What do you think?
Rate this book
Fizz: Harness the Power of Word of Mouth Marketing to Drive Brand Growth
"Word of mouth marketing has always existed. We've just found a better and more efficient way to do it." -- Ted Wright It may not be the oldest profession, but word of mouth is the oldest form of marketing. It's also the most effective. Now, however, it's being executed in ways that are methodical, replicable, and consistent. In this groundbreaking guide, Ted Wright, WOMM pioneer and founder of the marketing firm Fizz, reveals everything you need to know to create, drive, measure, and leverage word of mouth for maximum impact on the bottom line. Learn how to:
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 24, 2014
21 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 11, 2022
No real breakthrough here. Very basic
April 3, 2022
I enjoyed Fizz a lot. It was short enough to read in an afternoon, yet still had a good amount of impactful content. The case studies were very useful (though some overlapped with the ones on Fizz's website), and a lot of the data and frameworks were very valuable. I only have two gripes. First, the book seems like it needs a bit more - the first half was awesome, but I found the second half less valuable. Second, the chapter about training felt a bit more detailed than needed - the description of how to run each day of a training process felt like overkill. Overall, however, Fizz is a good read and a short time investment that is worth it!
February 7, 2024
Expected way more. Examples could be more numerous and scientific reasoning behind better explained. However, still worth reading even 10 years later since most of its principles work in today’s world as well.
January 23, 2020
So many interesting stories and insights--I read this book in two days.
February 14, 2015
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.25 of 5
Advertising and marketing has come a long way since the days of Mad Men. Or at least, it should.
When there were three television networks, it made sense to spend good money to advertise on television – you were pretty much guaranteed a good audience to reach anyone in the United States. But today, the audience is much more global. The internet can put you in the homes of nearly anyone in a first or second world country. But with thousands of television channels available, how do you decide where to spend your money? More channels likely means fewer people watching each channel.
Well…one thing hasn’t changed so much. Word of mouth.
Through the use of examples from his business, Ted Wright explains the importance of word-of-mouth-marketing (WOMM), what to look for, and how to approach it. As he states in his introduction:
Wright lives up to this promise.
I don’t work for a major corporation, and I’ve not even dabbled in marketing, so some of this might already be common knowledge, but I found the book incredibly helpful and I will be putting in to practice many of the tips I’ve gotten from here to promote the small non-profit organization that I work with.
Wright explains the very basic needs for successful WOMM campaigns and how to follow-up with it. He also reminds the reader that many executives might balk because it’s out of the ‘ordinary’ or at least not what they’ve come to expect, but “Because of technology and the proliferation of brands, it’s a sampling culture that we live in. And we are never, ever going back.¹”
Regarding television advertising, Wright says:
I found this book quite easy to read and very informative. A lot of it seems to be common sense, but as is often the case, it sometimes takes a professional to remind us to use common sense.
Looking for a good book? If you are in any way looking to promote something – your self, your business, your favorite charity – then do yourself a favor and read Fizz: Harness the Power of Word of Mouth Marketing to Drive Brand Growth.
I received this book free, from the publisher, through Netgalley, for an honest review.
Advertising and marketing has come a long way since the days of Mad Men. Or at least, it should.
When there were three television networks, it made sense to spend good money to advertise on television – you were pretty much guaranteed a good audience to reach anyone in the United States. But today, the audience is much more global. The internet can put you in the homes of nearly anyone in a first or second world country. But with thousands of television channels available, how do you decide where to spend your money? More channels likely means fewer people watching each channel.
Well…one thing hasn’t changed so much. Word of mouth.
Through the use of examples from his business, Ted Wright explains the importance of word-of-mouth-marketing (WOMM), what to look for, and how to approach it. As he states in his introduction:
Word of mouth marketing has always existed. We’ve just found a better and more efficient way to do it by using a method that is both replicable and remarkably consistent. My hope is to share some of those secrets with you and help you get started on your own word of mouth program. … I promise you’ll walk away with a better understanding of how consumers today are driven by conversation – and how that can help you….¹
Wright lives up to this promise.
I don’t work for a major corporation, and I’ve not even dabbled in marketing, so some of this might already be common knowledge, but I found the book incredibly helpful and I will be putting in to practice many of the tips I’ve gotten from here to promote the small non-profit organization that I work with.
Wright explains the very basic needs for successful WOMM campaigns and how to follow-up with it. He also reminds the reader that many executives might balk because it’s out of the ‘ordinary’ or at least not what they’ve come to expect, but “Because of technology and the proliferation of brands, it’s a sampling culture that we live in. And we are never, ever going back.¹”
Regarding television advertising, Wright says:
This is one reason I sometimes refer to broadcast as the “heroin of business.” The first time you do it, you get this big bump in sales – a bump that exceeds what you invested. That’s a big thrill. But over time, the more you try to re-create that bump, the harder it gets. The increase in sales is rarely as dramatic as it was that first time. And further harshing your buzz is the fact that the media guys keep jacking up their rates on you. After a while, you realize you’re just chasing the dragon – a destructive and expensive habit.¹
I found this book quite easy to read and very informative. A lot of it seems to be common sense, but as is often the case, it sometimes takes a professional to remind us to use common sense.
Looking for a good book? If you are in any way looking to promote something – your self, your business, your favorite charity – then do yourself a favor and read Fizz: Harness the Power of Word of Mouth Marketing to Drive Brand Growth.
¹All quotes from an advance reader copy of the book and may not reflect the printed work.
I received this book free, from the publisher, through Netgalley, for an honest review.
November 4, 2014
Professional development doesn’t require a costly workshop or expensive consultant. Instead, look to new books across disciplines for ideas to help you grow as a library professional.
FIZZ: HARNESSING THE POWER OF WORD OF MOUTH MARKETING TO DRIVE BRAND GROWTH by Ted Wright explores the promise and pitfalls of using conversations between customers to promote products and services. Although aimed at the business community, this book has lots of implications for librarians too. Let’s explore the book chapter by chapter.
Influencers. Seek out influential users and provide them with a powerful message to share. In the case of libraries, think about how to get your key youth in each social group and teachers sharing that message. Where influencers lead, others will follow. They need the right story at the right time. Wright provides lots of suggestions for identifying and making use of these key people.
Two-Ounce Culture. Wright suggests providing samples and freebies to draw interest. In other words, you need to get books into the hands of teachers and youth. If you can get people to visit your website to find a cool new resource, they’ll return on their own. Get them to try something new like your iPads, then reintroduce them to your traditional resources.
What Makes You Talkable. A product or services needs a story that can be shared. What makes people love the library? How can you turn this into a story that people will want to share? Wright suggests that the story needs to be interesting and authentic.
Strategic Corporals. Wright suggests that you need to recruit and train brand ambassadors who will share your story. Wright suggests looking for people who are interested in new things, like to share stories with friends, and are intrinsically motivated. Who hangs out in your library? Who attends your book clubs? These are people who make great ambassadors.
Patience. Once everything is in place, Wright notes that it take patience to wait and watch for word of mouth marketing to work. In addition, it’s important to measure the impact of this type of marketing.
Big Data. Rather then just relying on local marketing efforts, Wright suggests looking at big data. In the library setting this means following national research from organizations like ALA and PewInternet. He suggests looking for patterns in the data and comparing this to what’s happening locally.
The last section of the book explores topics such as ways to saving money, dispelling marketing myths, and ideas for talking to administrators about marketing.
Although not specifically aimed at the library profession, Fizz contains some great ideas for using word of mouth marketing regardless of the setting. While most of the strategies aren’t particularly new, they are presented in a way that’s enjoyable and easy to follow.
ARC NetGalley
FIZZ: HARNESSING THE POWER OF WORD OF MOUTH MARKETING TO DRIVE BRAND GROWTH by Ted Wright explores the promise and pitfalls of using conversations between customers to promote products and services. Although aimed at the business community, this book has lots of implications for librarians too. Let’s explore the book chapter by chapter.
Influencers. Seek out influential users and provide them with a powerful message to share. In the case of libraries, think about how to get your key youth in each social group and teachers sharing that message. Where influencers lead, others will follow. They need the right story at the right time. Wright provides lots of suggestions for identifying and making use of these key people.
Two-Ounce Culture. Wright suggests providing samples and freebies to draw interest. In other words, you need to get books into the hands of teachers and youth. If you can get people to visit your website to find a cool new resource, they’ll return on their own. Get them to try something new like your iPads, then reintroduce them to your traditional resources.
What Makes You Talkable. A product or services needs a story that can be shared. What makes people love the library? How can you turn this into a story that people will want to share? Wright suggests that the story needs to be interesting and authentic.
Strategic Corporals. Wright suggests that you need to recruit and train brand ambassadors who will share your story. Wright suggests looking for people who are interested in new things, like to share stories with friends, and are intrinsically motivated. Who hangs out in your library? Who attends your book clubs? These are people who make great ambassadors.
Patience. Once everything is in place, Wright notes that it take patience to wait and watch for word of mouth marketing to work. In addition, it’s important to measure the impact of this type of marketing.
Big Data. Rather then just relying on local marketing efforts, Wright suggests looking at big data. In the library setting this means following national research from organizations like ALA and PewInternet. He suggests looking for patterns in the data and comparing this to what’s happening locally.
The last section of the book explores topics such as ways to saving money, dispelling marketing myths, and ideas for talking to administrators about marketing.
Although not specifically aimed at the library profession, Fizz contains some great ideas for using word of mouth marketing regardless of the setting. While most of the strategies aren’t particularly new, they are presented in a way that’s enjoyable and easy to follow.
ARC NetGalley
January 13, 2015
After reading this book you will just want to get out of your office or home and do something! Anything! You will be eager and enthused and want to do some word-of-mouth marketing.
In an all-too-short, information-packed book the author takes you behind the scenes of a successful U.S.-based marketing agency, shows some successful marketing campaigns that didn’t cost the earth and pushes to inspire you to do your own thing. In fact, for many smaller companies that is the clear, unambiguous recommendation from the author - do-it-yourself and do it well rather than hiring an agency. It was a fascinating read, considering how a snowball effect can be achieved once people start honestly and enthusiastically talking about a company’s product or service, delivered with a passion that often money can’t buy.
Identifying, embracing and nurturing influencers for your company or brand is essential if you wish to maximise word-of-mouth marketing. In fact it can be relatively easy to throw away a lot of goodwill by clumsily handling some of the best ambassadors your brand might get. You might think you are doing good when you are doing the direct opposite. The author shares freely many of his successes and lets you discover how things work. It is not really rocket science, just good common-sense that seems to be lacking in far too many companies.
Give freely, both with advice, inspiration and samples is a core theme. It can be an worthwhile investment even though the actual unit cost is comparatively low. This book will help you identify your brand, its story and what might be its strongest talking points before helping you craft a strategy and train your company and its brand ambassadors to get talking. It can be a long haul – just like rolling a snowball – but when expertly handled and with a bit of good luck you can a big ball that just keeps on growing. Just don’t take your eye off the, err, ball, and see it roll off a cliff due to careless handling.
This is a great, passionate, exciting look at word-of-mouth marketing, focussing on the doing side of things. It is aimed primarily at external marketing tasks but many of the key attributes could equally be adapted for internal marketing or advocating belief in a cause rather than “just” selling a product. It won’t work for every product in every market but you will still get a lot of great takeaway points to help refine your sales and marketing efforts – and much more besides.
Fizz: Harness the Power of Word of Mouth Marketing to Drive Brand Growth, written by Ted Wright and published by McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 9780071835749, 240 pages. YYYYY
In an all-too-short, information-packed book the author takes you behind the scenes of a successful U.S.-based marketing agency, shows some successful marketing campaigns that didn’t cost the earth and pushes to inspire you to do your own thing. In fact, for many smaller companies that is the clear, unambiguous recommendation from the author - do-it-yourself and do it well rather than hiring an agency. It was a fascinating read, considering how a snowball effect can be achieved once people start honestly and enthusiastically talking about a company’s product or service, delivered with a passion that often money can’t buy.
Identifying, embracing and nurturing influencers for your company or brand is essential if you wish to maximise word-of-mouth marketing. In fact it can be relatively easy to throw away a lot of goodwill by clumsily handling some of the best ambassadors your brand might get. You might think you are doing good when you are doing the direct opposite. The author shares freely many of his successes and lets you discover how things work. It is not really rocket science, just good common-sense that seems to be lacking in far too many companies.
Give freely, both with advice, inspiration and samples is a core theme. It can be an worthwhile investment even though the actual unit cost is comparatively low. This book will help you identify your brand, its story and what might be its strongest talking points before helping you craft a strategy and train your company and its brand ambassadors to get talking. It can be a long haul – just like rolling a snowball – but when expertly handled and with a bit of good luck you can a big ball that just keeps on growing. Just don’t take your eye off the, err, ball, and see it roll off a cliff due to careless handling.
This is a great, passionate, exciting look at word-of-mouth marketing, focussing on the doing side of things. It is aimed primarily at external marketing tasks but many of the key attributes could equally be adapted for internal marketing or advocating belief in a cause rather than “just” selling a product. It won’t work for every product in every market but you will still get a lot of great takeaway points to help refine your sales and marketing efforts – and much more besides.
Fizz: Harness the Power of Word of Mouth Marketing to Drive Brand Growth, written by Ted Wright and published by McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 9780071835749, 240 pages. YYYYY
November 17, 2014
This book is better than a lot of the business "how to" books. The chapters are not completely repetitive and the information is given pretty well in a case study, only mildly egotistical way. When my clients ask me what the best kind of advertising is, I always say word of mouth, so I was very interested to read this. The theory (in my mind) is completley sound and the methodology described make a great deal of sense. That all being said, unless you are profesionally into advertising or the marketing direction of a comapnay or product this one will bore you to tears.
April 25, 2015
Fizz is a must-read for those in PR and marketing. Ted Wright brilliantly describes how to use word of mouth marketing (WOMM) to promote a product. WOMM is a complement to traditional/legacy marketing and social media, and quite different from both. It's a radical new approach to an old favorite and I am amazed at the results that Ted has had. He provides lots of data and research to substantiate his claims, and has succeeded in monetizing this method. If you ever get a chance to hear him speak, don't miss it. He's electric.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews