5 Tips from Rowland Communications Worldwide's Ann Moravick

"The selling process can seem insurmountable within organizations new to WOM," says Ann Moravick, CEO and President of Rowland Communications Worldwide. "Months can pass before an organization is ready to move forward."

Here are Ann's five tips to speed the education process:

Tip #1. How do they feel about WOM?
Knowing your target's beliefs about word of mouth (WOM) will help you effectively overcome hurdles. To find WOM friends and foes, ask these questions:

* Have you done a WOM campaign before?
* What were the results?
* What are current perceptions of WOM?
* Who is an advocate?
* Who is not?
* Who owns it as a discipline?

Tip #2. Show me the money
Most organizations new to word of mouth take monies from existing disciplines: generally online, direct or PR. As a result, these discipline managers are sometimes reluctant to fund WOM.

Instead, encourage multiple divisions to share the burden of cost as a "test." This gives everyone ownership and reduces their budgetary contribution. Or find a passionate advocate in the company within one discipline and encourage him to add WOM to an existing effort.

Tip #3. Learn what's worked
Use publicly available case studies of successful WOM campaigns in selling internally. Make sure your campaign recommendations are clearly defined and results-oriented. The fearful manager considering a campaign will be relieved when you've shown her that you've considered every detail.

Tip #4. Measure for measure
Most marketers want to know they'll generate impact beyond just talk. Involve the diverse measurement approaches available today in the development of your campaign. Make sure you can answer: How many people are you going to engage? How many WOMunits will they convey and to whom? What will the ultimate measure of success be? How will you monitor day-to-day efforts?

Tip #5. Don't stop selling
First forays into word of mouth are scary. Extensive and consistent communication during the evolution of a WOM campaign is vital in assuaging fears and in creating true advocates for word of mouth.

Communicate at every juncture along the way, and communicate widely your successes when the campaign is done. After all, you want talk about your campaign and its success to go on its own word of mouth journey.

More about Ann:

Web site

Bio

Read Ann's WOMMA Summit presentation (PDF download)