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Participants & Structure

Warren Ackerman, PrincipalAffinitive

Your WOM Program

Slide 3

Standard WOM Question Set

• WHO should participate?

• HOW do I engage and motivate?

• HOW do I measure the result?

Slide 4

WHO should participate?

OR

Slide 5

Who Should & Will Participate

• Scenario 1 – no existing customer database

• Scenario 2 – customer database of 10,000

• Scenario 3 – customer database of 100,000+

Slide 6

How To Find Them

Before Program Launch• Who are your longest/most loyal customers? • Look for the ones who are listening • WOM research/monitoring

After Program Launch• Customer service department • WOM !

Slide 7

The Qualification Process

Questions to ask• What are your hobbies?• Do you take continuing education classes?• How many siblings do you have?• Do you have children, if so what activities do they participate in?

Questions not to ask• How many friends do you have?• Do your friends ask you for advice on new purchases?• How many friends on your MySpace/AIM Buddy list?

Keep age close to generational splits (Boomers, Gen X, Millennials)What does an invite look like?

Slide 8

Sample Insider Program Invitation

Dear Brand Enthusiast,

You're invited to join in a whole new Brand experience - the Brand Insiders. It's an all new, web-based community for Brand fans and enthusiasts. Brand Insiders are those who purchase our products and they tell friends and family why they love our us.

Brand Insiders provides participants with access to information and features that the general public doesn't have. Join us and you'll get news about Brand products before it hits the press. You'll be invited to preview ads before they go public and provide us with your input. You'll be able to access media galleries - including Product photos - that were formerly available only to select employees. In addition, your participation on the Brand Insiders will earn you points that can be used toward exclusive prizes, access to special events, and more!

Slide 9

What Is The Structure?

• Picture that represents structure

Slide 10

101 of WOM Program Structure

• Customer based vs. Network based

• Public vs. Private

• Tangible Incentive vs. Intangible

• Two way vs. Three way communications

Slide 11

How Do Requirements Change With Size?

• Scenario 1 – 100 participants

• Scenario 2 – 1,000 participants

• Scenario 3 – 10,000 participants

Slide 12

Structure Follows Objectives & Resources

Objective/Resources Structure

Research, loyalty, advocacy Opt for customer based program

No existing customer base, Opt for network based programlimited time, quick hit

Acquisition, Viral Marketing Opt for a public program with incentive

Existing customer base, Opt for a private program with two waydetractors, control sensitive communications

Complicated products Three way communications

Access to employees, VIPs Intangible incentive

Slide 13

2006 Perspective From Dedicated WOM Agency

• First WOM award category (Mixx, WOMMA)

• First few ‘WOM’ RFPs/WOM as a budget line item

• First formal studies on WOM (eMarketer, Keller Fay)

• Corporate scandals continue but this is good news for WOM ☺

Slide 14

The Internal Pitch

I’m going to build a program where OUR CUSTOMERS can:• help each other when using our products

Boss Message – reduce calls to call center• learn more about us

Boss Message – get educated on our products

I’m going to build a place where WE can:• learn from our customers

Boss Message – learn about small problems before they become big problems and cost $$$ to fix

• reward and encourage those who speak highly of our productsBoss Message – free advertising

Slide 15

For More Information

Two more slides for the internal pitch, with a catch….

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

Warren Ackerman

warren@beaffinitive.com