Join Your Peers June 28 at WOMMA's Chicago Schmooze-Fest

Mark your calendar now! We're hosting a networking cocktail reception for Chicago-area word of mouth marketers on Thursday, June 28 -- and you're invited! Whether you hail from Chicago or are here for a visit, you're welcome to join us at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. on Navy Pier.

This is your chance to relax, have a few drinks, and chat with your industry peers. There will be networking, libations, deal-making, and Cajun-style munchies, all brought to you courtesy of WOMMA member company and sponsor GfK Custom Research North America.

Where: Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., 700 E. Grand Ave.
When: Thursday, June 28, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $75 for non-members, $50 for members

According to the November 2006 Chicago Tribune article, "Chicago Heart of Word-of-Mouth Ads," Chicago is a hotbed of word of mouth marketing activity. Come on out and have a drink with Chicago's who's-who in word of mouth marketing.

Space is limited.
PLEASE RESERVE YOUR SEAT TODAY!

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Teleconference: WOM Strategies to Uncover Customer 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, June 13, at noon EST

Know Thy Customer: WOM Strategies to Uncover Customer Needs: 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 creating 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. (NOTE: This call was previously scheduled for May 16; previous registrations will be honored.)

Wednesday, June 20, at noon EST

FTC Action on Marketing Food to Kids: A WOM Marketing Perspective: You don't want to miss this teleconference! The FTC announced plans to subpoena major food and beverage manufacturers and restaurants, demanding details of their efforts to market food to kids. Because of the scope of the questions and implications for various types of media used to reach children, third parties who are not food, beverage, and quick-service restaurant businesses could be affected. In addition, with the FTC's announcement that it will be seeking data about "unmeasured media," the agency will be studying new media platforms and contemporary marketing techniques.

Join Tony DiResta, Partner at WOMMA member company Reed Smith and former Director of the FTC's Southeast Regional Office, as he brings us up to date on these important issues, offering next steps and advice for word of mouth marketers. In particular, he will help us understand the FTC subpoena process -- how confidential information is handled, for example. Finally, he'll focus on how the class action bar may be viewing this development and how responses could be improved to frustrate those potential plaintiffs. He will also bring us up to date on current thinking at the FTC about a "new marketing ecosystem."

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

Sign up

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WOM BtoB Whitepaper: Let Us Do the Heavy Lifting

Have a great WOM BtoB case study that you want to share with your industry peers, but don't have the time to write it up? Let us know. We'll arrange to interview you, and we'll write the case study for you. It's easy: Tell us your story, and we'll spread the word.

WOMMA and member companies Slack Barshinger and Keith Bates and Associates have teamed up to bring the word of mouth marketing 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 -- or contact WOMMA to set up an interview, and we can do the heavy lifting for you.

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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Get Your Member Recognition Kit, Fly Your WOMMA Flag

WOMMA members: You're affiliated with an organization that prides itself on establishing the ethical guidelines and tools you need to amplify and empower your customers' voices. Do your clients and customers know that when it comes to word of mouth ethics, your company is one of the good guys?

WOMMA's Member Recognition Kit makes it easy for you to fly the word of mouth marketing flag for your company and for you to promote your participation in WOMMA.

WOMMA's Member Recognition Kit includes:

• A member statement for your company website
• A PowerPoint slide for client and internal presentations
• Customizable press releases for new or renewing members
• A WOMMA membership logo you can use on sales materials, publications, and your company website

Each piece of WOMMA's Member Recognition Kit may be used at your discretion to:

• Publicize your WOMMA membership
• Demonstrate your company's dedication to the word of mouth marketing industry
• Announce your company's commitment to word of mouth marketing ethics
• Promote word of mouth as an important tool within the mainstream marketing mix

Take advantage of WOMMA's Member Recognition Kit today

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Joined: 5 New Members

Even more companies have joined WOMMA. Welcome to:

• GSW-W
• Alec's Red House
• RavenTechnologies
• Bristol Builders
• Tiger Lily

We thank everyone for their support!

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Spreading the Word

News by, about, and for WOMMA members:

• Congratulations to WOMMA member company Intuit's Consumer Tax Group, which won an award for Best Customer Commitment at the SSPA Star Awards in San Diego on May 8. The award was given based on Intuit's practice of Customer Driven Innovation -- getting customer input at every phase of the development process.
• Kelly Mooney, President of WOMMA member company Resource Interactive, was featured in the interview series "Word-of-Mouth Wisdom," which is hosted by WOMMA member company Bazaarvoice's President and CEO, Brett Hurt. In the interview, Kelly shared the top three lessons from her soon-to-be-released book, titled "The Open Brand."
• WOMMA member company WOWZA recently launched TweetVolume, a free, interactive web analytics tool. You can find it here.
• WOMMA member company R/GA recently opened an in-house digital studio. Steven Ford, Head of Production, is set to manage its day-to-day operations.
• Ed Keller, WOMMA Board President and CEO of the Keller Fay Group, and Laura Shuler, WOMMA Board Secretary and Chief Strategy Officer and President (U.S.) of Jack Morton Worldwide, presented a joint webcast, titled "New Research: Driving Word of Mouth Advocacy Among Business Executives," on June 6.
• Greg Fine, Vice President of Membership, will be leaving WOMMA at the end of the month to join the Association Forum of Chicagoland as Director of Communications & Marketing and Executive Editor of FORUM magazine. Greg has played a leadership role on the launch of WOMMA's Member Center, the creation of WOMMA's Buyers Guide, and has worked closely with WOMMA Task Forces on Internal Ethics Guidelines and International Membership. Greg's passion and commitment to WOMMA's members will be missed. We wish him all the best in his new endeavor.

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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