WOMMNext- Day two download

by Your Marketing Co

Day Two of WOMMNext was a full day, so it’s hard to pull just three takeaways to share with you. However below are the top three I feel could help inspire you to make a different today.

  1. Listen, Make Strong Choices, and Have Fun: The opening keynote session was hosted by a local Chicago improv group and highlighted the basics of good marketing. Why would we highlight the basics as an important takeaway? Because it’s often the basics that are overlooked. How often do you sit back and listen? Listen to your staff, listen to your members, and listen to your community? Too often we spend so much time talking about us we forget to listen to what our members actually want and need, and then we wonder why our goals and expectations have fallen short. The improv group also highlighted the importance of listening to ideas that are not ours. Maybe your front line staff or even members have something of value to share with us that could be the big idea we’ve been looking for. Change your negative “yeah, but” into a “yeah, and” and watch how one mediocre idea can blossom into your next big idea! Lastly, it’s time to start having fun again. It’s difficult in our industry to have fun when mounting compliance and regulatory burdens are coming at us from every direction.
  2. A Positive Member Experience is Important: It’s not only important, but crucial. If you’ve ever attended one of the presentations by YMC at a conference this point is always emphasized, but where’s the ROI of word of mouth marketing and the member experience? AT&T and agency KellerFay shared some insights that will help make the case:
    1. 2.1Million brand impressions happen everyday
    2. 88% of word of mouth marketing still happens offline
    3. 58% of word of mouth marketing is a result of a paid media campaign

So what does this mean? It means that in addition to the normal campaigns, creating and participating in conversations need to be a part of your 2015 marketing plan. Start planning now as to what that looks like and how you can turn impressions into expressions in your marketing plan.

  1. Stop Bullshitting Consumers: Consumers have caught onto the game marketers play. We sign a check to a radio station or tv station and we get to say whatever we want (for the most part.) Consumers get the fact that we’re a little biased about our brands and may over-exaggerate the features and benefits. Feeding off of point number two above, what drives people to talk about a brand? Geno Church from Brains on Fire outlined four top reasons of why people talk:
    1. A positive personal experience with a brand
    2. Self enhancement in being able to provide friends and family with info before anyone else
    3. The honest desire to be helpful
    4. Influence from paid media

A study dating back to the 1950’s explained that consumers will respond more to an advertising message speaks to him/her as a friend instead of talking down or at them. That reminds me of a quote from advertising legend David Ogilvy: “The consumer isn’t a moron, she is your wife.” Church closed by reminding markets to know your story, keep it simple, make it fun, and create an experience.

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