Frequently Asked Questions
Who should join WOMMA?
You should join WOMMA if you are a:
- Marketer who uses word of mouth marketing
- Agency that offers word of mouth services
- Content site with consumer reviews, active message boards, open comments, or tell-a-friend functionality
- Researcher, consultant, or other expert focused on word of mouth
It is in all of our interests to increase trust in word of mouth marketing and improve its effectiveness.
What's the hurry?
First impressions matter. Word of mouth marketing is coming under public scrutiny as the media becomes increasingly aware of the work that we do. Unfortunately, there are fringe players who aren't very honest.
Ethical word of mouth marketers need to stand up for doing the right thing. We need to demonstrate how the good guys operate, before we are all tarnished by the bad actors.
Email marketers failed to take a stand against spammers until it was too late to restore their reputations. WOMMA members will act quickly to make sure that honest marketers get credit for doing the right things and that unethical players are put out of business.
How is WOMMA organized?
WOMMA Inc. is incorporated as a not-for-profit 501(c)6 trade association. Our nonprofit status was approved by the IRS in December 2004. To protect your company, you should always verify legal status before joining any organization.
Our offices are in Chicago, staffed by a team of professional association managers.
Do you offer individual memberships?
WOMMA offers only corporate memberships, similar to the DMA, IAB, Shop.org, and the AAAA. Multiple individuals from a member company are welcome to participate. This is a common structure for trade organizations.
Several groups have been formed for individuals interested in word of mouth. We support their efforts and suggest that you consider joining them.
Why does it cost so much to join?
It doesn't. It costs less than the airfare, hotel, and registration fee for a single marketing conference — and there's a lot more in it for you than two days of sitting in a windowless ballroom. WOMMA membership fees are similar to those of other corporate membership organizations.
Online, offline, or both?
Definitely both. Our members represent the best word of mouth execution in any medium. Good word of mouth is fundamentally a multimedia experience, with messages traveling where consumers do. We're all about word of mouth best practices, wherever they happen.
