Rod Brooks, VP & CMO, PEMCO
Paul Rand, WOMMA President & Zocalo Group CEO
Why are you going to WOMMA’s What’s Best/What’s Next Summit?
Paul Rand: Nearly every brand now recognizes the power of having a deliberate and measurable WOM/Social Media program as part of their marketing mix. And many of the industry’s leading thought leaders from around the world will be at the Summit – both speaking and attending.
I’m equally excited to see what’s been working best for brands and organizations in Facebook, influencer marketing and in-market WOM events – and to see what’s coming next – particularly in mobile marketing, location-based marketing and research and measurement. I’ve consistently found the WOMMA Summit to be the one industry event that I learn something important and connect with people that are at the forefront of our industry.
Rod Brooks: For me, it’s all about the people… All kinds of people. After all without people there wouldn’t be word of mouth in the first place. WOMMA Summits have been bringing people together for years. People from brands, people from service providers, people who research, people who tweet, blog, chat, update and more. There are people with experience and people who are just getting started. People with tools to help you measure, share and inform, and people with insights, opinions, data and facts.
Two of the things I enjoy most are the case studies and keynotes. I never fail to learn something new at a WOMMA Summit and this year’s focus on “what’s new and what’s next” is certain to be no exception. I’m looking forward to seeing friends from prior WOMMA events and to making new ones. The opportunity to network and share is always a highlight.
What’s the one or two things you expect to take away from this year’s event?
Paul Rand: The WOM and Social Media space continues to go through a dramatic evolution. It’s hard not to feel behind. I find it extremely beneficial to learn what’s really working for both brands and marketers. And to learn what’s not working so I can steer clear. I know that I will walk away from the Summit with at least a handful of new ideas that I can implement tomorrow. And I’ll know what I need to focus on for the coming year.
Rod Brooks: It’s becoming clear that Word of Mouth Marketing can’t be ignored. Whether you call it WOM, Social Media, Social Engagement, or something else, the social exchange of information and insights has found it’s way into the plans of forward thinking CMO’s and marketing leaders in every category of business. But which of them are being successful at moving word of mouth and social engagement from the marketing department to a more broadly entrenched practice across the business enterprise?
This year I’ll be looking and listening for those stories. I’m excited to hear from Josh Bernoff as he talks about groundswell and how businesses are effectively empowering employees to make a difference wide and deep.
(Oh yeah… The WOMMY Awards are going to be pretty cool too).
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More info and registration here: http://womma.org/summit/
