Buzz Builder

How Word of Mouth Can Change the World for the Better One Person at a Time

A couple of weeks ago, a friend sent me an email with the following plea which turned out to be a valuable lesson in the power of word of mouth to make a positive difference:
 
"A friend of mine is dying of cancer and is now in hospice. She's in a lot of pain and discomfort, and really needs an acupuncturist, but can't afford the frequent treatments that would most benefit her. However! She could do a terrific trade with someone who would love to receive, instead of money, something from her amazing collection of antique textiles she has collected in the Middle East over the decades. If you know of anyone, I'd love to hear from you. Thank you!"

Not knowing any acupuncturists personally, I contacted friends, including my massage therapist, who might know them but didn't have any luck. I sent a note to the good samaritan expressing my regrets for not being able to find an acupuncturist and received this response:

"Oh, thank you Patrick. Actually, my friend now has four acupuncturists, a Reiki therapist, music therapist, and massage therapist! It all happened within about 24 hours, after I received nearly 100 responses from people, some of whom I don't even know. This town is amazing."

This reply made me feel so proud of my hometown of Portland, Oregon that I shared it with friends including my massage therapist. The story made her smile instantly. She said that she had shared my email with an acupuncturist friend of hers who had already responded to the request with a "yes" having gotten the same message from three other people.

In my professional life, my focus is helping companies grow with word of mouth marketing campaigns. Yet, the story of the dying cancer patient reminded me that word of mouth is too powerful a tool to be used solely for commercial purposes. The next time somebody asks me to spread the word for a good cause I'll certainly do so because I might just be the person who makes a difference.

Wineries Turn to Social Media Contests and Announcements to Generate Buzz

A couple of months ago, Murphy-Goode Winery in California generated tons of buzz when it announced that it was looking for a social media guru to "demystify wine" using Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites. The six-month dream job included a $10,000/month salary and free lodging.

The marketing folks at Murphy-Goode were inspired to create the position when it saw how Tourism Queensland in Australia generated a lot of online and mainstream media attention when it sponsored the "Best Job in the World Contest" that paid its winner $150,000 Australian dollars to live on a Great Barrier Reef island for six months. Interestingly, Ben Southall, the winner of the Australian contest, is now being criticized in the blogoshpere for an online diary that followers say sheds little light on what a normal tourist would experience.

Approximately 2,000 people applied for the Murphy-Goode position and 900 videos were posted on the company's website, a key part of the application process. However, when the winery announced the 10 finalists, controversy erupted when some of the top vote-getters weren't selected. Seemingly, the PR snafu was smoothed over when Murphy-Goode Winery selected Hardy Wallace, a noted wine blogger from Atlanta as its social media guru.

Murphy-Goode is not the only winery trying to leverage the buzz surrounding social media. Today, the front page of the business section of The Oregonian highlights how Willamette Valley wineries are successfully using Twitter and Facebook to boost sales - particularly with younger consumers. It was particularly cool to read how this year's Indie Wine Festival was able to to sell a lot of unsold tickets simply by getting the word out to its Twitter followers.

Should a San Francisco Chiropractor Sue a Former Patient Over a Negative Yelp Review?

I'm convinced that customer review websites will be absolutely critical to the success of all businesses. That's why the front page story in the San Francisco Chronicle about a San Francisco chiropractor suing a former patient over negative reviews published on Yelp, a popular website that rates companies, is so fascinating.

The Chronicle reports that Christopher Norberg posted his first Yelp review in November 2007 after visiting Steven Biegel at the Advanced Chiropractic Center on Valencia Street. In his six-paragraph review, Norberg criticized Biegel's billing practices and said the chiropractor was being dishonest with insurance companies.

The story details how Norberg and Biegel exchanged emails about the complaint. And, when Norberg refused to take down or edit his commentary, Biegel decided to sue for libel and invasion of privacy. Biegel's business has been hurt by the reviews, said his attorney, Eric Nordskog of San Francisco. "Although negative reviews are fine, there are certain statements that are false statements of fact," he said. "He accuses Biegel of dishonesty and of committing insurance fraud, which is a crime in California."

If Norberg's comments are false or exaggerated. I can certainly see why Biegel would be frustrated enough to undertake legal proceedings. However, even if Biegel wins a lawsuit, he might end up hurting his business. Based on the hundreds of comments that the story has already received on the Chronicle's website alone, many are siding with the Norberg for reasons of free speech.

In the words of Andy Sernovitz, my friend and word of mouth marketing pundit, when it comes to bad online customer reviews, "the solution to pollution is dilution." That is, Biegel would be much better served laying out reasons why Norberg claims aren't true without suing him. And to counteract the negative weight of Norberg's review, Biegel should ask his satisfied patients to go to Yelp and share their perceptions of his practice. These steps would be much easier and less controversial than a lawsuit which has an uncertain outcome both in terms of the judgement and how the public will perceive it.

BzzAgent Wisely Requires Volunteer Disclosure

Buzz marketing firm BzzAgent has recently decided that all new BzzAgent volunteers confirm that they've read and will adhere to the company's code of conduct. That code requires participants to "make certain others are aware" that they've volunteered to be part of a buzz marketing effort. Until now, BzzAgent has received some bad buzz in the media about their tactics being deceptive. This move will certainly help the company on the PR front. Additionally, it will likely increase the effectiveness of it volunteers according to a recent Northeastern University study. To learn more, read this interesting article on ClickZ News.