• Influencer Relations incorporating Traditional PR with their media, analysts, and industry experts; and the Influentials Model with mega hubs, regular hubs, and community groups.


• Traditional advertising employing print and broadcast media as well as direct response but with a focus on the Internet and using such useful tactics as virals, email, podcasting, social networking, etc.


• Accelerated Contagion including integrated direct marketing, Internet tools, webinars, trade shows, etc.

• a program to gain content, above and beyond member contributed content
• a program to gain market awareness (the intial stages of Influencer Relations)
• a program to gain advertisers interest after first identifying who our potential advertisers are

Now, what's the KBA Marcom Engine? Simply a process which I developed almost 20 years ago that provides a disciplined approach to marketing communications Planning and Execution. Modules falling under Planning involve Auditing, Strategy, and Communications. Modules falling under Execution involve the development of an Arsenal, Deployment, and Measurement.

Please check back regularly for progress reports on how we move forward in the marketing of this social network. As you can see it is still a work in process.

"Need for leads fuels frenzy of direct deals"

The headline above is taken from a column written recently by Carol Krol for BtoB Magazine (www.btobonline.com). It goes on to say "This has been a busy year for direct marketing deal-making, and much of the activity can be traced to an intense focus on acquiring lead generation tools and technology, both online and off. With an ever-expanding array of media choices, marketing has never been more complex, and marketers are increasingly demanding sophisticated solutions to find customers and deliver relevant messages. In turn, suppliers are reacting to that need."

The explosion of the Internet 10 years ago is now being followed by an explosion of people who are learning how to manage it.

There are people on every street corner who can design a website, show you how to ascertain key words for SEO, offer a dozen variations on SEM, teach you about web analytics, write clever copy, manage your influencer relations, create and design and produce your virals, introduce you to podcasting, and embed a word of mouth marketing program... but very few who can then take all this to market…in a reasonable time frame, and at a reasonable cost.

What’s lacking for small to medium size businesses is the general contractor, or the mentor consultant, who can bring it all together and teach your people how to manage the process themselves. They need to learn how to orchestrate the manifold ideas and talents that are required to create a harmonious marcom environment ... often with an undefined budget ... that in turn will generate the necessary-for-survival steady lead flow.

An approach that I typically employ with my clients is to start with a framework for encompassing the entire marcom process. I call it the Marcom Engine because it drives all sales and marketing related activities. It’s a chart that starts with two columns, one headed Planning, and the other Execution. Under Planning you then have three columns headed Auditing, Strategy, and Creative. Under Execution you also have three columns headed Arsenal, Deployment, and Measurement. If you had the chart (which I can send to anyone who requests it) you would find bold face entries indicating areas where word of mouth needs to be embedded. Most of the bold face entries fall under Deployment, but they begin to filter into the chart under Creative and Arsenal, with a section also in the Measurement column.

This chart evolved from my studies of the two seminal books published in the early 90's on integrated marketing communications and reengineering the corporation, and has proven its value over ten years of service to dozens of technology marketers.

And now a NEW, more powerful incentive than ever to join WOMMA … the Member Center launched December 22!

In an email just received yesterday from Andy Sernovitz, CEO of WOMMA, I got the news. To quote Andy, “I’m really excited about the new WOMMA Member Center launch today.” And then he went on to say, very kindly, “As one of our big thinkers and guiding lights, I hope you could take some time over the next week and start some discussions, post some files, and stir things up! We need good intellectual leadership to make this as great as it can be -- and it's a great way to get you front and center.”

And since I, like everyone in this world, would like to be front and center, I am publishing this notice. Take heed, word of mouth is an idea whose time has come and it’s rapidly changing the world of marketing. You would be wise to get on board. It’s easy. Visit www.womma.org. Tell Andy I sent you.

Andy is also thanking Leverage Software (www.leveragesoftware.com) for providing the amazing software tool that enables this Member Center. Thanks, Leverage!

When you join WOMMA you’ll have access to this private Member Center web site where you’ll be able to find, and participate, in:
· Discussion forums that let you share ideas with the best minds in the industry
· Social networking to help you meet partners, clients, vendors, and friends
· Exclusive members-only content, research, and reports
· Access to members-only benefits such as discount codes, promotional opportunities

In closing I'd just like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And by checking under your Christmas tree in about 48 hours you'll be able to find out whether Santa has you on his list under "naughty" or "nice".

See you next year!