I am sure you all read recently of the $6 billion bid from Google to the 'group discount local buying' online community called 'Groupon', as in 'Group', 'Coupon'.

Recently we talked about the NPS-relevant study that shows how detractors (evidenced by the fact they leave as customers) influence those close in their social network to also defect.

We have been lucky enough to work with a number of retailers recently and the research and campaign results have given us a start to a growing library of marketing 'rules of thumb' that are proven to get the tills ringing. 

A summary is below, but if you are interested in the details behind these learnings, please feel free to ask here, or directly through email, twitter etc...

Learnings

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.

I read an exciting piece of research today (OK, I have the flu and could not really do anything but read - I do have a life, sort of). Paul Dwyer, in an MSI Paper titled "Measuring the Value of Word-of-Mouth and its Impact in Consumer Communities" [MSI 2006] demonstrates that 'expert power' is the key value driver for community growth and longevity. With little concern for who adds the expert content.

As we help our clients participate with their customer communities, we rely on our experience, the experience of colleagues in the US (who have been at it longer than the Aussies), some hard numbers coming from the marketing research organisations and sometimes trial and error. All the while keeping an eye on the literature in order to capitalise on what the collective industry and academic communities can teach us.

"It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious."

- Oscar Wilde

Are there "bad" customers to target when you attempt marketing with & through virtual communities? Are there "good"?