I love this statement/manifesto from WOMMA (the Word of Mouth Marketing Association). So much so that I wanted to share it with you. Kudos to Deborah Holland, Executive Vice President at Publishers Clearing House and Current Chair of WOMMA’s Board of Directors, Su Fanning President of WOMMA, the WOMMA board and all the thought leaders who helped put this out there. From WOMMA:

_______

Word of mouth has been in the shadows for long enough. So big that no one department can own it.  Struggling for its rightful place in the Marketing mix.

Word of Mouth built this city and is the buzz that moves it today. And when we say “WOM,” we mean any business action that earns a customer recommendation – social, influencers, advocates – you get the picture.

It’s outlasted any and every other form of marketing. But unlike those other things, word of mouth isn’t a tool. It’s the toolbox. It’s not a tactic. It’s a philosophy. And it’s time it got its due. Because WOM is the only thing that’s left when your brand is stripped bare of everything else – it’s your very reputation. And it’s there whether you treat it as marketing or not.

And let’s get something perfectly, unapologetically clear: This. Stuff. Works. WOM is proven. Has been measured. Studied. Dissected. And put back together. It outlasts any trend. It amplifies authentically. It motivates every generation.  Heck, it even boosts your paid plan. It’s not something that you place your marketing bet on. Because WOM is a sure thing.

WOM is rooted in something that’s rare in marketing – TRUST. A quality so powerful it transforms the way consumers relate to brands.  WOM changes attitudes and behavior across platforms, devices and generations.  And because of that, a word of mouth revolution has begun.

_______

Keep believing!

The post Word of Mouth. This. Stuff. Works. appeared first on Brains on Fire.