WOM as an
Attractor
Joanne Jacobs
COO, 1000heads
@joannejacobs
Scope of the presentation
• B2B lead generation
• WOM – what it involves
• WOM in B2B
• WOM as an Attractor
B2B Lead generation
Where are we?
B2B Lead Generation
What WOM involves
WOM in B2B
WOM as an Attractor
Some definitions…
• B2B: Not
needed
(I hope)
• WOM: Word of
Mouth
– Use of social
contexts to
optimise business
practice/effectiven
ess
– Not limited to PR
and advertising
– Involves the use of
online and offline
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/drachmann/327122302/
B2B & WoM
Trade shows still
considered best
source of quality
leads in B2B
market
(Harrison, 2011)
Image sources:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10510706@
N06/5515026288/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/markhillary/
6960053391/
B2B & WOM
Email still
considered the
best means of
generating high
quantity leads
Image sources:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/esparta/1609874
001/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiredwitch/7719
805018/
Trade shows
• High cost of booth space, booth
setup and production of
marketing collateral
• Speaking opportunities
generally sold with stand space
– but are you good public
speaker?
• Attendees tend to be localised
markets
• High time cost for variable return
on investment
Image source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/valtech-sweden/5529237443/
Email
• Variable reliability
• High capital costs for
development of contact lists
• Useful connections can be ‘lost’
to enterprise or personally
applied filters
• Low cost but also low value
connections made – equivalent
to advertising
Image source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theimpulsivebuy/4655144030/
How lead
generation is
changing
As BYOD and social
technologies are more
widely adopted in the
workplace, there is an
expectation of traditional
WOM being
supplemented by social
technology support.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/birgerking/4731898939/
New Lead
Generation
• Virtual exhibitions
• Social messaging
• Intelligence-led approach
to lead generation
• Open problem solving
challenges
Image sources:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmjcalma/7711477178/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hackny/5684846071/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sizemore/4100688684/
WOM Optimises
Lead Generation
• Problems with existing lead
generation activities can be
addressed with WOM
augmentation
• Changes to business technology
policies facilitate greater use of
social
• Changes in skills of employees
and suppliers lead to natural
growth of social in lead gen
Image source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3305085042/
Lead Generation Optimisation
WOM improves lead
quality
WOM improves lead
quantity
Image sources: http://www.flickr.com/photos/socialspice/5713714538/ , http://www.flickr.com/photos/screamingmonkey/5571045553/
Case studies
• HubSpot blog and resources to improve business
practices
• Forrester Research uses a mix of content to
encourage new leads
• Louis E Page (mesh fencing supplier for
businesses) saw 850% increase in leads from
establishing their blog.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uggboy/4975524773/
What WOM involves
Where are we?
B2B Lead Generation
What WOM involves
WOM in B2B
WOM as an Attractor
WOM: Storytelling
Storytelling is a highly
effective tactic in
triggering emotional and
comparative responses
in audiences.
WOM-as-storytelling
generates a baseline of
experience which can
inspire sharing of
alternative experiences
among audiences.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/87188386@N07/7984677406/
WOM: Storytelling
Stories are 6-7 times more likely
to be remembered than
classical corporate messages
SOURCE: http://www.intuitivebrands.co.uk/uploaded_images/SCM_-_Storytelling_June_08.pdf
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51643976@N02/5650076652
WOM: Recommendations
Human nature to share
experiences.
Natural to seek advice
on best value.
WOM as
recommendations taps
in to tacit knowledge
Image source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davedehetre/4744350867/
WOM: Idea exchange
Collaboration a powerful
problem solving
mechanism
Sharing ideas across
business disciplines
enables optimisation of
processes
WOM can be used to
inspire creative problem
solving
Image source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crdot/6427627719/
WOM: Tracking
Tracking engagements in online
channels helps identify trends,
issues as they arise
Few read the manual. Nearly as
few search it. Most just ask
others how to do things.
Tracking conversations facilitates
optimisation of business
processes, increases productivity
Image source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/naturesdawn/2749673811/
WOM in B2B
Where are we?
B2B Lead Generation
What WOM involves
WOM in B2B
WOM as an Attractor
More than simple marketing
• Standard marketing is all
broadcast – crafting and
controlling messages about
the brand
• WOM should be implicitly
enjoyable because it is win-win;
the right information imparted to
the right client at the right time.
• 2-way communication increases
opportunity for developing
understanding
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ehnmark/463965443/
WOM as Triage
• Different social
channels/presences now being
managed
• Multiple vectors to access staff
• WOM can act as a central
processor of inquiries to ensure
that information needs are met
in a timely and responsive
manner
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/computerhotline/4611181320/
ACSE Triage
Image source: http://www.socialfish.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/ASCE_triage.pdf.jpg
WOM as Problem Solver
• Ideas exchange for intra- and extraorganisational processes
• Storytelling for forward planning
• Tracking behaviours internally and
externally to identify opportunities for
business process improvement
• Aggregation of recommendations for
new business, day-to-day problem
solving among stakeholders
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zyllan/3647600981/
Madison Electrics problem solving
See more at: http://meproducts.net/sparks and http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/product-development-effort-boosts-sales#
WOM as an Attractor
Where are we?
B2B Lead Generation
What WOM involves
WOM in B2B
WOM as an Attractor
WOM as an Attractor
Quality Leads
–
–
–
–
Demonstration
Personal selling
Framing
Problem solving
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_grey/5887528403/
WOM as an Attractor
Quantity leads
– Asynchronous
– Targeted
– Personalised
– Triaged
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amberdebruin/5657767508/
Summary (1 of 2)
B2B lead generation is changing as protocols
for communication change
WOM is emerging as a clear opportunity to
optimise B2B lead generation
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43102195@N08/5344607573
Summary (2 of 2)
Because WOM can facilitate issue resolution and
problem solving, and can generate insights,
ideas and recommendations, it identifies lead
opportunities as well as invoking upselling
As an attractor, WOM is successful in generating
both quality and quantity leads because it is
more targeted, more personal and more timely.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alosojos/316727429/
What’s next?
• Identify lead targets
– Where are they online?
– Who are they?
– How will engaging with you improve their productivity/lives?
• Identify opportunities for product/process improvement
– What are the obvious weaknesses?
– How might you use social to improve experiences?
• Allocate time to engagement in schedules
– If ROI of social is 10 times that of cold calling then you should spend at least the
same amount of time in social as you do in business calls.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31878512@N06/4704140020/
Joanne Jacobs
Chief Operating Officer
1000heads Pty Ltd
Email: joanne.jacobs@1000heads.com
Phone: 0419 131 077
Twitter: @joannejacobs
Skype: bgsbjj
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/joannejacobs
Unless otherwise specified, all
images in this presentation are
Creative Commons under an
attribution licence.