The Anatomy of Buzz

New Report Regarding Online Health Information

2011-05-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

Try to guess: What percent of adults in the U.S. have...

Posted comments, questions or information about health or medical issues on a website of any kind?
Read someone else’s commentary or experience about health or medical issues on an online news group, website, or blog?
Watched an online video about health or medical issues?
Followed their friends’ personal health experiences or updates on a social network site?

A new report from The Pew Research Center provides some insight into this. Scroll down to see the answers...

1. 4%
2. 25%
3. 19%
4. 11%

How did you do? As someone who spends too much time online, I was surprised by these numbers. As much as I remind myself that not everyone is like me, I sometimes overestimate online activities. So this study is a good reminder. Don't get me wrong: online resources are a significant source for health information (59% of adults have looked online for health information), but even with the proliferation of mobile and online opportunities, "most adults’ search for health information remains anchored in the offline world. Most people turn to a health professional, friend, or family member when they have a health question; the internet plays a growing but still supplemental role – and mobile connectivity has not changed that."

Lots of interesting numbers there. To download the full report use this link (pdf)

Five things I like about Enchantment

2011-03-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reading Guy Kawasaki’s new book Enchantment, but now that I want to write about it, I can’t find it anywhere. I may have left it on a flight or in a hotel. Maybe it’s somewhere around the house. Anyway, it occurred to me that reviewing a book from memory might actually be a good test of the book (and of my brain). The bottom line is that I like it, and here are five specific reasons:

1. Guy knows what he’s talking about. This is a book about influence, motivation and engagement, all concepts that are difficult to put under a microscope. What gives this book extra credibility is the fact that Guy Kawasaki has always had a nice following and knows how to engage and motivate people. He did it when the tools were relatively primitive (newsgroups, etc.) and he does it today using Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools. It’s not a coincidence that Enchantment went on several best seller lists in the first week.

2. Lots of lists. Guy is a great believer in lists, and he has a point. Checklists make it easy for readers to find out what’s relevant and manage their time. As long as you don’t lose your copy, Guy’s checklists make Enchantment perfect for travel. I’m sure you’re busy and chances are that you’re familiar with some of the ideas in the book. Lists allow you to focus on the new stuff, which you will surely find.

3. Research + Common sense. Guy cites lots of research but he doesn’t adopt it blindly. For example, he discusses the famous jam study (at Draeger’s here in Menlo Park) that suggested that giving people fewer choices can increase sales. But he also points out to real-life examples where giving people lots of choices can help sales (e.g. at Miyo, one of my favorite frozen yogurt stores). For a possible explanation of this, see discussion by Leilei Gao and Itamar Simonson here.

4. Clear like a bell. Guy writes well. He’s personal, conversational and sometimes funny (I remember something about him using Cialdini’s books as a source for bedtime stories for his kids. There’s also a section where he teaches you how to swear!) This accessible style makes Enchantment perfect for people with a short attention span (like me).

5. Good stories. The one with Richard Branson polishing Guy’s shoes stuck in my mind, probably because it comes with a picture. (I have to admit that I don’t recall the point he was trying to make, but it’s still a great story). Another good story is how Guy motivated a bunch of kids to recycle by providing a trash can with a hole the size of a bottle. Here the message is clear: make it easy for people to follow your guide and provide visual cues.

P.S. Good news. I found the book in my car. It has lots of notes and underlines. I could add some stuff, but I probably covered my main points. Enchantment is certainly worth checking out. Enjoy!

TOMS Shoes Gaining Momentum

2011-01-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

I've written before about how this company builds buzz (both in my book and here: Seven Elements in Toms Shoes Buzz). In September they gave away the one millionth pair of new shoes to a child in need. They are also growing nicely on Facebook and keep building buzz offline. Here's a small example: Like other supporters, I recently received this envelope from Blake, the company's founder (his official title is Chief Shoe Giver). It's a CD with some music and a bracelet to celebrate their 1 Millionth Milestone. This bracelet, of course, increases the chance that supporters will tell their friends about TOMS. I guess I just did.

I haven't read this book, but...

2010-12-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

About 30% of negative word of mouth comes from people who never owned the product that they were talking about. If you’re a marketer, I’m sure this is pretty upsetting: you’re working hard on developing a product, and people are badmouthing it without giving it a chance. But consumers should be annoyed by this too because secondhand buzz is not very helpful. Word of mouth is a filtering mechanism that we use in order to find good products. In a society where every person recommends only products that they personally tried and liked, good products will quickly rise to the top. When people simply relay information that they heard, you get something that could be best described as a buzz bubble, as depicted in this review: “I haven’t read this book but judging from the online reviews below, I don’t think it’s a very good book” (one star). See slide show with some of these reviews here

Three Worst and Best Predictions I Made

2010-10-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

This week is the 10th anniversary of "The Anatomy of Buzz" and it's a good opportunity to look back at some of the predictions I made in that book.

Worst predictions

1. "Amazon.com makes finding information about books extremely easy, but can the on-line reseller create buzz about a particular title? In their present state, on-line channels involve very little person-to-person interaction and therefore have a limited ability to push a particular product through 'hand selling,' to borrow a term from the brick and mortar world." (p. 221)

2. I still kick myself for missing this one: In January 1999 I attended a demo by a company called Quokka Sports which offered a glimpse at the potential of video on the Internet. After the event I talked with a friend about how one day perhaps everybody will be able to post videos online and consumers might even use this to share their product experience. I played with the idea for a couple of days, but it looked too crazy at the time.

3. "Viral marketing still has the strongest effect if your product can be somehow incorporated into the communication between two people. This includes phone systems (MCI), electronic postcards (Blue Mountain), free e-mail (Hotmail), and the communications tool that someone is inventing in his or her garage as you’re reading this chapter." (p. 196) I still think it's true. I was just wrong about the garage. He did it at his dorm room.

Best Predictions

1. "As more customers will spend more time on the Internet. As an explosion of wireless communication devices will increase customer connectivity even further. As these mobile devices will tap in to the Internet, customers will get even more connected to this vast depository of opinions, often right at the point of purchase." (p.20)

2. "In the same way that regional dialects continue to live on in the United States despite decades of national TV, local and regional influences remain important, despite the Internet. [...] This means that traditional marketing focused on zip codes, database marketing, and brick and mortar sales outlets are still key in spreading the word. The networks are still (and I believe always will be) pulled by social gravity to the ground around us." (p. 71)

3. "We can expect it to get worse. As with other tools, there will always be those marketing people who will use a new concept ad nauseam. Viral marketing is a hot concept as I’m typing these words, but I won’t be surprised if by the time you read this, a backlash is being felt." (p. 201)

The Jury is Still Out:

"Overall, aggregated buzz tools are good news to companies with high-quality products and excellent service and bad news to companies that try to get away with less than the highest standards. This doesn’t mean, unfortunately, that bad companies will disappear. But the rise of democratic measuring tools is likely, over time, to improve the quality of products and services we use." (p. 19)

Eight Low-Tech Contagious Products

2010-07-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

A lot of buzz comes not from clever PR or advertising but rather from attributes inherent in the product or service itself. I call products that have such built-in buzz “contagious products”. Here are eight low-tech examples:

1. Magnetic Poetry. Some products self-propagate by leaving traces of themselves behind. This is especially true for products that allow their users to express themselves. Magnetic Poetry spread this way. People saw bizarre messages on their friends’ refrigerators and started playing with the magnets. They left some interesting poems behind and bought their own kit for their fridge (and the one at the office!)

2. Cranium. Social interaction leads to talk. After a night of playing Cranium, you tell your friends how much fun you had, and about all the outrageous things that Chris did with clay and what Linda said and… you spread the word about Cranium.

3. Fresh fruit bouquets. All communication tools have built-in buzz because we use them to interact with others. When you get a fruit bouquet from a friend, you learn about the company behind it (ediblearrangements.com) and you may use them next time you want to surprise someone. (High tech examples: too many to list here. Email, Facebook, etc.)

4. The first Kodak camera. Cameras were invented in the 1820s, but for years they were perceived as too complicated for “the rest of us”. George Eastman reduced the operation to a three-step process: pull the cord, advance the key, and press the button. Their 1888 slogan captured it all: “You press the button—we do the rest.” Products that dramatically simplify something that appears beyond reach, can easily become contagious. (Macintosh)

5. DuPont Tyvek. By using Tyvek’s insulation material, contractors advertise this product to other contractors and homeowners in the area. This type of visual buzz plays an important role in several industries. (e.g. automotive, cell phones, fashion, sports)

6. Financial Times. Visual buzz plays a role here too. The fact that the FT is printed on pink (okay light salmon) paper, distinguishes it from others. In a similar way, distinctive blue bags in driveways tell people that their neighbors read the New York Times. Powerful social learning with no words exchanged.

7. The movie Psycho. Some products become contagious by evoking a strong emotional reaction. After we saw the movie Psycho, my teenage friends and I couldn’t stop talking about the movie. Fear, of course, is an emotion that evokes positive buzz for just a few products, such as horror films. For most products and services, it is usually the feeling of excitement and delight. The Wow effect.

8. FedEx. It’s hard to imagine it today, but there was a time when people did not know about overnight services. The FedEx brand (or “Federal Express” as it was known) spread partially through those distinctive envelopes. But it’s important to note that this initial buzz is usually not enough. It’s conceivable that, in time, almost every office in the world would have received a FedEx letter and thus would have been exposed to the brand. But in real life, with competitors and cash flow issues, companies need to accelerate buzz externally.

I’ll be in London on Monday July 19th to talk about accelerating buzz about contagious products. More details here.

Two pictures from Kyoto

2010-05-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

Testing the like button

2010-04-26T10:54:00.001-07:00

Just testing the Like button. Hey, I think I like it! Thanks Ekaterina! (She shows how to do it here)

Conversation Starter

2010-04-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

A short piece I wrote for Adweek about the need to trigger conversations can be found here. I mention three research papers in that article so here are the references for those who are interested in further reading:

Kumar, V., J. Andrew Peterson and Robert P. Leone. “How Valuable Is Word of Mouth?” Harvard Business Review, October 2007, 139-146. Here

East, Robert, Kathy Hammond, and Malcolm Wright. “The relative incidence of positive and negative word of mouth: a multi-category study.” International Journal of Research in Marketing, 24 (2), (2007): 175-184. Here

Barak Libai, Eitan Muller and Renana Peres (2010), “Sources of Social Value in Word of Mouth Programs,” Marketing Science Institute Working Paper 10-103. Here

Dinner in The Dark

2009-10-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

How does it feel to be blind? What are the problems you face when you can’t see? In Hamburg, I came across a restaurant called “Dinner in the Dark” that can give you a taste of the answer and teach you how to rely on your other senses when you eat.

The experience in a nut shell: You have dinner in a pitch dark room while served by blind waiters. What an amazing way to create a dialog between people who can see and those who can’t. Food is always a great ice breaker.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to eat there, but I definitely will next time I’m in Hamburg. The restaurant is part of a bigger project called Dialogue in the Dark, where blind people lead guests through a completely dark environment and where the visitors learn to interact by relying on other senses. (For locations around the world see here.)

How does a dinner in the dark create buzz? People talk about unique experiences, and this experience sounds pretty unique to me. It also involves some uncertainties and raises a lot of questions: is the cook blind too? (no he’s not) Do they serve drinks? (yes) Is the bathroom in the dark? (no). If you’re in Hamburg, the restaurant is located at Alter Wandrahm 4. (This is where trnd’s wom day took place.) As I said, I haven’t eaten there, but you can read what people said about the experience here.

This is a good opportunity to thank the folks at trnd and everyone who came for a terrific day. I was very proud that I was able to follow some of the conversations in German throughout the day and even to answer one of the questions that was asked in German without any translation (!) This would have made my grandma proud. The little German that I know comes from her talking to me as a child, and she didn’t talk much about word-of-mouth marketing or social media.

Using YouTube to Fight Knife Crime

2009-10-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

You have to experience this campaign in order to understand it, so once you read this, please watch the video. This campaign was done for the London Metropolitan Police. It’s called “Choose A Different Ending” and as the name suggests, it’s an interactive film that allows the viewer to decide what happens next. For example, in the picture above, you have to decide: take a knife to school, or leave it in the kitchen.

It encourages you to think about your choices which obviously is a good thing, but I'd love to learn more about the campaign's impact. I contacted the agency behind it (AMV BBDO) and will let you know if I learn anything new. If you have any thoughts or information, please let me know. I think that the creative is brilliant. I'd like to find out how it affects people. Here's the link to the video again.

This is part of my good buzz tour. I'm in Hamburg today to give another talk. Next stop - Stockholm.

The Dangers of Secondhand Buzz

2009-10-06T04:07:00.000-07:00

I wrote a short article for WOM UK about secondhand buzz and what to do about it. You can read it here.

The biggest misconception about word of mouth

2009-09-29T05:09:00.000-07:00

Contrary to the view that portrays word-of-mouth as the exclusive result of guerilla or non-traditional tactics, mass media can generate massive waves of buzz. The Keller Fay Group found that on any given day, 55% of Americans have at least one conversation related to media and entertainment! And most of these people have more than just one conversation: the average is 2.8.

Anyone who has read my books knows that I’m a great believer in grassroots, guerrilla, or influencer marketing. But this doesn’t change the fact that mass media can create buzz too. When I was in LA last week, I attended a lecture by Dr. Garth Japhet, who founded Soul City—a remarkable organization in South Africa. Japhet was in town to receive the Everett M. Rogers Award for Achievement in Entertainment-Education. Soul City is a perfect example for how mass media leads to buzz.

In 1990, Japhet was a physician at a health clinic in South Africa and he was growing frustrated with his work. He felt that so many of the issues that he was dealing with at the clinic should have not happened in the first place. Children in the poor township died from dehydration, from burn accidents, and from diseases that could have been prevented by immunization. In 1992, Japhet got together with another young physician, Shereen Usdin, and the two decided that the best way to touch people was through a TV drama. They developed a soap opera that takes place in a fictional township called Soul City.

Right from the first season, Soul City has become a hit. It also generates a lot of talk. After the second season, for example, 56% of respondents to a survey reported a discussion they had with others about health issues featured in the program. When season four was on the air, one out of three respondents to a survey talked about domestic violence, which was the focus of that season. And frequent viewers talked about the issue significantly more than those with low exposure to the program. (Watch a couple of minutes from season four here)

What makes people buzz about Soul City? Here are some answers (based on Japhet’s lecture as well as on an interview with Shereen Usdin I conducted back in 2007)

1. Good storytelling
Soul City is not an educational program that lectures people about how to take care of their kids. It’s a drama involving death, love, drinking, and sexual abuse, as well as some lighter themes. The health messages are woven in naturally as advice that characters give each other. The viewer hears the advice the way she would overhear two friends talking. It’s about stories, not slogans.

2. People love gossip
People talk about people and those folks that you meet every week on the show become your virtual friends. As a regular viewer of the show, you talk about their lives, their problems and the tragedies they face. These gossip-like conversations are very helpful in transmitting messages.

3. Leave open questions
The show always leaves open issues one can discuss—who was right in that argument, the husband or the wife? Should the doctor have called the police or not? If you read the comments under some of the most popular viral videos on YouTube, you can see the power of ambiguity in driving buzz. “Is this real or fake?” is a question that fuels lots of discussions on YouTube.

4. Extensive research
Before each season, the Soul City research staff studies the problem they plan to address. For one season, for example, pre-season research included face-to-face interviews with two-thousand people. The researchers also look for the words people use in talking about the problem. For example, in preparation for season four (domestic abuse), there was one word that was mentioned repeatedly by women. It was the Zulu word ukunyamezela, which means “to endure,” and it reflected the way many women in the country thought they were supposed to deal with domestic violence—it’s something that they just had to live through.

5. Pre-testing
The writers of the show work very closely with the researchers to incorporate the issues and the language that were discovered. But this is not the end of research. Japhet emphasized the need to test whether the message is actually coming through. In some cases, people loved the story, but the research showed that they didn’t get the message that Soul City was trying to convey.

6. Beyond TV
Another reason that Soul City gets so much talk is that the drama is so widely available. To reach a more rural audience, Soul City is available as a radio program in nine different languages of different tribes, as well as English and Afrikaans. Printed booklets that reinforce the programs’ messages and serve as conversation starters are inserted into high-circulation newspapers or handed out for free.

7. Multiple fronts
Real change hardly ever comes from a TV show alone. Recognizing this, Soul City works on other fronts--socio-political and legislative. For season four, Soul City partnered with the National Network on Violence Against Women, which ran workshops about the domestic violence act, and details of the law were woven into the TV program. Special hearings about the topic were organized in the parliament. This, of course, was reflected in the media.

This is the second story from my international tour, which will focus on how word-of-mouth marketing can promote positive change. Next week I’ll be in London and Hamburg. The following weeks in Stockholm, Istanbul and Sydney. For exact dates, please visit www.emanuel-rosen.com

Seven Elements in Toms Shoes Buzz

2009-09-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

So here we go, I’ve started my international tour which will focus on how word-of-mouth marketing can promote positive change. My first stop was last week in Los Angeles where I gave a talk to PR professionals and got to meet some real veterans in the entertainment PR field including Julian Myers who’s over 90 years old and remembers working with Marilyn Monroe. (He also still runs marathons. What an amazing guy!)

Anyway, we’re here to talk about word of mouth and positive change. I have two LA stories. I'll post the second one shortly.

On Friday I visited Toms Shoes in Santa Monica, a company that does a lot of things right. Why are they getting so much buzz? As always, the answer is multifaceted, but here are seven elements that explain it.

1. Strong message – For every pair of shoes you purchase, Toms will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. The same idea from some committee at a large corporation might have transformed to: “Proceeds from our shoe sales go to children in need. Limited to one pair per customer. Some restrictions apply. Review our web site for full details.” No! Toms shoes’ message is simple: One for one.

2. Good simple story – The story can be summarized in three sentences. This guy Blake Mycoskie goes to Argentina and sees cool shoes. He also sees kids with no shoes. He puts two and two together and starts a company that will make cool shoes and will donate a pair for every pair it sells. The story is supported with videos and pictures that show that the company is delivering on its promise.

3. Mass media – If you read my book you may remember that the first big push for Toms came from an article in the Los Angeles Times. As a result of that article, Blake got 2,200 orders in 24 hours. Blake continues to get a lot of press. He’s been on Good Morning America and other shows. If you live in the U.S., you probably have seen the AT&T commercials that feature him. Don’t underestimate the role of mass media in building buzz. (More on this in my next LA story).

4. Participation – Customers are involved in delivering the shoes to children in need. Last year I participated in one of their “shoe drops” in Booneville Kentucky and I’ve been talking about it ever since (picture above). It was an unforgettable experience—measuring the kids’ feet, fitting the shoes, helping the kids decorate their Toms. Last Friday I met people who participated in shoe drops in places like Argentina and South Africa, and their stories were moving and memorable. Since most people cannot go on a “shoe drop”, the company encourages participation through Facebook, by buying the shoes and by spreading the word.

5. Social media with a purpose – At every contact point, the company encourages you to spread the story. For example, after you buy the shoes, you’re encouraged to tweet “I just bought and gave a pair of TOMS Shoes to children in need. You can too at http://www.tomsshoes.com !” And this type of thinking is not limited to social media: The box with the shoes arrives with a TOMS sticker and a flag (!), so they encourage you to create visual buzz in the real world, too.

6. Self expression. We all love talking about what we create. TOMS encourages its customers to put together “Style Your Sole” parties where people decorate their own shoes. There are some beautiful designs that people put together and those end up on Flickr, Facebook and on blogs. And again, people love to show what they create to friends, so there’s visual buzz in the real world.

7. Ongoing – I’ve been following the company for awhile now, and this is one of the more impressive aspects of TOMS: They are constantly coming up with new stuff to talk about. New styles, new partnerships, new promotions. The core message never changes though: For every pair of shoes you buy from Toms Shoes, this company will donate a pair of shoes to a child in need.

I can go on and on about this company (see here for what Ben McConnell wrote about them), but I just wanted to share a few thoughts. I’d love to hear yours! Soon I’ll post another good buzz story from LA. Next week I’ll be in London and Hamburg. The following weeks in Stockholm, Istanbul and Sydney. For exact dates, check out www.emanuel-rosen.com

Good buzz anyone?

2009-08-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

My fall book tour will focus on how word-of-mouth marketing can help promote positive change around the world. I'll be giving talks in Los Angeles, London, Hamburg, Stockholm, Warsaw, Istanbul, Sydney, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas. What I hope to do is have a "good buzz" story from each of these cities. An example for what I'm looking for is a story I reported from Chicago a couple of weeks ago.

If you know of any examples for how buzz is being used to spread the word about education, health or other good stuff, I'd love to hear from you!

Can Street Vendors Promote Higher Education?

2009-08-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

When Maria Bucio, who works for the State of Illinois, wants to spread the word about college in Mexican neighborhoods, she goes to the street vendors who sell corn from push carts. Why? Because these guys talk to a lot of people. No, they are not “opinion leaders” when it comes to higher education, and they probably can’t guide kids in selecting their major in college. But these guys can spread the word about a meeting where you’ll learn how to apply for financial aid.

Maria discovered the power of vendors a few years ago, when she was promoting such an information session. Usually these events were attended by five to ten people and Maria was determined to get a much better turnout this time. So she walked around the neighborhood with some flyers and tape. She talked to the corn vendors, to people at the bakery, the church, the library, the grocery store. And in each one of these places, after she explained what she was doing and why it was important, she asked their permission to post a flyer. On Sunday morning at 9 AM, there were a hundred people waiting in the snow for information on how to apply for financial aid.

The Energy Factor
One (pretty obvious) point that many people miss about grassroots marketing is that execution counts, a lot! Ideas are important, but how they are implemented in the field and how much energy is put behind them can make the difference between success and failure. There is a big difference between posting 10 flyers in a local high school and putting 200 flyers all around the community. Numbers make a difference. But it’s not only about numbers. Maria is passionate about what she promotes and it shows. She talks to everyone around her about college—kids on the street, in elevators, in line. “I talk a lot, I guess. So I start up conversations,” she says. Some of these incidental conversations have prompted kids to go to college.

Maria is part of a small energetic team lead by Jacqueline Moreno and Eddie Brambila of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) that has been using word-of-mouth marketing for several years now to encourage kids from low income families to go to college. Their objective is to reach the kids who need them most. Not just middle class kids who qualify for financial aid, but kids from the lowest income families—Kids from families where no one has ever gone to college. They figured that if they want to reach the kids who really need them, they need to take a proactive approach. If they limited their efforts to presentations in high schools, they were going to attract the kids who already are interested in college (typically from families with previous college-going experience). So they started going into the communities. One thing they did was to partner with a tax preparation service for the working poor, a group that provides free consultation during tax season across metropolitan Chicago. They taught about 1600 tax experts how to help families fill out federal financial aid forms. Partnering with the right network caused an increase of almost 20% in on-time filing of these forms in the lowest income zip codes.

Cloning Maria Bucio
Now ISAC is hoping to multiply Maria times 59. They recruited fifty nine highly motivated graduates from the class of 2009 who will live in every community college district around the state of Illinois to promote college among low income neighborhoods. Their goal is by 2018 to double the number of low income students who graduate from college (right now it’s around 14%)

Earlier this summer I gave a talk in Chicago to these fifty nine people as part of their seven week training (they all had to read my book). And talk about energy! You could power the traffic in Chicago for a week with the energy in that classroom. Now, each one of them is placed in a community somewhere in the state of Illinois, building buzz for college. Good luck!

This is the first in my “Good Buzz” series that is part of my fall book tour. In addition to giving a talk in each city, I'll use this blog to discuss how word-of-mouth marketing can be used to promote positive change around the world. If you have any good stories from the cities included in the tour*, I'd love to hear from you!

* Cities currently included: Los Angeles, London, Munich, Warsaw, Stockholm, Philadelphia.

Update - International Book Tour

2009-07-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

All the pieces are falling into place in planning my fall book tour. Events are planned so far in Los Angeles (9/24), London (10/6), Munich (10/8), Warsaw (10/14) and Stockholm. We have several cities that have not yet been finalized. I think this will keep me busy, but I'm open for suggestions. So if you'd like me to give a talk in your city, please email emanuel.rosen at gmail.com

October 2009 - The International Book Tour

2009-07-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

October 2009 will be dedicated to promoting my new book around the world. During this month, I will visit companies and organizations outside of North America for a free one-hour presentation of my work on buzz. The deal is simple: No speaking fee. You purchase 100 or more books for attendees. A flat fee to cover hotel and travel expenses will be determined before you commit. (currently estimated at $1,200)

The topics covered in my new book are listed here. Buzz from past events can be found here. You can watch a video from my U.S. tour with NOLS here (No, the international segment will not involve a veggie bus...)

This offer does not apply to speaking engagements in North America and will end on October 31st 2009. For the full details, please email emanuel.rosen at gmail.com.

This international tour reminds me that I once gave a talk in a spaceship. Anyone identifies the picture above? I gave a talk there a couple of years ago.

Back to Chicago! July 2nd 2009

2009-06-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

I gave five talks in Chicago in April but somehow none of them was open to the public. So I'm excited about my next Chicago speaking engagement: It's open, it's free, but it requires pre-registration. If you have any friends in Chicago who might be interested, please direct them to this link

The weather in Chicago back in April was miserable (I'll never forget Tootsie covered in snow in the morning), but the groups I met were simply terrific. From young MBA students at the Kellogg Marketing Club to the wonderful folks at ISAC (Illinois Student Assistance Commission), who use word-of-mouth marketing to get kids to go to college. I love it when buzz is used for social change. I'm going to see the ISAC folks again this time to hear about their progress.

Speaking of Tootsie (the NOLS bus that took me around the Midwest in April), here's a video of our wonderful two week tour. Thanks Brian!

This isn't my first talk at Mobium and BIGFrontier. In the picture above, you can see (a much younger) me at a talk I gave back in 2000 or 2001. So it will be really nice to be back. You can watch a video of that talk here. See you in Chicago!

Let Your Customers Spread Visual Buzz

2009-06-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I learned about a Nike-sponsored marathon in San Francisco to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. But I didn’t see it on TV. I didn’t read about it in the paper. How did I know about it? Because a couple of days after the race, my friend Terry showed me a blue box with the Tiffany logo. Inside there was a silver necklace (like this one) with a figure of a woman running. The Nike Swoosh and the year ’05 were engraved on the charm. Terry went on to tell me that she ran a half marathon and that at the end of the run, men in tuxedos were handing the boxes to each woman who crossed the finish line. The foundation of this snippet of buzz was the experience (run a marathon) with something to talk about (men in tuxedos at a sporting event) and a gorgeous memento (Tiffany jewelry). Would Terry have told me about the event without the reminder? Probably. Would have she mentioned Nike’s involvement? Much less likely. This necklace made sure that the brand was part of the conversation. A Netflix red envelope you notice on the street, or a can of Soup-at-Hand at the office, or the New York Times in front of your neighbor's door, are all examples for conversation starters. Are you giving your customers an opportunity to create visual buzz?

Was Your Father A Thief?

2009-05-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite word of mouth campaigns: BBNT is a fast food chain with a handful of stores in Melbourne, Australia. To encourage young people to try their burgers, the company ran a campaign that’s based on bad pick-up lines. The staff was instructed that if anyone came in and said “Was your father a thief?” they were to respond “No, why?” then if the customer replied “Well, who stole the stars and put them in your eyes?” they were to give him or her a free cheeseburger. Twenty people around Melbourne were told about the promotion and pretty soon the word got out. “What was really exciting about it was that people had to be a little bit brave,” says Nick Cummins at Sputnik Agency that ran the promotion. “Some people came in and chickened out half way fearing their friends were having a joke on them, especially when the staff answered ‘No, why?’” But soon the campaign got so popular and so many free burgers were being handed out that the bad pickup line had to be changed to “Are you from Jamaica?” (Answer: “Cause Jamaican me crazy.”) With only word of mouth, the campaign drove lots of young people to sample the burgers and positioned BBNT as a fun and irreverent brand.

Thank You!

2009-04-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Midwest tour with NOLS is over and I want to thank the dozens of people who made it such a success. A big thank you to everyone who helped with organizing, spreading the word, audiovisual and moral support. I was amazed by how fast we were able to put this together. Special thanks to each and every one of you!

I started counting and I think there are over 100 people who made it happen! The eight people in the picture represent this wonderful group. The buzz tour hall of fame: Paul Hydzik, Jeff Wuslich, Cheryl Reed, Lauren Guzman, Sivan Barnea, Jacqueline Moreno, Betsy Weber, Jason Falls. Thank you! And many thanks to the NOLS folks—Matthew Copeland, Jeanne O'Brien, Bruce Palmer, Brad Christensen. And the unforgettable bus team—Christi van Eyken, Matthew Celesta and Brian Hensien. And Tootsie! Thanks for the ride!

Goodbye Tootsie (Day 11 and beyond)

2009-04-19T04:36:00.000-07:00

St. Louis was our last stop and it was time to say goodbye. Before we do that, I want to thank Matt Copeland, marketing manager and a bus veteran who got us from Louisville to St. Louis, letting Celesta rest for a while. And thanks to Jake and the Olin folks at Washington University. It was fun talking to you guys! (and thanks for the bagel.)

Brian Hensien, Christi van Eyken, Matthew Celesta and I spent almost two weeks together with no fights or drama and nobody was voted off the bus. I guess life is sometimes simpler than a reality show. I'll never forget this group of wonderful young people: Christi calmly navigating the bus in downtown Chicago, map and compass in hand. (a compass!) Matthew driving for hours always with a smile on his face and something hilarious to say. Brian chasing us with three video cameras in his endless search for grease and that ultimate shot! Goodbye guys. We'll always have Zingerman's.

Although I said goodbye to Tootsie and the crew, the tour is not over yet. My next stop was at the University of Kansas where I gave a short talk to 299 undergrad students (Thank you Joyce!). On Friday I gave a talk at the University of Denver Daniels College of Business and had a wonderful lunch and a lively discussion with their marketing faculty. My next talk is at the University of Colorado at Boulder on Monday. And then... home!!!

Elvis in Louisville (Day 9-10)

2009-04-16T21:10:00.000-07:00

My first talk in Louisville was at Greater Louisville Inc. which is the metro chamber of commerce and economic development agency for the region. This was especially interesting to me because I talked to this group back in 2000, so we were able to look at a few things that have changed since then.

In the evening, I gave a talk at the Social Media Club in Louisville. Jason Falls brought together a terrific group of people who are truly interested in word of mouth. We met at the Visual Art Association at the Water Tower, and it was the first time I gave a talk with a glass bomb hanging over the podium. Jason is one of those people who are both a social and and an expert hub and he put me in touch with several other people in the city. One is professor David Faulds at the University of Louisville who's teaching a class on social media together with another professor--Glynn Mangold at Murray State. Jason also put me in touch with the local public radio station and I had a fun conversation with Julie Kredens on her program State of Affairs. Thanks Jason! Also special thanks to Bruce Palmer, NOLS director of admission and marketing who joined me for the day and helped me find my way in Louisville (these NOLS folks know how to navigate without a GPS!).

Now, about Elvis. As Bruce and I were doing all this serious stuff, the bus crew got to participate in a special parade. As it turns out, there's a tradition in Louisville to have a rat race (yes, with real rats) a few weeks before the Kentucky Derby and they have a Rodent Parade that's part of the fun. You have to watch this video and see Matthew Celesta throwing candy from the top of the bus. And that's where they met Elvis. Brian even got him to say a few words on camera.

In the afternoon Tootsie got a little sick and had to be taken to a local bus clinic. After a few hours of rest, we were all on the road again, on our way to the last stop--Saint Louis.

Day 9 -- Four Things I did for the first time in my life (today)

2009-04-14T21:32:00.000-07:00

1. Slid down a fire pole (While visiting Angie's List, a cool company that aggregates word of mouth. Their headquarter is in an old firehouse). This was SO much fun!

2. Stayed at a Red Roof Inn.

3. Spoke to a Social Media Club (The one in Louisville. Thank you Jason Falls!)

4. Saw a mention of my book in Advertising Age, a publication that paid no attention to the first edition back in 2000. Word of mouth marketing has come a long way. Thank you AdAge and David Berkowitz! Interview here

Two new videos from my tour with NOLS: One about the search for grease here (5:59). The second one is about our fun event at Angie's List here (1:18). Kudos to Brian!

When was the last time you stayed at a dorm? (Day 7-8)

2009-04-12T15:36:00.000-07:00

We started the day in Bloomington, Indiana! One of the most beautiful campuses I've seen. When they asked me if I wanted to stay in the dorm I didn't think twice. Absolutely. When will I have a chance to feel that young again?

Jeff Wuslich really took good care of us and made us feel at home from the moment he stepped on the bus. (He also makes really good gelato.)

In the morning I gave two talks at the business school at Indiana University, and drove up to Purdue (this one did not involve the bus so I used conventional gas and a Budget rental car). The talk at Purdue was to a smaller crowd than usual but it was still fun.

Now back in Indianapolis with the bus crew. Ready for three more events tomorrow! (One here and two in Louisville)

Greasing 101 (Day 6)

2009-04-11T21:13:00.000-07:00

A quick visit to Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor and we hit the road to Bloomington, Indiana. On the way we had to find grease for Tootsie, and after a few disappointing experiences, we finally hit gold in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Finally, I had a chance to get my first lesson in greasing. My job was to get the grease from the grease trap, inspect it for quality, and pour it into another container. You don’t have to be an expert to see the difference between good and bad grease. Good grease is kind of translucent with no milky stuff in it. (i.e. no animal fat). Bad grease is the opposite. It’s also not difficult to see how involving NOLS alumni in this process creates buzz. Anyone who does something like this will tell all his friends about it. I know I will.

With fresh and delicious grease in her system, Tootsie had a smooth ride to Indiana University at Bloomington where we’ll spend Sunday and Monday. BTW, on our way there we stopped for a quick dinner at White Castle. I asked the young woman behind the counter about their special event for Valentine’s Day and she said that it’s becoming very popular. On Valentine’s Day, you can make a reservation at White Castle. When you arrive, a hostess leads you to your reserved seat and lights candles for you and your partner. A romantic dinner at White Castle. Sometimes (but it's rare) you can create buzz by doing something so far from the brand’s core, so absurd, that it works.

University of Michigan (Day 5)

2009-04-11T05:26:00.000-07:00

I gave nine talks in the past four days, so I could definitely use some rest. The event in an Ann Arbor totally focused on NOLS and was organized by the university's Outdoor Adventures program. It included a camp out on campus which is a cool way to create buzz for their program.

For me, the highlight of the day was a visit to Zingerman's Delicatessen. Back in 1988 my wife and I got job offers in Ann Arbor and were seriously considering moving here. This visit made me regret our decision for a moment.

Michigan State (Day 4)

2009-04-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

We woke up in Kalamazoo and drove around in search for RVO (recycled vegetable oil). Brian Hensien, our videographer extraordinaire, did everything humanly possible to find grease, but we had no luck. Some restaurants didn't want to give it. In some restaurants the container was empty. In others, the grease wasn't good enough for Tootsie (she needs pure veggie oil. Bacon and burger fat - no good). Anyway, at one point, it became clear that we would need to end the search and rush to our next event at Michigan State. We hope to find some grease soon!

After setup, I had a chance to practice my climbing skills. I'm really bad at this, and Brian made sure this is well documented for generations to come.

Betsy Weber, chief evangelist at TechSmith and a long time word of mouth marketing expert, took me out for lunch (Great chicken salad. Thanks Betsy!) The talk started at 4 PM. We had a large group of students and business people. (Student notes here) After the talk, we all walked to the bus, and I had a chance to learn about some really interesting stuff that goes on at Michigan State. (also interesting dinner!)

This morning I woke up in Ann Arbor with no alarm clock (a first on this tour). I don't remember anything that happened after dinner except for the fact that I had some good M&Ms as dessert. Click here to view another video from the NOLS bus (1:43). It shows our previous day in Notre Dame.

Video: Meet Matthew Celesta (Day 3)

2009-04-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

Love this video! Matthew Celesta, who drives the bus and knows SO much about NOLS, shares his thoughts about the upcoming tour. This exclusive one-minute interview was shot before the bus went on the road but was just released to the public. (Click here to watch)

Back to reality: We're spending the night in Kalamazoo Michigan after an exciting day with lectures in Chicago and the University of Notre Dame. Many thanks to all the people who have made these events happen!! Tomorrow morning, we need to get some veggie oil on our way to Michigan State University. Christi talks here about the fine art of greasing http://nols.blogs.com/bus/

How the bus builds buzz (Chicago - Day 2)

2009-04-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

One of the main functions of the NOLS bus is to re-ignite conversations. It reminds NOLS alumni of experiences they may have forgotten. Even more important, the bus gives them an opportunity to talk about the school once again.

Whenever possible, I walk with students to the bus after my lectures. They love to talk to the bus crew. Some want to hear about the engine, the filtering system, and the millage per gallon. Others are attracted to the challenge of the bouldering wall (it's not as easy as it looks). There are those who get fascinated by the collage of alumni pictures on the bus walls. The bottom line: The bus gives you a lot to talk about, even if you've never heard about NOLS before.

Today was an intense day with four lectures in two schools: Loyola University and Illinois Institute of Technology. This was fun!! Tomorrow, another talk in Chicago, and then we hit the road to Notre Dame.

Chicago Day 1

2009-04-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

I spoke today to two very different groups. In the morning I talked at UIC to mostly nonprofits and public sector organizations. I have to say it's inspiring to hear from people who use word-of-mouth marketing to promote good stuff. I spoke for example to several folks from ISAC (Illinois Student Assistance Commission), a state agency that gets kids to go to college. Grassroots marketing in action! I hope to write about them more one day. In the meantime, you can read about the event here.

In the evening I spoke at Northwestern university to the Kellogg Marketing Club. I love marketing, and it was clear that these business students love the topic too. It was a terrific crowd and we had lots of fun together.

A word about Chicago weather in April. Let's just say that our solar panels didn't collect too much energy today. I'm hoping for some sun tomorrow!

We met in Chicago

2009-04-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

So finally, after three weeks of planning, we met tonight in Chicago. It was easy for me to get there--just a four hour flight from San Francisco. But for Brian, Christi and Matthew, this was a 1,200 mile drive from Lander WY. It was snowing, it was raining, but they kept going!

That's it! The bus tour is actually happening. When the NOLS folks first suggested it, I had some doubts, but with the help of some incredible people (you know who you are), it became a reality. We have more than a dozen events planned until 4/16 when we say goodbye in St. Louis.

We have a busy day tomorrow. The bus will be at UIC and I'm giving talks both at UIC and at Northwestern at the Kellogg Marketing Club.

We're all going to sleep now. Tootsie is outside, covered in snow, waiting for tomorrow morning.

Midwest bus tour - the latest

2009-03-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

I can't wait! We start in Chicago on April 6. After a couple of days (and four lectures), we go to Notre Dame, Michigan State and Ann Arbor (no lecture there, just fun). On the weekend, we'll start our drive south and we plan on getting a good rest on Sunday. On Monday April 13 we have a super busy day in Indiana and Tuesday might be even busier in Louisville (I love this place!). Then, on Thursday morning we'll be in St. Louis and I'll have to say goodbye to Tootsie and the team. This is where the bus tour really ends, although I'll continue to Kansas and Colorado to give additional talks. Things still might change but this is the latest map.

April 2009 Bus Tour with NOLS

2009-03-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

Starting April 6th, I'm going on a book tour with Tootsie, a bus powered by recycled vegetable oil that we'll collect from restaurants along the way. This bus is featured in my new book and it is used by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) to spread the word about their organization and about alternative energy. At the moment, we have 12 stops on campuses in Chicago, Denver and several cities in between. The route may still change a bit. If you'd like specific information, email me at emanuel.rosen at gmail.com or @EmanuelRosen on Twitter or watch this space for more information.

The anatomy of a bus: my veggie-oil powered book tour

2009-03-11T16:40:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have already read my new book, may remember Tootsie - a bus powered by recycled vegetable oil that is used by NOLS--The National Outdoor Leadership School--to spread the word about their organization and about alternative energy. Well, the good folks at NOLS have invited me to come along, and we'll be visiting some campuses and cities in the next few weeks.

If you'd like us to come to your campus or city, drop me a line at emanuel@emanuel-rosen.com or @EmanuelRosen on Twitter. I can't guarantee that we'll come, but we'll try. The mid April tour will start in Chicago and will focus on the midwest, so we definitely want to hear from you if you're in this area. But feel free to send me a note even if you're somewhere else--maybe I can come for a talk at a later point (with or without Tootsie). In addition to a presentation about my new book (The Anatomy of Buzz Revisited) you'll get to visit the bus that runs on recycled vegetable oil. (We will get the oil from restaurants on our way.) The bus also has a climbing wall, and the bus team can give you a taste of NOLS wilderness training programs. In doing the research for my book, I spent some time with the bus team and I can tell you that they are lots of fun, and know quite a lot about grassroots marketing.

You can learn more about the tour on my web site at http://www.emanuel-rosen.com/book-tour The Nols Bus is at http://www.nols.edu/bus/

More to come

What's New in The Anatomy of Buzz Revisited?

2009-02-04T19:47:00.000-08:00

While I was desperately searching for case studies in writing the first edition (back in 1998), I had the opposite problem in writing this one--too much to chose from. So first, you'll find lots of new examples and research in this edition. Second, the new examples and academic studies helped me focus on concepts that I ignored (or almost ignored) in the first edition such as the need to measure buzz, storytelling, the power of participation, ethical issues, second-hand buzz, and visual buzz. You'll find less about why word of mouth is important and more about how word of mouth marketing is being used in the field.

This is not a summary of the book, but it will give you an idea of what to expect. Chapters marked with asterisks * are completely new, chapters 9-10 have been largely untouched, and the rest of the chapters fall somewhere in the middle.

Chapter 1: Trigger*

Delight your customers and they will talk about you. This is the foundation of word-of-mouth marketing, but even delighted customers tend to forget, and eventually they will run out of opportunities to talk about you. Companies should therefore be proactive about stimulating conversations. Here’s how a bus, a Bob Dylan song and a virtual ice cream cone triggered some buzz.

Chapter 2: “I Haven’t Read this Book, but…”*

There’s a difference between experience-based buzz and secondhand buzz. A study by Robert East from Kingston University in London found that 30% of negative word of mouth was by people who never owned the product. Counterbalancing this trickle of negative buzz is another reason why companies should stimulate honest, positive word of mouth. We should all encourage experience-based buzz. With too much secondhand buzz, we'll end up with what can be best described as a buzz bubble as illustrated by a review posted on Amazon: "I haven't read this book, but judging from the online reviews below, I don't think it's a very good book."

Chapter 3: The New Buzz*

There have been two major trends over the past decade in the way buzz spreads. First, text-based buzz has reached a massive scale. Second, "word of mouth" is no longer just about words. The power of old online buzz--mostly text based--is now multiplied by visual buzz. New technologies give people more opportunities to observe and imitate each other. What's the value of such implicit recommendation? I discuss one study that measured the value Adidas derived from implicit recommendations on MySpace. Two organizations--Toyota and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)--share their experience with new buzz. I also discuss (with the help of Tim and Nina Zagat) what I called in the first edition "aggregated buzz tools". Today we have dozens, if not hundreds, of similar aggregation mechanisms. They are far from being ubiquitous even among young people (as shown by Eszter Hargittai) but I still believe that they are likely to grow and improve the quality of the products and services we use.

Chapter 4: Why Is Buzz on the Rise?*

The obvious answer is that the Internet has caused the volume of buzz to explode. But things are a bit more complicated than that. Research shows that most word of mouth is still communicated face-to-face. So how exactly has the Internet contributed to the rise of buzz? It has made buzz visible to marketers. More importantly, online buzz can serve as an accelerator of offline buzz. It is the combination of online and offline discussions that makes buzz so powerful.

Chapter 5: Can Buzz be Measured?*

When I was writing the first edition of this book, people doubted that it was possible to measure something that is as intangible as buzz or word of mouth. Today, several companies are involved in measuring both online and offline buzz. I visited a couple of these companies--The Keller Fay Group and Nielsen Online. I also discuss efforts to measure a buzz campaign by researchers such as David Godes, Dina Mayzlin and Walter Carl.

Chapter 6: Insight and Buzz*

Understanding what customers want to talk about is a key factor in stimulating word of mouth. Your best bet to finding a way to stimulate buzz is by first listening to what people are already saying about your product. Then, look for ways to amplify these discussions. I describe a campaign by Tremor (a business unit of Procter & Gamble) that created buzz for Clairol Herbal Essences. I also discuss how listening to internal buzz regarding your customers can help you avoid a culture where the customer is viewed as the enemy.

Chapter 7: Why We Talk

Birds do it, bees do it…we all share information, but why? And what can we learn from simpler forms of life, like ravens, about why we buzz. What intensified the buzz among Bedouins in Sinai? Readers of the previous edition may want to skip some of this, but take a look at the section that talks about self enhancement which is based on a study by Andrea Wojnicki and David Godes. If you view yourself as an expert on, say, restaurants, will you share more information about a positive or about a negative experience you had?

Chapter 8: Hubs

Some people talk more than others. I call these people “hubs”. I make a distinction between social hubs—people who talk more because they know more people—and expert hubs—people who talk more because they know more about something. How do you identify these folks? And once you do, what do you do with them? The academic debate about the topic has been going on for decades and was recently reignited by Duncan Watts at Columbia. Watts's work should remind us not to overstate the importance of hubs, but I want to make sure that marketers don't dismiss a valuable method because of a few catchy headlines in trade publications.

New examples for the use of hubs can be found throughout the book: Microsoft's MVP program, American Express's Partnership in Preservation, Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven Life and Prostate Net campaign with barbers. The MVP discussion focuses on the tricky relationships with hubs. If you expect them to always support you, or pressure them to do so, you may turn off potential advocates--or you may end up with avid fans that nobody listens to.

Chapter 9: It’s a Small World. So What?

There are ten principles at work in social networks that affect buzz and this chapter examines them, one by one. What are the implications of these principles? Have the fundamentals of social networks changed in the era of MySpace and Facebook? Except for this issue, this chapter is almost identical to the one in the first edition.

Chapter 10: How Buzz Spreads

This chapter too has been largely untouched. It describes how word spread about the novel Cold Mountain, and how word-of-mouth helped the product become a surprise blockbuster bestseller. New stuff: What are the forces that block buzz from spreading? What caused certain Stanford students to stop wearing the LiveStrong yellow wristbands?

Chapter 11: Contagious Products

The first Kodak camera, Hanky Panky thongs or Magnetic Poetry are three examples for products that spread because they were “contagious” in some way. The best buzz comes not from clever PR or advertising but rather from attributes inherent in the product or service itself. What does this have to do with marketing? A lot. People who focus on the promotional aspect of marketing get nervous at this point, but good marketing starts with the first "P"--Product. I also discuss here the role of visual buzz and network effects.

Chapter 12: Accelerating Natural Contagion

Eventually, people will spread the word about a great product. But how do you ensure they talk about it now? In this chapter I discuss how one woman, the late Linda Pezzano, helped accelerate the adoption of two products: Trivial Pursuit and Pictionary. I was fortunate to interview Linda back in 1998, a year before she died. For this edition, I talked to Chris Byrne who worked with Pezzano on building buzz for Pictionary.

Chapter 13: The Envelope and the Line*

I was more than a bit naive when I wrote the first edition. While I discussed issues like trust and honesty, when the thought of including a short section on ethical issued crossed my mind, I dismissed it. I simply didn't think it was a significant enough issue. I was wrong. So this chapter discusses some ethical questions associated with word of mouth marketing. When you're trying to build buzz, it's important to push the envelope and think outside of the box. And when you look for original ideas and new ways to reach people, you can't police your thoughts--you need to brainstorm and let your mind explore all possibilities. But after the brainstorming, you have to change your attitude dramatically. This is best done the morning after, over some strong coffee, in the bright light of day. Think again about your wild new idea. Ask other people what they think. Ask your customers. Ask people in the community: Are we crossing the line?

Chapter 14: Active Seeding

The 2001 movie On the Line got lots of initial buzz. So how come the movie bombed? Researchers point out the difference between volume and dispersion. While the volume of buzz matters, it is also important for it to be widespread. I describe here a couple of interesting studies: one study is by Godes and Mayzlin. The other study is by Duncan Watts and colleagues.

Chapter 15: Story*

People love to tell each other stories. What’s the story of your business and how do you find one? Is it something you simply create out of thin air? A good business story—a story that people will repeat and that will help your sales—should be anchored in fact. The story of Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms Shoes is a good example. If for some reason the company suddenly stops putting shoes on kids' feet, the story will collapse, but for now, it's doing it. In 2007, Mycoskie and sixty volunteers delivered 50,000 shoes to children in South Africa. (I participated in one of their shoe drops in 2008 and I still talk about it.)

Chapter 16: Give Us Something to Talk About*

People are hungry for something to talk about. And some people know how to supply the goods. One such person is Mechai Viravaidya, who’s known as Thailand’s condom king. His buzzworthy activities include condom blowing contests on street corners, a restaurant called Cabbages and Condoms, and a program called Cops and Rubbers, in which policemen in Thailand handed out condoms on the street. When I referred to his practices as shocking, he insisted that his objective is never to shock people but to surprise them. Shocking may lead to resistance. Has he made a difference? The organization he founded was awarded the 2007 Gates Award for Global Health by the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation. You can read more about it here. I also discuss the concept of a conversation hook and argue that the best hooks are those that start a conversation that relates to the product or its benefits. Some of the examples used here: Brita, Intuit, Dyson.

Chapter 17: The Power of Participation*

Since we always like to share what we create, inviting people to create something of their own is another way to stimulate talk. It can be as simple as involving a customer in creating a viral video or a much more involving process, where a customer participates in designing the product itself. Participation can have many flavors. Sometimes it makes sense to put absolutely no limits on creativity. Other times you'll get more talk if you do set some boundaries. In the first case, when you give people full freedom, very few will participate, but their involvement (and therefore the buzz they create) will be high. When you set boundaries, you make it easier to participate and are likely to draw more people who won't necessarily be as deeply involved.

Chapter 18: Uneven Distribution

By giving exclusive information to a select group of people before an official launch, you are likely to get some extra mileage out of the news. When you hold information close to your chest, people want it. But as new research shows, you can only take this idea so far. Uneven distribution can also be created through secrets as in the In-N-Out Burger secret menu (which is not a big secret anymore). The same concept has a long history in the software and entertainment industries, where it is known as an Easter egg (or when it comes to music, a hidden track). The important point to remember is that people talk about stuff that they suspect others don't know. Marketers tend to shout at the top of their lungs. But sometimes a well-planned whisper will reach more ears.

Chapter 19: More of a Café than a Subway Station*

In 2007, Red Bull introduced a game called Roshambull on Facebook (it's rock, paper, scissors with a Red Bull flavor). A few years earlier, Fiskars created a community called Fiskateers where scrapbooking fans share layouts and project ideas. The publishers of Lonely Planet created a forum called Thorn Tree where people share advice about travel. Buzz in these cases is generated not only from product experience but from human interaction. We constantly report to others about our social interactions. Any time you can plug into this habit of ours, you’ll stimulate talk.

Chapter 20: The Wall Street Journal and the Lingerie Business*

Counter to the view that buzz is the exclusive result of grassroots and guerrilla marketing, significant buzz can be created by mass media. And as one story in this chapter illustrates, sometimes buzz is your best press release--it can give journalists this warm and fuzzy feeling that your story is for real. That there is true excitement for your product. In further discussion of the relationships between mass media and word of mouth, I describe a South African based organization called Soul City, which uses mass media to stimulate discussion and to promote social change. Their research clearly indicates that people who watch their TV show, talk more about the issues featured on the show. I follow Soul City's campaign against domestic violence.

Chapter 21: Does Madison Avenue Still Matter?

A headline in a 2007 Advertising Age article presented an intriguing question: "Want Online Buzz for Your New Product?" The subtitle provided the answer: "Better Have an Ad Campaign, Nielsen Finds." So does it mean you can buy buzz with advertising? a deeper look into the Nielsen study shows that things are not that simple. "The formula for generating meaningful buzz is not as simple as spending money," the Nielsen researchers wrote. Still, advertising clearly can increase the pool of people who are aware of your product and therefore can buzz about it. With all the talk about buzz, you could easily begin to believe that advertising no longer matters. The truth is that very few products can live on buzz alone. There are also ways that advertising can stimulate and simulate word of mouth.

Chapter 22: Buzz in Distribution Channels

We usually don’t trust people who sell us stuff, right? Actually, there’s a certain breed of retailers that enjoy a lot of credibility with the public. Think about the owner of a local boutique who has a following among fashion aficionados. Think about certain independent booksellers. Why are they trusted? Perhaps we can say that they are simply good editors--editors of merchandise, who sift through all the products available out there and prove to us, time after time, that they find the ones we want. I also discuss how retailers increasingly weave buzz into the customer experience.

Chapter 23: Putting It Together

This is a collection of case studies on word-of-mouth marketing. The first edition had 3 cases. This one has 7 new ones. A hotel with a pillow menu: The Benjamin Hotel. The evolution of seeding: Matchstick Canada seeding of CK in2u. Are barbers influential?: Prostate Net. Tasting yogurt with your friends: The Word Of Mouth Company. Will people talk about chewing gum?: Wrigley's Extra Professional (Germany). Putting word-of-mouth-marketing on the agenda: Intuit. The secret of finding a plumber: Angie's List.

Chapter 24: Buzz Workshop

As in the first edition, this chapter leads you through a series of questions to keep in mind as you think about whatever product or service you're trying to market. I updated this chapter to reflect the new concepts covered in the new edition. It's not a summary of the book, but it should get the ideas flowing.