Wonkin' Out at WOMMA...and drinks with the Diva.

Next week shall find me in our nation's capitol for the WOMMA Summit. I am excited to learn all about this stuff called "social media" and how I need to start connecting with my customers on their terms, giving up control and giving out share. Do hope it sinks in.

Ah, c'mon let me have a little fun! I'm sure I'll learn MUCH as I'll be covering the event for MarketingProfs and reporting the details over at "The Fix". Here's the highlights:

Blogger Wonk: I am so excited to meet the Diva herself, Toby Bloomberg! And I thank her for organizing a Bipartisan Blogger Wonk. Diva, I'll be there with bells on :-). Here are the details and a running list of attendees are listed at her blog. If you're in D.C. and you know what a blog is, come by and let's have a martini. Or two.

• Date: Monday, December 11th
• Time: 7p - ?
• Place: Open City (Woodley Park Area)
• Address/Phone: 2331 Calvert St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20008. 202.332.2331

Citizen Marketers Sighting: Seems only fitting while at WOMMA I should introduce myself to those crazy customer evangelists Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba since I've been promoting their book all over the darn blogosphere, eh?  Seriously, they have been great to us with their smarts and generosity and I can't wait to meet/thank them. Ben & Jackie: I'll be the girl named "CK"--the shy one in the back of the room.

Real-time polls: What good is a group of marketers if you can't hit 'em up for data? In true feedback fashion I'm planning on running some real-time polls while at the WOMMA event. What's a real-time poll say you? That would be me--in real-time--running around between sessions with a tape-recorder and a few questions aimed at a lot of mouthy marketers with varied, insightful responses--and some humorous ones, to boot. Stay tuned.

Meeting NEW people: Better still, I'll be able to meet scores of marketers both new to and inside this space. I'll meet them and introduce them to you...and then you'll tell 2 bloggers...and then, as I understand it...500 bloggers will know. I'll verify this social-media math during one of the sessions.

Sisters rock (!): At week's end I also get to see my Sis as she lives outside of D.C. (yep, I have one older sibling as I'm the "baby" of the family). She doesn't care for marketing but she's still cool. And she has the cutest little poofball of a dog that barks at the wall a lot. No one can figure it out so maybe the pooch knows something we don't.

P.S. And yes, during my travel time I'll be diving into my current read since I need to be ready for Group Review early January. You might have heard I launched a Book Club with MarketingProfs? If you haven't...where the heck have you been? Never fear, you can read all about it and still sign-up--all info. is here and here. You bookworms sure are cool (and smart is sexy, too).

Comments

[Ann Handley]

Have fun, hot stuff...you have a lot going on in DC. Give my best to the WOMMA guys and *clink* your glass with Toby for me.

Have fun!

[Toby]

CK - thanks for the shout of for the bloggers wonk. I am thrilled that we find ourselves in the same city at the same time .. and very sad that Ann and our other Daily Fix friends can't "clink" a glass or two with us .. but we'll be sure to toast them all! Off to pack.

[Tim Jackson]

Ok, so Toby has to give CK a hug for me, since I've met and hugged Toby myself... so it's like I'm hugging CK. Then when I finally get to meet CK, she can hug me and the circle will be complete.

Ann, we'll have to think of something... wait, you've met CK, so she can hug me for you and the hug will continue on...

Have a great time all. Seriously jealous of you all.

[Lewis Green]

CK,

Have a great time! Give Toby a hug for me, as well. I know you will come back with lots to share.

[Cam Beck]

Waiting on pins and needles for your report of the event. :)

[V-+a%S(p#E*rsT=`hE..]gra_Te[]

I'll be very interested in what you think about the whole compensated opinion, paid enthusiasm scene. You're usually right about most things in the marketing realm.

But WOMMA and PayPerPost seems fatal to the Trust Web of the blogosphere.

We assume that when a blogger or comment poster expresses a product praise or condemnation, that they speak from their heart, based on actual experience...and NOT because they are paid or otherwise incentivized to say what they say.

My opinion is that "word of mouth" and "marketing" combine to a contradictory assertion, an oxymoron.

Word of mouth used to mean genuine, sincere, unbiased, spontaneous, unincentivized, honest opinion, with only the benefit of others involved.

Anything less than that seems like consumer fraud and spam to me.

;^)