gospel" and recently U.S. News & World Report featured her work in a 3-page spread.

To Do (for next class):

• Print out Designing WOM Program assignment sheet
• No Readings
• None
• Complete WOM Episode Survey #2 for Friday’s class.

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 12 Agenda: Practitioner Perspective: A Client’s View On Selecting WOM Marketing Companies

Class 12 Agenda: Practitioner Perspective: A Client’s View On Selecting WOM Marketing Companies

Learning Objective(s):

• To identify key phases of consulting engagement
• To learn what is involved in selecting a WOM service provider from the client’s perspective

Readings for This Class:

· A Note to New Consultants. Bruce Henderson. 1970s. Pages 1-3. (Bb)

· How to manage connected marketing. Martin Oetting. 2006. Pages 232-266. (Bb)

Content & Activities:

• Complete two EWOMP case presentations
• Basic Consulting Framework
• Presentation of what’s involved from a client perspective in selecting a WOM program service provider
• Brian Kenny – VP of Marketing & Communications
• Ann Comer – Associate Director, Marketing Programs
• Alyssa Meritt – Associate Director of Interactive Marketing
  

To Do (for next class):

• No Readings

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 11 Agenda: Evaluating WOM Programs

Learning Objective(s):

• To explain an organized WOM program in light of the WOMMA Terminology Framework
• To articulate how an organized WOMM program leverages WOM principles
• To apply lessons learned from evaluating a company’s organized WOMM program to designing one’s own WOMM program

Readings for This Class:

• No Readings

Content:

• Student presentations

Activities:

• Presentation order:
• Matchstick – Chrysler 300C
• M80 – Sony Mylo
• BzzAgent – Dunkin’ Donuts
• For Friday presentations:
• Brains on Fire – Fiskateers
• Ammo Marketing – Lonely Planet

To Do (for next class):

· Readings:

o A Note to New Consultants. Bruce Henderson. 1970s. Pages 1-3. (Bb)

o How to manage connected marketing. Martin Oetting. 2006. Pages 232-266. (Bb)

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 10 Agenda: Programs & Techniques: Blogging & Communities

10; Programs & Techniques: Blogging & Communities

Learning Objective(s):

• To understand three different approaches to how companies are using blogs and three different levels of involvement.
• To articulate objectives that can be accomplished through blogging.
• To identify the pros and cons of gaining customer insight through blogs and customer communities

Readings for This Class:

• Blog Marketing. Andrew Corcoran, Paul Marsden, Thomas Zorbach, & Bernd Röthlingshöfer. 2006. Pages 148-158. (CM)
• Understanding Blogs and Private Communities. Communispace White Paper. 2005. Pages 1-8 (Bb)
• What Companies Gain from Listening: The Effect of Community Membership on Members’ Attitudes and Behavior in Relation to the Sponsoring Company. Communispace White Paper. 2006. Pages 1-11 (Bb)

Content & Activities:

• Discuss what should be emphasized in the presentations.
• Finish up from last class: Measuring Advocacy and Net Promoter Score
• Industry Measurement of Loyalty and Advocacy: Net Promoter Score as an Organizational Discipline.
• Overview of NPS
• How companies are integrating the process into organizations
• Critiques of the NPS
• PowerPoint: Blogging and Communities
• Approaches to blog marketing (from Connected Marketing book)
• Blogvertorials – extension of classic PR, “blogger outreach”
• Example: Nokia – Nokia seeded its new camera phone with a number of cutting-edge bloggers in Finland. They didn’t ask the bloggers to write about the phones but many bloggers did. It generated a lot of traffic to the Nokia website.
• Example: Dr. Pepper and Raging Cow (what not to do) – Dr Pepper offered a number of young bloggers incentives to discuss their new milk-flavored product called “Ragin Cow”. Dr Pepper asked the bloggers not to mention that they briefed the bloggers about this but the word got out, which led to tremendous outrage.
• Example: Wal-Mart
• Business blogs (aka, corporate blogs)
• Example: Stonyfield Farm – uses blogs to create interest around lifestyle issues surrounding their product: The Bovine Bugle (a blog about Jonathan Gates and his organic dairy farm in Vermont) and Baby Babble (a places for parents to meet up rant, offer, and seek advice…).
• Faux blogs – a form of stealth marketing
• Example: Sega – Beta 7 – an advertising agency created a fake blog authored by an imaginary videogame tester called Beta 7. The new ESPN 2K4 game was sent to the blogger where Beta 7 posted a review. The review stated that it was extreme that it triggered blackouts and fits of violence. To prevent the software from reaching the stores Beta 7 launched an online campaign to ban the software – all a ruse to stimulate sales.
• Example: McDonald’s Lincoln Fry campaign – this featured an imaginary individual who found a fry shaped like Abraham Lincoln. The blog got over 2 million hits and was linked to a McDonald’s Superbowl commercial. When it was found out to be a fake blog the ad spots got even more press.
• Sponsored and Paid Blogs – paid blog programs controversial in the blogging world
• Coca Cola and Torino Conversations (sponsored blog)
  
• Marqui Pay Bloggers Program
• PayPerPost
  
• Objectives for blogging: (“From interruption to engagement, from control to collaboration”)
• Generating interest – Stonyfield Farms
  
• Drive action/sales – Treonauts.com
• Create goodwill – Microsoft’s Scobleizer
• Establish expertise – English Cut blog (Thomas Mahon, Savile row tailor from London)
• Customer dialogue – FastCompany, a business publication, invites readers to suggest ideas for stories
• Employee dialogue – Variety “Have You Heard” collaborative blog; it’s designed to keep employees up on the latest industry trends
• Levels of involvement with online WOM.
• “Monitoring” is a somewhat passive strategy (done without a spirit of engagement; goal is more for “intelligence”-gathering and control)
• “Listening” is a more active approach (done with a spirit of engagement; often a precursor to dialogue)
• “Joining in” is even more active and involves participating in ongoing discussions and/or creating a space for those conversations to take place. (Sometimes this is not appropriate if it’s perceives as being invasive; sometimes you need to be invited in).

To Do (for next class):

• Readings:
• None
• Activities
• All groups need to turn in their papers.
• Prepare for presentations

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 9 Agenda: Programs & Techniques: Cultivating Loyalty & Advocacy

Learning Objective(s):

• Identify six tenets of customer evangelism
• Apply six tenets to case study analysis
• To identify opportunities of challenges of the Net Promoter Score as a
  metric for measuring loyalty and advocacy

Readings for This Class:

• The Customer Evangelism Manifesto. Ben McConnell & Jackie Huba. 2003. Pages 1-20. (Bb)
• Chapter 12: The New Mavericks of Marketing. Ben McConnell & Jackie Huba. 2003. Pages 123-138. (Bb)
• The One Number You Need to Grow. Frederick Reicheld. Harvard Business Review. 2003. Pages 1-10. (Bb).

Content & Activities:

• Finish up from last class: Activity on Creating Your Own Product Seeding Program
• Power Point:
• Practitioner Framework for Cultivating Loyalty and Advocacy: Six tenets of customer evangelism
• Industry Measurement of Loyalty and Advocacy: Net Promoter Score as an Organizational Discipline.
• Overview of NPS
• How companies are integrating the process into organizations
• Critiques of the NPS

To Do (for next class):

• Readings:
• Blog Marketing. Andrew Corcoran, Paul Marsden, Thomas Zorbach, & Bernd Röthlingshöfer. 2006. Pages 148-158. (CM)
• Understanding Blogs and Private Communities. Communispace White Paper. 2005. Pages 1-8 (Bb)
• What Companies Gain from Listening: The Effect of Community Membership on Members’ Attitudes and Behavior in Relation to the Sponsoring Company. Communispace White Paper. 2006. Pages 1-11 (Bb)

--> Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 8 Agenda: Programs & Techniques: Influencers & Product Seeding

08; Programs & Techniques: Influencers & Product Seeding

Learning Objective(s):

• To articulate two WOM principles to explain the effectiveness of seeding trials
• To identify multiple ways of identifying influencers

Readings for This Class:

• The Influentials: Introduction. Ed Keller & Jon Berry. Pages 1-25. (Bb)
• Seed to spread: how seeding trials ignite epidemics of demand. Marsden. 2006. Pages 3-23. (CM or Bb)

Content & Activities:

• Take questions from our past two guest lectures on:
• Monitoring and tracking WOM
• DIY solutions of tracking online WOM
• Survey-based versus online CGM tracking
• Viral and buzz marketing
• Generating buzz versus cultivating advocacy
• PowerPoint: Presentation and Activity on Influencer Marketing and Product Seeding

To Do (for next class):

• Readings:
• The Customer Evangelism Manifesto. Ben McConnell & Jackie Huba. 2003. Pages 1-20. (Bb)
• Chapter 12: The New Mavericks of Marketing. Ben McConnell & Jackie Huba. 2003. Pages 123-138. (Bb)
• The One Number You Need to Grow. Frederick Reicheld. Harvard Business Review. 2003. Pages 1-10. (Bb).
• Suggested Reading: Creating Brand Advocates. Steve Rusticus. 2006. Pages 47-58. (CM)
• Suggested Reading: Advocacy Drives Growth. London School of Economics. Brand Strategy. 2005. Pages 1-9 (Bb)
• Suggested Reading: Executive Summary of “A Longitudinal Examination of ‘Net Promoter’ on Firm Growth.” Tim Keiningham, Bruce Cooil, Tor Wallin Andreassen, & Lerzan Aksoy. 2006. Pages 1-6 (Bb)

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 7 Agenda: Programs & Techniques: Buzz & Viral Marketing

07; Programs & Techniques: Buzz & Viral Marketing

Learning Objective(s):

• To distinguish WOM, buzz, and viral marketing communication
• To distinguish between generating buzz and cultivating advocacy
• To identify the differences between “better targeting” of a message and “connected marketing” (see p. 139)
• To understand principles behind viral marketing
• To understand how viral marketing campaigns are executed
• To identify and leverage a “hot button” issue

Readings for This Class:

· Viral Marketing. Justin Kirby. Pages 87-106 (CM)

· Changing the Game. Steve Curran. 2006. Pages 129-147. (CM)

· Suggested Reading: Online opinion leaders: a predictive guide for viral marketing campaigns. Idil Cakim. 2006. Pages 107-118. (CM)

Content & Activities:

• Guest Lecture: Steve Curran & Jessica Morris, Pod Design
• Bio: Steve is the founder and creative director at Pod Design. His viral marketing campaigns have won numerous awards including Marketing Sherpa’s Best Viral Ad of 2006 Award for is Paparazzi campaign for Peerflix, the peer-to-peer DVD trading site. His work has also been talked about in the NY Times, WSJ, Adweek, Brandweek, CNN Money and NBC News. Before Pod he was co-founder and creative director at e-tractions, a Boston based online promotions company. As VP/Creative Director of Gametek he was responsible for a number of best-selling titles for Nintendo, Sega, Sony and Playstation. He is also the author of two books on motion graphics and convergence design.
• Bio: Jessica Morris has a background in public relations and new media technology. Her master’s degree is in Public Relations from Boston University and she specializes in online communication and its effect on today’s marketing techniques.

To Do (for next class):

• Readings:
• The Influentials: Introduction. Ed Keller & Jon Berry. Pages 1-25. (Bb)
• Seed to spread: how seeding trials ignite epidemics of demand. Marsden. 2006. Pages 3-23. (CM or Bb)
• Suggested Reading: People Who Influence People: Opinion Leaders in Marketing. Gabriel Weimann. 1994. Pages 109-138. (Bb)
• Suggested Reading: People Who Influence People: Criticism and Modifications. Gabriel Weimann. 1994. Pages 239-254. (Bb)
• Suggested Reading: The Influentials: Developing an Influential Strategy. Ed Keller & Jon Berry. Pages 279-340. (Bb)
  

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 6 Agenda: Monitoring and Tracking WOM

06; Programs & Techniques: Monitoring & Tracking WOM

Learning Objectives:

• To understand the importance of understanding existing WOM about your organization,
• To understand the importance of understanding existing WOM about your organization,
brand, product, or service
• To articulate the opportunities and limitations of tracking WOM in online, consumer-generated
venues
• To articulate the opportunities and limitations of tracking WOM through single-source,
survey-based measurement

Readings:

1. The Forrester Wave™: Brand Monitoring, Q3 2006. Peter Kim. 2006. Pages 1-14. (Bb)

2. Consumer Opinions & Trends Report: A Blue Christmas for Blu-ray. Cymfony. 2006. Pages 1-5. (Bb)

3. Single-Source WOM Measurement: Bringing Together Senders & Receivers; Inputs & Outputs. Ed Keller & Brad Fay. 2006. Pages 31-41 (Bb).Content & Activities:

• Guest Lecture: Jim Nail, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Cymfony; Board of Directors for WOMMA

• Bio: Jim Nail has an extensive background in integrated marketing through his 25-year career that spans online marketing, market research, brand advertising and direct marketing. Jim was an analyst at Forrester for eight years, focusing on how marketing strategies and tactics must adapt to technology-driven changes in consumer media consumption habits. His research addressed best practices in integrated marketing with a focus on how online media can augment the impact of television, print and other traditional marketing tools. Prior to joining Forrester, he helped launch Web advertising network AdSmart, where he served as director of marketing. He spent 15 years planning and managing integrated marketing campaigns at leading advertising agencies including Ogilvy & Mather Direct, Draft Worldwide, Bates USA and Hill Holliday. Jim is a frequent participant in marketing conferences and executive forums and has been published and quoted extensively in top-tier and online media.

To Do (for next class):

o Readings:

- Viral Marketing. Justin Kirby. Pages 87-106 (CM)
- Changing the Game. Steve Curran. 2006. Pages 129-147. (CM)
- Suggested Reading: Online opinion leaders: a predictive guide for viral marketing campaigns. Idil Cakim. 2006. Pages 107-118. (CM)

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 5 Agenda: Overview of WOM Programs & Techniques

Learning Objective(s):

• To distinguish among various techniques of WOM marketing
• To articulate advantages and disadvantages of “generating buzz” and “brand advocacy”

Readings for This Class:

• WOM 101. Word of Mouth Marketing Association. 2005. (Bb)
• Introduction and Summary. Paul Marsden. 2006. Pages xv – xxxv. (CM)

Content & Activities:

• Finish overview of WOM principles PowerPoint
• Resume with WOMUnit section
• Discuss class readings
• WOM101.
• Discuss organic versus amplified
• Types of WOMM; go over each one and discuss examples
• Connected Marketing introduction
• Product advocacy, not campaign buzz, is what drives growth (or is at least correlated with growth) (p. xxvi of CM)
• To decide whether or not a product or service is appropriate for a WOMM campaign think about whether or not it’s worth recommending. (CM)
• Create something remarkable (CM)
• CGM leaves a “digital trail” which makes it easier to measure. For example, CGM can be used to track the effects of other elements of the marketing plan (p. 10)
• MoveOn.org create-a-campaign v. Chevy Tahoe ad
• Monitoring CGM:
• Identify who’s speaking
• Identify and flag key issues
• Deepen relationship marketing efforts
• Guest Speaker: Kate Flanagan (NU Advising case)
• Apply various techniques of WOM marketing to facilitate WOM about meeting for academic advising

To Do (for next class):

• Readings:

1. The Forrester Wave™: Brand Monitoring, Q3 2006. Peter Kim. 2006. Pages 1-14. (Bb)

2. Consumer Opinions & Trends Report: A Blue Christmas for Blu-ray. Cymfony. 2006. Pages 1-5. (Bb)

3. Single-Source WOM Measurement: Bringing Together Senders & Receivers; Inputs & Outputs. Ed Keller & Brad Fay. 2006. Pages 31-41 (Bb).

4. Suggested Reading: Buzz Monitoring. Pete Snyder. 2006. Pages 119-128. (CM).

5. Suggested Reading: Consumer Generated Media (CGM) 101: Word-of-Mouth In the Age of the Web-Fortified Consumer. Pete Blackshaw and Mike Nazarro. 2004. (Bb)

6. Suggested Reading: Using Online Conversations to Study Word-of-Mouth Communication. David Godes & Dina Mayzlin. Marketing Science. 2004. Pages 1-17. (Bb)

7. Suggested Reading: Utilizing the WOMMA Framework to Build a Syndicated Buzz Tracking Product. Jonathan Carson. 2005. Pages 71-76. (Bb)

8. Suggested Reading: What Motivates People to Review a Product Online. Chrysanthos Dellarocas & Ritu Narayan. 2002. Pages 77-86. (Bb)

9. Suggested Reading: The Effect of Word of Mouth on Sales: Online Book Reviews. Judith Chevalier & Nina Mayzlin. 2005. Pages 1-30. (Bb)

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University

Class 4 Agenda: Overview of WOM Programs & Techniques

Learning Objective(s):

• Trace the history of academic and popular press ideas that inform the current WOM, buzz, and viral marketing industry.
• Identify various models of WOM used in academic research and industry practice.

Readings for This Class:

• Word of Mouth: What We Really Know – And Don’t. Greg Nyilasy. 2006. Pages 161-184. (CM).
• Word of Mouth Marketing Association Terminology Framework. WOMMA. 2005. (Bb)

Content:

• PowerPoint: Brief academic history of WOM research
• Elements of WOMMA Terminology Framework

Activities:

• [Finish up with student-generated questions about Citizen Marketers].
• Get update on organized WOMM programs
• Get update on Blogger and Bloglines registration
• Lecture on academic history of WOM research, organized by elements of WOMMA Terminology Framework

To Do (for next class):

• Continue research on your organized WOMM programs
• Readings:

• WOM 101. Word of Mouth Marketing Association. 2005. (Bb)
• Introduction and Summary. Paul Marsden. 2006. Pages xv – xxxv. (CM)
• Suggested Reading: Word-of-Mouth Marketing Priorities for 2006. Peter Kim & Charlene Li. 2006. (Bb)
• We’ll have Kate Flanagan come in to work with us on an activity to develop a WOM program for advising students at NU.

-->
Tags: WOM word of mouth Word-of-Mouth Marketing buzz marketing viral marketing marketing communication Northeastern University