Gold prize winner for best marketing book (tie), 2008 Axiom/Inc Magazine awards Finalist, 2008 Berry-American Marketing Association Book Prize It's official: the old marketing model is dead, and word of mouth is king. But while a lot of attention has been paid to the mechanics of creating buzz, only the savviest of marketers have learned to focus on crafting the right kind of message — because without it, even the loudest buzz will soon die down. Beyond Buzz shows readers how to listen to customers, identify what is important to them, and then craft the kind of message that will truly resonate and spark conversation. Filled with insightful examples of conversational marketing at work, Beyond Buzz gives readers the tools and inspiration they need to create an effective and interesting conversational theme that will engage their customers and take their marketing to a whole new level. Without the right message in place, word of mouth marketing will never live up to its promise. This innovative and practical book shows readers how to ignite people's interest...and generate much more than buzz.