NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- How can the small retail business owner capture a piece of the $43 million the National Retail Federation (NRF) (http://www.nrf.com) recently predicted would be pumped into the economy in the coming months as Americans receive their tax rebate checks? 41 percent of Americans surveyed plan to spend their windfall.

Even with President Bush's Economic Stimulus Package starting to take effect, most economic experts say we are now in a recession with the stock market all over the board and the cost of staples going up. So, how does the small mom and pop business get its fair share of these second quarter consumer dollars when people are flocking to the "big boys" like Wal-Mart, Target or Costco to get the best bang for their buck?

Authors Steve O'Leary and Kim Sheehan of the new book, Building Buzz to Beat the Big Boys (ISBN-13: 978-0-313-34598-2; Praeger Publishers, $39.95 hardcover, http://www.grabbinggreen.com), say a small business owner's competitive advantage is word of mouth marketing (WOM).

Today's marketing environment has changed. Traditional advertising such as television, newspaper and direct mail is still important to build awareness of a business -- but it is no longer enough. WOM is now the most effective form of promotion available as it combines the most modern strategies, tactics and channels with the most basic human behavior: People talking to people.

"The Internet -- web sites, blogs, and social networking sites -- is pushing this change in marketing to consumers and giving the consumer more control and choice," say O'Leary and Sheehan. "This change can provide the small business owner with an advantage over the big chains. There is a basic road map to the process of creating word of mouth and customer communities which we call the 4Cs -- customers, conversations, community and commitment."

Combined with WOM, the 4Cs can help owners of small retail businesses "beat the big boys":

-- Customers -- Today's consumers are different from five years ago. They want more information, and they want opportunities to provide feedback to the store owner. These dialogues are the first step in enhancing relationships with customers. -- Conversations -- Word of mouth leads to "buzz." Identify "store Champions" who can help create the "buzz" for the store and its products or services. -- Community -- Community is a group of people who share social interaction and some common ties and who share an area (physical or cyber space) for some of the time. Local coffee shops and Starbucks have embraced and marketed this concept to build "store Champions." A store's online community is also a key element of its WOM marketing campaign. -- Commitment -- An online community should be the central focus of a store's community-building efforts. There are three different ways to support and enhance your online community: in-store, employee, and community outreach.

In addition to Building Buzz to Beat the Big Boys, O'Leary and Sheehan operate the web site http://www.grabbinggreen.com, an interactive knowledge exchange for small businesses that includes in-depth, up-to-date information on WOM, a blog, and an online community where small business owners can share their experiences and learn from others.

About the Authors

STEVE O'LEARY is chairman of O'Leary and Partners, an advertising agency in Orange County, California. In his 35-year advertising career, he has worked on over 20 retail brands that range from single-store operations to large chains, from dry cleaners to fast-food restaurants.

KIM SHEEHAN is associate professor at the University of Oregon, where she teaches classes in communications and advertising. She spent 12 years in the advertising industry, working with fast-food clients such as Wendy's and McDonald's, and with retail store clients like Kinney Shoe and Laura Ashley. She is the author of Controversies in Contemporary Advertising and a coauthor of Using Qualitative Research Methods in Advertising.

SOURCE Steve O'Leary and Kim Sheehan

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