Buzz Builder: Diapers.com Leverages Wall Street Journal Rave - An Example of the Residual Value of Positive Publicity

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Diapers.com Leverages Wall Street Journal Rave - An Example of the Residual Value of Positive Publicity

A couple of days ago, there was a Cranky Consumer review in the Wall Street Journal comparing online diaper companies. Reviewer Eileen Gunn gave Diapers.com her highest praise saying "Diapers.com is the Web site we are most likely to order from again. Prices amounted to 17 cents a diaper for Pampers and 19 cents for Seventh Generation -- the lowest prices we found. Shipping was free. And an order placed late Thursday night arrived Monday afternoon. It doesn't get much more straightforward than that." When I finished the story, I imagined the high-fives that most have been exchanged in the marketing department at Diapers.com when the story first appeared.

One of my pet peeves about PR is that too many companies pat themselves on the back when they land great press. Sadly, they don't realize that the lasting benefit of PR is its residual value. Smart companies understand this, and Diapers.com is one of them. A link to the story is prominently featured in the middle of the home page and links to the full article which has the best quotes highlighted for quick reading. I'm sure that the credibility of the article will convince many people checking out the Diapers.com website for the first time to order since it's more credible than any copy that the company could generate.

Oddly, on the Diapers.com website, it is hard to find the company's press room. There is no link to it from the site's home page. Only after searching around for a few minutes did I find a link to an About Us section in small print at the bottom of the home page which subsequently links to a Press Room featuring an impressive array of awards and articles. There's absolutely no reason that such great information should be so buried within the company's website since it does a lot to sway a consumer.

October 06, 2007 | Permalink

Comments

Of course,it's nice to get good press. But it's more helpful when the good press comes in the form of a well-researched article. This was not one of them.

http://realitybitesback.blogspot.com/2007/10/wall-street-journals-cranky-consumer.html

Posted by: Steve | October 31, 2007 at 03:57 PM

Steve,

Thanks for taking the time time to comment on my blog post. I enjoyed reading the response to the WSJ article on your blog and you make some excellent points. It does indeed seem like the reporter made some mistakes. However, this certainly doesn't diminish from the PR value of the article from Diapers.com's perspective. I wonder why I haven't seen a note from Amazon to the Wall Street Journal clarifying the pricing situation. If Amazon's PR department hasn't responded, they're asleep at the wheel. Thanks for visiting!
Best,
Patrick

Posted by: Patrick Galvin | November 01, 2007 at 11:21 AM

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Websites

Galvin Communications
The website for my word of mouth marketing and PR firm. Sign up for The Buzz Bulletin, a free monthly eNewsletter.
WOMMA: Word of Mouth Marketing Association
An outstanding resource for word of mouth marketing information. This respected organization also puts on a variety of well-organized and information-rich events and conferences which are worth attending.

Books

Al Ries: The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR
Credibility is the crucial ingredient in brand building. This book explains why PR should be used to launch a brand while advertising should be used only once major PR opportunities have been realized.
Malcolm Gladwell: The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Why do major changes in our society so often happen suddenly and unexpectedly? Ideas, behaviour, messages, and products often spread like outbreaks of infectious disease. This book will help you understand how social epidemics take off and reach critical mass.
EMANUEL ROSEN: The Anatomy of Buzz : How to Create Word of Mouth Marketing
Rosen pinpoints the products and services that benefit the most from buzz and offers strategies for creating and sustaining effective word-of-marketing campaigns.
Mark Hughes: Buzzmarketing
This book contains some great stories from an experienced buzz marketer that illustrate the importance of finding angles that make you stand apart from the competition. I loved the story of how getting the town of Halfway, Oregon to change its name to Half.com generated a flood of publicity. You'll learn some great practical tips from this book.
Ben McConnell: Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force
An interesting look at how to develop evangelism marketing strategies and programs that will create communities of influencers who will drive sales for your company.
Fred Reichheld: The Ultimate Question: Driving Good Profits and True Growth
Too many companies are addicted to bad profits. These corporate steroids boost short-term earnings but burn out employees and alienate customers. Learn why the answer to one simple question can determine your company's future: Would you recommend us to a friend?
Andy Sernovitz: Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking
This is the perfect book for an entrepreneur looking for a "how-to" on word of mouth marketing rather than a theoretical or academic overview. Andy Sernovitz built the Word of Mouth Marketing Association using many of the intriguing word of mouth marketing tactics he describes. His strategies are practical for both small and large businesses as his interesting case studies demonstrate. You may put this book down a few times while reading it so you can start implementing some of its excellent ideas.
T. J. Walker: Media Training A-Z
Walker, an accomplished media trainer, provides great practical insight into maximizing the value of the media spotlight. By following his simple suggestions, you'll go into interviews much more confident and come out of them with much better results for your business.
Chip Heath: Made to Stick
This is the best business book that I've read since The Tipping Point since it provides a new way at looking at how you try to tell people about your products or services. You'll have lots of new ideas for promoting your business when you've finished reading this book. And, you'll discover that the best way to promote yourself doesn't involve spending money on marketing rather its all about learning how to tell your business stories better.
Richard Fenton & Andrea Waltz: Go for No!
A great parable about a salesman who learns that every "no" brings him closer to "yes" - an important lesson for anybody who wants to create buzz.