BzzAgent

[LapisLee]

BzzAgent (http://www.bzzagent.com/) is a site designed to help corporations brand their products. They conduct surveys through BuzzSponge (http://home.buzzsponge.com/). You may be right. I just signed up for BzzAgent and it may be separate from BuzzSponge.

New Agent Sign-Up (http://www.bzzagent.com/signup/NewAgentSignup.do)

Does Your Brand Need Bzz? We can help your brand harness the power of real word of mouth. (http://www.bzzagent.com/pages/Page.do?page=We_Get_Results)

Marketing is an investment. We know how important it is to evaluate the results of any marketing effort. We employ three independent, data-driven metrics to measure our clients' return on their investment:

Sales-Based ROI Measurements: We conduct pre- and post-campaign sales baseline measurements, compare sales in BzzAgent markets vs. non-BzzAgent markets and use traceable coupons, websites, e-mail links and loyalty cards to identify and analyze sales and acquisition impact.

The results are in...

BzzAgent has contributed to a 79-point average lift in its clients' Net Promoter Score within the Agent network, and the median score at the close of one of our word-of-mouth programs is more 130% higher than the national median. Net Promoter® Score (NPS): Developed by Fred Reichheld and Satmetrix, this measures an individual's likelihood to recommend a product or service in the future. NPS is the single most reliable indicator of a company's ability to grow. Our blog, Net Promoter in Action, provides an insider view of BzzAgent's groundbreaking use of NPS as a WOM program metric.

Reach and Reaction: We use a core group of metrics to measure the frequency and reach of the word of mouth created by our Agents. We track activity rate, report volume, the total number of individuals reached, purchase intent and the duration of conversations.

In addition to our standard data-driven metrics, we also provide the following:

Consumer Insights: BzzAgent campaigns provide two-way communication, enabling marketers to gain valuable insight into consumer opinions and reactions. We comb through Agent feedback in order to provide detailed analysis of how a client's product or service is viewed by their target audience. These qualitative findings can help define and refine product strategy and marketing messages.

Customization: Clients come to BzzAgent with a variety of objectives and goals — from brand awareness and customer acquisition to product distribution and promotion. We work directly with our clients to create appropriate metrics specific to each campaign. We customize our measurement practices against client-driven objectives using data captured through Agent-supplied reports, online surveys, web statistics, and third party and client-provided data.

No Question About It: Word of Mouth Works — and So Do We

"BzzAgent exceeded our expectations. They came up with ideas that were out of the box, they had a clear timeline and process, and effectively reached our (U.S.)Hispanic market. It's been an enriching relationship."
— Georg Rasinski, Direct Brand Manager, Cadbury Schweppes Read the full case study (http://www.bzzagent.com/downloads/BzzAgent_CaseStudy_Clamato.pdf)

Word of mouth (WOM) has been around since the advent of spoken language. BzzAgent has been around since 2002. During that time, we've generated over brand communications through our growing network of volunteer Agents. We've managed word-of-mouth marketing programmes for Fortune 1000 companies and start-ups alike. True, we didn't invent word-of-mouth marketing, but we developed the proven platform to manage, measure and accelerate it for ROI-minded marketers.

That's why hundreds of leading companies trust and rely on BzzAgent to put the power and persuasiveness of word-of-mouth marketing to work for their brands.

Powerful, Persuasive and Pervasive

Word-of-mouth marketing works, but don't just take our word for it. Here's what others have found:
80% of consumers trust WOM more than any other source of information*
A study done by Harvard and McKinsey & Company found that 2/3 of the U.S. economy is influenced by word of mouth.
According to a recent New York Times poll, a "recommendation from a friend" is the most credible source of information; while "corporate advertising" is the least.
The Keller Fay Group has found that the average American mentions specific brands 56 times a week, with positive mentions outnumbering negative six to one.
* According to Forrester Research

Client List (http://www.bzzagent.com/pages/Page.do?page=Client_List)

Case Studies (http://www.bzzagent.com/pages/Page.do?page=Case_Studies)

Our Agents (http://www.bzzagent.com/pages/Page.do?page=Our_Agents)

Meet Our Agents (http://www.bzzagent.com/pages/Page.do?page=Meet_our_Agents)

[LapisLee]

Good Morning America story (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/Story?id=5318387&page=1) about Buzz Agent.

How to Become a Word-of-Mouth Marketer
Find Out About Signing Up Online to Try Free Products and Tell Your Friends About Them
By TORY JOHNSON
July 7, 2008 —

Remember that classic TV commercial, "If you tell two friends about Faberge Organics shampoo with wheat germ oil and honey, they'll tell two friends, and so on ... and so on ... and so on?" That's an example of word-of-mouth marketing at its best. And today, buzz agencies, dedicated solely to getting the word out about new products and services, have grown exponentially. Click here for a list of buzz agencies where you can register today to get involved in their word-of-mouth marketing campaigns.

In 2008, $1.82 billion will be spent getting the word out by getting people talking, according to PQ Media. That means ample opportunity to receive free products for anyone willing to lend their opinion on new stuff. Big bucks marketing. Big brands know that people are at least twice as likely to give a product a try if they've heard about it from a friend, so it makes good business sense to help get that conversation started.

Women are the major drivers of these word-of-mouth efforts, and there are now hundreds of thousands of women and men who register online with buzz agencies to be word-of-mouth marketers. These people agree to give their very candid opinions on products to the companies and, if they wish, spread the word to friends, family, co-workers, social network pals and others.

What's in it for the talkers? Free stuff and a loud voice in the marketing and purchasing patterns of some of the biggest product launches ever. They're often first on their block to try out the latest products -- sometimes before they're on the market -- for free. Plus, they can use their voices to influence purchasing decisions among their circle of influence, which is exciting for many people.

Full disclosure. Most buzz agencies say they highly encourage participants to be upfront about their connection to the company. After all, the ethics are questionable when a friend raves about a product, but doesn't clue you in on his or her connection to the brand. But these companies also say that they don't tell people exactly what to say, instead, leaving that decision in the hands of each participant to decide how he or she wishes to handle it. The companies do, however, give people fact sheets with highlights and "wow facts" about each product. It's at the discretion of recipients if or how they opt to reference those pointers.

Spotlight on Success

There are several high profile examples where buzz agencies say they're achieving big success by getting tongues wagging. Philips Sonicare Essence. Boston-based BzzAgent sent a $70 toothbrush to 30,000 of its marketers, each of whom agreed to be part of this campaign. BzzAgent asked them to try out the toothbrush and -- if they liked it -- share coupons with their friends. By tracking those coupons and using polls and other data, BzzAgent claims their 30,000 marketers each told an average of 9.4 people. Those 282,000 people then told an average of 4.14 others, reaching a grand total of 1,449,480 people about this product. BzzAgent says the Philips toothbrush benefited from a $2.5 million sales lift that they directly attribute to this word-of-mouth campaign. BzzAgent attributes these figures in part to a Northeastern University study on word-of-mouth marketing relay rates.

OPI Nic's Sticks. To launch OPI Nic's Sticks -- a clever packaging idea that puts fast-drying nail polish in a pen that's perfect for your purse -- the manufacturer hired the firm SheSpeaks to drum up excitement. SheSpeaks sent the product to 9,000 of its women members, asking them to try it and share coupons with friends. The results: SheSpeaks says 120,000 Nic's Sticks were sold based on the campaign, which is more than 13 times the original giveaway. As further proof of the program's success, SheSpeaks says the redemption rate for the coupons distributed by its marketers was 300 percent greater than the rate of redemptions for the same $1-off coupon inserted in magazines.

Venus Breeze. The firm VocalPoint, which is owned by Procter & Gamble, but creates campaigns for non-P&G product launches as well, sent new razors and six coupons to a whopping 450,000 moms in select markets around the country. In three months, VocalPoint says trial rates doubled in markets where this campaign took place, compared to markets where it didn't.
The coupons were redeemed at more than twice the rate of those in the newspapers, which marketers say speaks directly to the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Even though many women aren't quick to alter their method of shaving, plenty of them acted on the advice of a friend when told this new razor would provide soft skin without using lotion or shaving cream.

How to Get Involved
Click here for a list of buzz agencies (http://womenforhire.com/survey) where you can register today to get involved in their word-of-mouth marketing campaigns. You'll be prompted to complete a detailed profile on your areas of interest. This enables a company to decide which campaigns would be best suited for you. If you don't like pets, you're not going to get dog food in the mail. If you love music, movies, make-up, etc., then you're likely to be included in such programs. Each of these companies runs anywhere from 10 to 20 campaigns a year, some nationwide, some limited by geography.

There are also companies that will reward you for completing opinion-based surveys -- sometimes for prizes, other times even for cash, which is minimal. The more comprehensive the survey, the greater the compensation. Online surveys that take minutes to complete may only pay a dollar or two; surveys that require you to respond over a month may pay up to $100. You won't get rich, but you might end up with $1,000 or more in freebies in the course of a year, and the chance to influence the marketing and purchasing patterns of some of the biggest brands in the country.

Tory Johnson is the workplace contributor on "Good Morning America," and the CEO of Women For Hire. Connect with her at www.womenforhire.com.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

[LapisLee]

Greetings BzzAgent LapisLee,

Thanks for taking the time to join the BzzAgent community. You're just one step away from completing the Agent sign-up process.

To finish simply click on the following link to confirm your Account creation: http://www.bzzagent.com

Once you verify your e-mail address, you'll be able to:

* Check for word-of-mouth BzzCampaigns you can join on Agent Home
* Answer polls to help us match you with future campaigns
* Learn more about BzzAgent with Agent Training
* Start earning benefits reserved just for active and informative

Agents, including access to more campaigns and early campaign sign up. We look forward to having you as a part of BzzAgent.

Thank you,

BzzAgent

You're Now a BzzAgent

Thank you for verifying your e-mail address. We thought about adding a retinal scan, but we're too busy talking about stuff we like. Now that you've confirmed your e-mail address, take a few minutes to explore BzzAgent.com. Start at your Agent Home page so you can:
Complete your BzzAgent profile and answer polls to help us match you with future word-of-mouth BzzCampaigns
Learn more about BzzAgent with Agent Training
Start earning benefits reserved just for active and informative Agents, including access to more campaigns and early campaign signup
Then head to the Frogpond to learn about the coolest online products, websites and services around and share them with friends.
Ready to start participating in the word-of-mouth revolution?

[eddieMX07]

I first learned about BzzAgent when I clicked the link on the BuzzSponge thread. The first thing that I saw was a button to sign up. I decided to create an account with since I thought BzzAgent was the same thing as BuzzSponge and I was wanted to log in to BuzzSponge.

Well I was confused when I could not log into to BuzzSponge using the same information I created with BzzAgent. That lead me to believe that BzzAgent was a whole different panel.

BzzAgent has ALOT of features that can increase your chances of being selectable to a study (survey). Some of these features can only be accessed when you have used the website for a long time. After I logged in for the time, I answered a short question in was in the MyHomePage. This have me some kind of small reward womlets. After that I saw the MyPoints logo and was asked to enter the email address I use with MyPoints and my ZipCode. I'm not sure what this is for for but I will know more about this after I read the "Agent Training".

[LapisLee]

Eddie, I just realized something about BzzAgent:

What do I get for being a BzzAgent?
The chance to have your opinions make a real difference
Access to products and services, sometimes before the general public
Complimentary product samples or access to services so you can experience them for yourself
Exclusive BzzPerks — both Status (privileged access to campaigns) and Stuff (rewards and other little surprises)
Oh, and some cool bee stickers (we knew that would get you!)
Can I earn cash for being a BzzAgent?
Nope. We never offer money as a thank you. That's because Bzz (what we call word of mouth) is sincere and voluntary. But here's what you can earn:
Improved Status, reserved for active and informative Agents — including access to more campaigns and the ability to receive Early Invites to campaigns before other Agents
Cool Stuff, including a wide variety of rewards and special offers from popular merchants
Do you offer BzzPerks to Agents because they spread Bzz?
No, we thank them for letting us know about their Bzz. For any word of mouth to be credible and powerful, it needs to be voluntary and not due to compensation of any kind. Since Agents volunteer their time to submit reports and answer polls to let us know about their real word Bzz, we think it's only fair we show our appreciation with BzzPerks.

Is BzzAgent a freebie site?
Nope! While Agents often receive complimentary product samples or access to services, we're not a freebie site. We give everyday consumers the chance to learn about new products and services and make their voices heard by sharing those opinions with others, including our clients.

[LapisLee]

The first thing you have to do is fill out some short questionaires for 5 MyPoints each. What can you get with MyPoints?

My Stuff History
Details on all of your MyPoints offers from us, including how and when you earned them.

9 items found, displaying all items.

Perk Earned Partner Activity Description Earned Status

5 Points MyPoints Survey - All the Basics: More About You and Your Household July 28, 2008 Accepted
5 Points MyPoints Survey - Two questions on employment July 28, 2008 Accepted
5 Points MyPoints Survey - Cars & Trucks July 28, 2008 Accepted
5 Points MyPoints Survey - Food Delivery July 28, 2008 Accepted
5 Points MyPoints Survey - Cleaning, Etc. July 28, 2008 Accepted
5 Points MyPoints Survey - Pets & Pet Food July 28, 2008 Accepted
5 Points MyPoints Survey - More About You and Your Employer July 28, 2008 Accepted
5 Points MyPoints Survey - Alcohol Consumption July 28, 2008 Accepted
3 Points MyPoints Survey - Home Improvement July 27, 2008 Accepted

[LapisLee]

After you fill out all of the profiles, then you go to the Frog Pond, which is part of another site called The Point, which requires registration, and start or join different campaigns to accomplish various things like getting Starbucks to use reuseable coffee cups, boycott various products or companies that don't have good environmental records, donate money to get local artists a recording contract, etc. I don't really see much promise with this company because they only offer MyPoints and I don't really want Reward Choice certificates, whatever those are. I know it isn't cash or Amazon gift certificates.

[LapisLee]

I really have no idea what is up with this site.

Welcome BzzAgent LapisLee!

Please hold tight as you wait for your first Campaign, it could take several weeks (but several weeks well worth it!) before a Campaign becomes available. You'll receive an e-mail invitation from BzzAgent Jono and an invite will be posted on your Agent Homepage once you're eligible to participate in a Campaign. Be sure to keep checking your Agent Homepage for updates.

In the meantime, here are several ways to help you get started:
Complete your BzzAgent Profile and fill out the surveys located under the "Surveys" tab on your Agent Homepage. This will help to improve your chances of getting matched up with future Campaigns.
Add jono@bzzagent.com to your address book (right now!) to ensure deliverability of Campaign Invitations.
Learn more about BzzPerks, how we thank Agents for participating in BzzAgent. You can get both improved Status (and the associated benefits), plus great thanks you gifts and special offers.
Jump into the BzzAgent Frogpond, the newest way to spread Bzz on cool online sites. Involvement in the Frogpond is a great way to get a head start on Bzzing.
Again, welcome to BzzAgent! We look forward to creating Bzz with you!
- The Central Hive at BzzAgent

Call us: 1-877-BZZAGENT (877-299-2436)
Email Jono: jono@bzzagent.com
AOL/Yahoo IM us: bzzagent

[paddysmum]

about joining BzzAgent. You probably have a much bigger network of friends to which you can hand out coupons and samples - but I don't, so distributing those things would feel unnatural, and I'd feel like a shill.

However, the prospect of getting free stuff - and progressively more expensive free stuff - as you complete campaigns, is attractive. There are enthusiastic Bzzers elsewhere on the web, comparing notes on products received.

"Word of mouth marketing" must be powerful, because the Mills Advisory Panel has recently launched Psst(sp), a "word of mouth" marketing panel for General Mills products.

Here's an interesting article regarding the ethics of "buzz marketing" :

http://http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2005/11/14/how_much_can_you_trust_buzz/

[LapisLee]

I'm ready to unsubscribe from this site. I just don't 'get it' and I am certainly not receiving any monetary incentives yet.

[eddieMX07]

I'm ready to unsubscribe from this site. I just don't 'get it' and I am certainly not receiving any monetary incentives yet.

I agree, I also don't get it and I think this panel way to complicated with all the stuff that it there. I will rarely visit this panel and will most likely get my account deleted for not using their site.

[A2JC4life]

BzzAgent is not a site that will pay you (although you can accumulate very small numbers of points for your MyPoints account).

It is NOT, however, a sham or anything like that. The "pay" here is largely in the products that you get to keep. I have been with BzzAgent for a while, and they really do run campaigns. I've received items ranging from a $4 package of lunch meat (not mailed! They sent a coupon for a free package) to a $150 electric toothbrush. And all I have to do is honestly tell those I come in contact with what I think about it - positive or negative.

[LapisLee]

BzzAgent is not a site that will pay you (although you can accumulate very small numbers of points for your MyPoints account).

It is NOT, however, a sham or anything like that. The "pay" here is largely in the products that you get to keep. I have been with BzzAgent for a while, and they really do run campaigns. I've received items ranging from a $4 package of lunch meat (not mailed! They sent a coupon for a free package) to a $150 electric toothbrush. And all I have to do is honestly tell those I come in contact with what I think about it - positive or negative.
Yeah, I joined a campign where they sent me a coupon booklet for vitamin C 'shots' that were just little bottles of 2 ounce energy drinks with vitamins, but the coupons were only a $1 off for a $8 pack of four 'shots'. That turned me off initially and I haven't tried them again.