Submit Your Word of Mouth BtoB Case Study

Here at WOMMA, we are constantly being asked for examples that demonstrate the power of word of mouth in the BtoB realm. Well, we've been listening, we hear what you're asking for, and we're gearing up to give you just that.

WOMMA and member companies Slack Barshinger and Keith Bates and Associates are teaming up to bring the word of mouth industry the first ever WOM BtoB whitepaper -- a collection of case studies to demonstrate BtoB word of mouth in action. This is a great opportunity; step up and showcase your expertise in this high-demand area by submitting your WOM BtoB case study.

Have you done something WOM-worthy in the world of BtoB? We want to hear about it. For more information, or to submit your case study now, email us at editor@womma.org.

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Teleconference: Use WOM to Uncover Your Customers' Needs

Join us Wednesdays at noon EST for WOM Wednesdays, WOMMA's ongoing teleconference series. Just register, dial in, and listen up to get the ideas that will truly expand your marketing horizons. After the teleconference, visit our website for an audio recording of the call, an exclusive member benefit that can be downloaded for free from the WOMMA Member Center.

Wednesday, May 16, at noon EST

Know Thy Customer: WOM Strategies to Uncover Customer Needs: Understanding customer needs is an essential part of growing and improving any business. Find out how Higher One and The Phelon Group tapped into the power of word of mouth to find out what Higher One customers really wanted -- and then put that information to work to create stronger connections with current customers and repeatable programs for prospects. Featuring Sean Glass, CMO, Higher One and Steven Nicks, EVP of Client Services, The Phelon Group.

Wednesday, May 30, at noon EST

Driving Seasonal Sales with WOM: How Hormel Made it Happen: If you're considering a WOM campaign in advance of the summer selling season or are already hatching plans for the 2007 holiday season, we've got the teleconference for you. Hormel and BzzAgent will detail how they used WOM to spark trial, prompt conversations, and overcome objections to the Jenny-O Turkey Store brand just in time for the 2006 holiday season. Featuring Art Muldoon, SVP of Client Services, BzzAgent and Cristofer Eide, Director of Retail Marketing, Hormel.

Cost is $20 for WOMMA members, $60 for non-members.

Sign up

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Join a Group, Become a Voice for the WOM Industry

Spring is finally here, and the winter hibernation is over. Shake your winter doldrums by jumpstarting your involvement in WOMMA: Do more for your industry by joining a WOMMA Group.

WOMMA Groups enable you to tackle large industry issues as well as smaller, project-focused tasks. Give us just two hours a month and we'll give you the chance not only to build an entire industry, but also to build an impressive resume within the growing word of mouth world.

We need dedicated volunteers to contribute to each of our growing Groups, including the Communications, Membership, and Research Councils, just to name a few.

Two new Groups, The Healthcare/Pharma Task Force and Ratings and Reviews Task Force, are examples of members stepping up to address a need in the industry. If you have an idea or area of interest not currently served by a Group, tell us and we will get one started. For more information contact Tarah Remington, Director of Member Relations at tarah@womma.org.

View a complete list of WOMMA Groups, then sign up.

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Find a New Employee or Employer on the WOMMA Job Board

The word of mouth marketing industry is growing fast. And so is the demand for experienced word of mouth marketers! Whether you're looking for new additions to your talented team or searching for the perfect new job in which to show off your word of mouth skills, WOMMA's Job Board can help you find what you need.

The WOMMA Job Board is the only job board that exists specifically for word of mouth marketing positions.

Members: Your company gets one free job posting every month; use it!

Jobs have been posted recently for word of mouth positions at: TNS Media Intelligence/Cymfony, Nielsen BuzzMetrics, Weber Shandwick, and more!

Find a new employee or a new job

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Recap: WOMMA Board of Directors Meeting

BOD Meeting Notes

WOMMA's Board of Directors (BOD) met in Chicago last week to work through a full agenda and celebrate the astounding success of a great idea -- WOMMA! Founded late in 2004, and with 102 enthusiastic, committed charter members at the end of the first full quarter in 2005, we're celebrating membership growth in excess of 60% since the first of this year -- a phenomenal achievement made possible by the now 370+ WOMMA member companies. Newly-elected directors John Bell, Managing Director/Executive Creative Director, 360° Digital Influence, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide; Laura Shuler, President US, Jack Morton Worldwide; and Julie Wittes Schlack, Senior Vice President, Innovation and Design, Communispace were welcomed and immediately joined in the discussions.

Directors heard reports on committee activities and engaged in an organizational assessment, reviewing WOMMA's mission, assessing the service mix, and strategizing membership models. Enriching the discussion were the results of a survey, to be extended to all WOMMA member companies. The strategy and finance committees of the Board are expected to follow-up on some of the specifics of the discussion.

The exclusivity of member benefits was a focal area for discussion, with the Board emphasizing the Buyers Guide listings that are free to members only, the member center, and the work currently underway to password-protect WOMMA's rich content -- all in an effort to increase the value proposition of a WOMMA membership.

WOMMA's ongoing partnership with the FTC was praised by directors, who encouraged regular conversation and education about ethical word of mouth marketing practices.

Board Officers Welcomed

Elected for a second term as Board President was Ed Keller, CEO of the Keller Fay Group. Ed expressed his appreciation for the support of the Board and members. Also elected to WOMMA officer positions were Paul Rand, President & CEO of the Zocalo Group (Vice President); and Laura Shuler, President US, Jack Morton Worldwide (Secretary), as well as two at-large members of the Executive Committee: Pete Blackshaw, CMO, Nielsen BuzzMetrics; and Gary Spangler, E-Business Leader, DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies. Rick Murray, President, me2revolution for Edelman is serving his second year of his two-year term as Treasurer.

The Board thanked Scott Wilder, Group Manager, QuickBooks Software and Small Business Services at Intuit for his service to WOMMA as immediate past vice president. Scott's contributions were felt across the board over the last year, and the Board is delighted that Scott will remain active as a director. The Board will meet again in the fall.

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WOMMA's New Clothes: Redesigned Newsletters Launch

Last week, WOMMA launched redesigned versions of its WOMMA Action Items, Womnibus Weekly, and WOM Research newsletters. WOMMA's extreme makeover produced a highly interactive newsletter that's easy to skim and easy to read in-depth -- we think it's pretty easy on the eyes, as well.

Of course, we're still producing the same amazing content that you've come to expect from our stable of publications. WOMMA Action Items will still be your go-to place for deals and opportunities, the Womnibus Weekly will remain your source for all things word of mouth, and the WOM Research newsletter will continue to bring the latest word of mouth research and data straight to your inbox every week.

Check out WOMMA's new look; subscribe to our FREE email newsletters

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Joined: 10 New Members

Even more companies have joined WOMMA. Welcome to:

• Masterfoods USA
• Vanguard
• RelevantNoise
• Prudential
• Marcus Thomas
• Apple
• M3 Relations
• Grassroots Enterprise
• ClearSaleing
• Taylor Johnson Associates

We thank everyone for their support!

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Speading the Word

News by, about, and for WOMMA members:

• The Nielsen Company, which owns approximately 58% of WOMMA member company Nielsen BuzzMetrics, announced that it will acquire the remaining shares of BuzzMetrics by May 2007.
• Congratulations to WOMMA member Brad Fay of the Keller Fay Group, who was awarded the ARF's annual "Grand Innovation Award" this month.
• An interview with Rick Bruner of WOMMA member companyDoubleClick was recently published by E-consultancy. You can read it here.
• WOMMA member company The Zocalo Group was featured in an article titled "Zocalo Influencing 'Influencers,'" which appeared in the April 23 edition of the Chicago Sun-Times. Read it here
• Congratulations to WOMMA member company Moroch Partners for winning a gold and silver award at the District 10 ADDY Awards for its work with McDonald's and DFW International Airport, respectively. Moroch also took home a bronze Telly award for its work with the Dallas Make-A-Wish Foundation.
• WOMMA member company RepNation recently announced the winners of the online JetBlue Video Contest. To see a list of winners and view the winning videos, click here.

Are you speaking at an event or receiving an award? Were you quoted in the press? Are you making a change at work or at home, or otherwise just doing something really cool? Tell us about it and we'll spread the word! Email editor@womma.org.

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