I am excited and honored to become a new Board Member for the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, WOMMA.
Being a Board Member for this innovative organization, dedicated to word-of-mouth and social media marketing, means a great deal to me for several reasons. First, it gives me the opportunity to share insights from challenges to triumphs 
throughout my 23+ years experience in lifestyle and entertainment marketing, and more recently my focus on analytics and digital technology. But more importantly, it provides a platform from which I can help shape the industry’s goals, establish standards for ROI expectations and strengthen the integration between word-of-mouth marketing and experiential data.
I believe that word-of-mouth marketing is at a critical juncture: on one hand, it’s still in its infancy in being recognized as a major discipline within our industry, and yet every agency is practicing the ethics and tools from word-of-mouth and social marketing without necessarily using those terms. Part of every campaign’s goal is to achieve consumer buy-in and loyalty, and data shows the most successful campaigns are a direct result of a strong word-of-mouth campaign.
We’re in an era where word-of-mouth is not just digital or social: it crosses all aspects of integrated marketing, not to mention PR stunts and celebrity antics; who didn’t talk about Miley Cyrus’ VMA performance, which garnered over 300,000 tweets per minute? Smart companies and celebs know how to get people talking — and buying into their brand. Studies show that a customer is more likely to buy a product if it comes highly recommended by someone they trust. In face, WOM is behind 25 to 50% of purchase decisions. And as we’re in the age of constant chatter and shared communications, we’re at the tipping point in how brands can effectively spread the word for consumer activation.
It’s tough to think about the bigger picture when we work in the trenches day-to-day on projects and client needs. But we need to ask ourselves: how can we work smarter with one another to improve our skills and sharpen our toolboxes? Being a part of WOMMA allows for collaboration with competitors and allies alike. And having a strong brain trust such as the WOMMA’s Board is imperative to advancing the tools and strategies our industry requires for long-term success and sustainability.
I’m proud and flattered to be given this wonderful opportunity by WOMMA and look forward to working with my peers to advance the education and ethics of word-of-mouth and social marketing. Now, help me spread the word about WOMMA!
