On Monday, November 18, author and content strategist Ian Greenleigh will present “Egomania: how to reach audiences and influencers” to the Word of Mouth Marketing SIG. He will explain “how connecting with egos and providing self-validation makes for insanely shareable content” and how this can boost Word of Mouth Marketing.

As a primer to Mr. Greenleigh’s discussion, here are 10 facts about Word of Mouth Marketing, taken from WOMMapedia, a site of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA).

1. WOMM is a term for techniques that companies employ to earn a customer recommendation.
2. WOMM can include social media, viral marketing, blogs, online communities, loyalty programs…anything that harnesses “the power of people to build brand awareness.”
3. When asked what influences a “decision to use or not use a particular company, brand, or product,” 72% say reviews from family members or friends exert a “great deal” or “fair amount” of influence.
4. 92% of consumers worldwide trust recommendations from family members or friends more than any form of advertising.
5. 81% of U.S. consumers are influenced by a friend’s social media post, compared to 78% who are influenced by a post from the brand.
6. According to the WOMMA, the most effective WOMM is credible, respectful, social, measurable, and repeatable.
7. It sounds clichéd, but content is king. “Rich content draws audiences across channels where traditional marketing practices fall short. And, more importantly, it gives people reasons to talk about your brand.”
8. What type of content is most effective? Social media and article posting are the most effective, followed by blogs, webinars/webcasts, videos, and digital publications.
9. “Creating content is only part of the battle. The real challenge is to get consumers to interact and engage with the content and inspire them to take action.” This can include registering at a brand web site; signing up for an email publication; entering sweepstakes; reading promotional email; or becoming a fan or liking a brand’s social media page.
10. WOMM doesn’t have to be complicated. Give real people interesting things to talk about (create compelling content) and make it easy for that conversation to take place (use social media, email campaigns, blogs, online communities).

Learn more at the Word of Mouth Marketing SIG, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., November 18 at Flying Saucer Emporium.