There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.*

Would like to share Andy Sernovitz’s WOM Marketing Manifesto with you. It comes from his new book ‘Word of Mouth Marketing’. Andy was the first President of WOMMA and his book is still a must read (this is the revised second edition, adding B2B discussions). His blog is also worth following in my humble opinion.

The manifesto:

1. Happy customers are your best advertising. Make people happy.
2. Marketing is easy. Earn the respect and recommendation of your customers. They will do your marketing for you, for free.
3. Ethics and good service come first.
4. Marketing is what you do, not what you say.
5. Negative word of mouth is an opportunity. Listen and learn.
6. People are already talking. Your only option is to join the conversation.
7. Be interesting or be invisible.
8. If it’s not worth talking about, it’s not worth doing.
9. Make the story of your company a good one.
10. It’s more fun to work at a company that people want to talk about.
11. Use the power of word of mouth to make business treat people better.
12. Honest marketing makes more money.

* Oscar Wilde in ‘The Portrait of Dorian Gray’