WOMM-U kicked off in Miami, FL yesterday with an opening keynote by Joseph Jaffe, author of Join the Conversation.

One of Joe's basic premises is that everything can be a conversation starter. If a book or a business card can be a conversation started, why can't a brand? However, conversation and community are much bigger than a series of tactical strategies.

What's more important impressions or relationships? What brands realize now is that a single bad relationship can have a dramatic impact, i.e. Dell Hell.

The Cluetrain said that markets are conversation, Joe thinks that marketing can be a conversation. If we as an industry don't participate, we'll be left behind.

Joe jokingly said, "God gave us two ears and one mouth, use it"

Step 1, listen. It's unacceptable that often a marketing department doesn't know what's going on. Of course part of listening is hearing and understanding.

Step 2 is response, once you listen and hear you need be responsive. People expect a response.

Step 3 is join, but more importantly, be invited to join. Brands aren't as cool and sexy as they think they are. When brands built islands on Second Life the realized that nobody wanted to come. Brands have to earn their place in the party.

Step 4, catalyze. Brands have the budget, staff and resources to help things along. Find the influencers and help them.

Joe showed some graphs of Twitter conversations related to the Oovoo brand conversation compared

Word of mouth is not bought, it is not sponsored, it is earned. At this point you can get to...

Step 5, start a conversation. You can't do this, unless you've done the first four steps.

So what shouldn't you do?

Don't fake it. Don't manipulate the conversation. Don't control the conversation. Don't dominate the conversation...we (brands) like to talk don't we?

Lastly, avoiding the conversation. Brands are very good at this. Some just don't care.

Are you in the campaign or the commitment business? Are you building relationships that will build and profit over time, or just a quick impression?

Brands need to protect and nurture the new non-traditional programs since they're helping build relationships. How much are you spending on experimentation? Marketing should be storm-chasers, delving into new territories.

Joe believes that corporations will have conversation departments by 2012. Customer service will be a major brand differentiator.

Brands will be redefined based upon on they relate and interact with their communities/customers.