My super duper secret copy. So much good info, it makes you do a double take.

Word of mouth marketing has always been a vague area in my mind.

I’ve always understood the baseline fundamentals, followed the WOMMA Word and kept up on regular trends but I’ve never felt that I’ve had a complete grasp on the topic. That being said, I have a new found appreciation for word of mouth since recently finishing Andy Sernovitz‘s new book, Secret Mysterious Order of Word of Mouth.

I’ll start by saying Andy is a very smart man. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but I did get to hear him speak last month at BlogWell. Andy distributed a “top secret” advance copy of his new book in everyone’s takeaway bag at the conference (yes, you’re witnessing word-of-mouth in action at this moment). Right around 200 pages, this is a “must have” to add to your professional reading list.

So many of the fundamental values that make word of mouth work could easily be chalked up as common sense. Yet, every day we all overlook unique opportunities to engage word of mouth. This book shines big by making you think strategically about the key factors that cause people to talk on your behalf while also drilling down on practical implementation tactics.

Andy structures his book around five key elements that help provide a framework for effective word of mouth: Talkers, Topics, Tools, Taking Part and Tracking. He proceeds to break down each of these specific areas with key tips and worksheets to help the reader quickly put a plan into action.

In one particular Big Idea presented near the end of the book, Andy highlights the point that “Fixing problems is the most powerful thing you can do” with word of mouth. I couldn’t agree more. A perfect example is Comcast. They have proactively utilized social media as a customer service channel to reach out and tackle issues from the moment they surface. This high level of customer service and online response has created a host of online buzz, ultimately helping change public perception of their brand. The result? Happy, satisfied customers are quick to spread the word about great customer service or at least acknowledge the effort put forth by the company.

All in all, Andy’s book is an excellent, quick read that I feel provides some solid takeaways applicable for your own company, clients or projects.

Thanks Andy…and yes, I do in fact use your luggage tag.

Cheers,

Scott