I've been an avid reader of Inc. for a decade and enjoy the insights it provides into the entrepreneurial life. However, I take issue with the feature on word-of-mouth marketing in the April 2006 issue. It presents a rather slanted view of the word-of-mouth marketers. I was especially chagrined with how the magazine defined the term "buzz marketing" as "winning attention for products by putting them into the hands of celebrities" (p. 26). This might be one tactic in some buzz marketing campaigns. However, as somebody who has built buzz for a variety of companies, I've use many other techniques such as traditional media relations, customer newsletters, special events, blogs, etc. to build buzz. It's time for Inc. to do a better job explaining word-of-mouth marketing to entrepreneurs.
