Convertising the connected customer
IAB – Belgium’s Think Digital at The Egg in Brussels today…After a great edition last year, I came with high expectations and in the end I got what I’ve paid for: Convertising the connected customer as the big challenge for every company, advertiser, …. the next 3 to 5 years. We’re entering great times where customers have a different media consumption, use different devices and connect through new applications. As a company, organisation (and advertiser for shure) you need to know how this will affect your business. I’m going to quote a tweet a saw during the day to prove my point : “heard a lot about second screens today while many companies still struggle to use/optimize just one screen” . In this quote lays the challenge for everybody in us….society is changing, media consumption is changing, …. but companies keep doing business as usual…Time to act, time to change, time to start “convertising”
Rethinking Marketing
Another interesting evening out….Lannoo events Rethinking Marketing congress lined up 5 of their authors (Clo Willaerts, Herman Konings, Joeri Van den Berghe, Marc Michils & Krist Pauwels) to discuss 5 topics which could inspire the audience. No keynotes, no boring presentations….only talk and discussions, nice to see a different approach. Maybe a short intro presentation for each topic would have been nicer than the movie, but what the hell de debate was fun and inspired me!
Let me share some of my inspirational quotes of this evening!
- Social responsibility & credibility
Social media is power to the people, like may ’68 but then for real.
Consumers always asks: “what’s in it for me!” So both sides have to deliver, consumer and producer each share this social responsibility & credibility.
Act first, then talk instead of making promises first and act later. - Strong roots in a turbulent market
Brands are just a replacement for human beings….so a brand needs to take a position as well.
The new communication model is not a dialogue, it becomes a dialogue after the company’s monologue.
When a company cheats on me, it’s out….only when I have a strong and loving relationship with this brand it gets another chance.
Consumers want to be involved, nothing less, nothing more…they don’t want to take the lead in the creative process or other! - Transparancy
The informed customer!
The more complex a topic gets the less people are willing to be informed, then they use trusted filters (like media and friends).
Online information overload…..where are the trees!? We are in need of a good network of trusted peers, but make shure your filter bubble is large enough. - “Indignados”
Social media is easy to share indignantly, but what’s the alternative/solution?
No single leader makes this a difficult organisation which starts with one “lone nut” who gathers “evangelists”/followers.
Traditional media play a big role in augmenting this movements/actions.On a side node Clo Willaerts still looks for a random act of kindness from Cote d’Or since she outed herself as chocolate fan
- Making profit in money and happiness
Happiness is genetically determined for 50%…marketing makes the other 50% (more and more through an emotional appeal)
Generation (wh)Y wants to have an impact!
Rate my dress? … Why a #Twitter mirror isn’t such a good strategy!
Holiday season, so not much News to report…unless a bad marketingstrategy?
Today I read an article in a Belgian newspaper (Het Nieuwsblad) about a Tweet mirror in a WE fashion store in Woluwe (Brussels). With this Mirror you can a picture of you trying on your new dress, tweeting it, or posting this on your Facebook … So friends, and anybody in your circle who cares, can rate your next purchase…as if I’m waiting for this?
Off course we aren’t, but WE fashion probably want to build a community around its brand and fashion. Is this the right to go? I can’t imagine why it is….
First, the procedure to get picture on your Twitter or Facebook. The initial picture loads to the corporate Facebook store page, from where you have to Tweet and ‘Like’ … a 2-step process is always 1-step to much, and needs a good manual… The store reps admits this, and says uploading to your own facebook page will soon be possible (hopefully).
Off course, this way you build an instant community of people who are not realy your community. They only use your network to connect to theirs….wrong method to reach this goal!
It’s not about the number of fans, or likes, it about what you do with your fans and followers (dixit The Brandbuilder).
Second, the waiting phase….as if I’m going to wait in the store untill my friends react to my new dress, pants, …. Unless you inform people of your shopping tour, I don’t think anybody is waiting for this picture….and if you realy want someone ‘s advice, he’ll probably take a picture and send it with his/her mobile! Faster reaction time guaranteed.
Besides the fact that I don’t want to share my ass, body, … with the whole online world trying on clothes that might not fit me, or look realy awfull on me!
If you want to build a network of fans, users, customers, buyers, …. you might want to try a different approach! Ask them to share their new clothes on your page in an original setting, or discuss about the best way to wear the new collection! You want online ambassadors, who share spontaniously instead of a ‘forced’ like or tweet! Again less is more, it’s not always about the big numbers, but what you do with them.
This Tweet mirror shouldn’t all be bad, instead of the rating part, it’s better used for ‘a look with I bought strategy’ where you engaged in an active way to share the brand spirit and store fashion! I simple one-click action mirror where you share your newest clothes (that fit you)… Could be more succesfull tot build a community of brand ambassadors.
Add some augmented reality and you might have a hit….create scènes where you can see your new dress, pants, …. in an authentic setting, see if it fits the atmosphere?! And start sharing this, add a poll or competition and start a dialogue with your customers…who knows what’s next in this active relationship? Retention?
Have an online content and conversation manager ready to deal and talk to your online ambassadors, build an online community is hard work and needs a good and clear strategy. Probably or hopefully WE fashion has an online staregy….but a Twitter mirror doesn’t have to be part of it, in my opinion! Or at least not in the way it is used now…
The role of the marketeer in the flat world
Let go….this is the new role to play for the marketer. Not easy, if you are/were that guy/girl who was in charge for the product/brand the last decades. But nowadays everybody, employee, customer, supplier,… is talking about your product/brand, whether you want this or not. And it isn’t always fun stuff to read (even from your own employees)
It used to be a great time when the marketer controlled all the brand/product information.
How do you, as a marketer, deal with this flat world social evolution? Let go, but be positive don’t hesitate to interact with those people. Inside the companies we see a shift from(ordinary) employee to product/brand ambassadors, where all employees are involved in the brand/product management through a company social media policy. This social media policy introduces social media as a tool for all employees and explain the rules of engagement. As a marketer you can play an important role, since the marketer was the former brand manager! (But most of the time the social media policy is written by IT or HR – which is kind of strange!)
Examples of social media policy of some famous companies can be inspirational! Take look at the next list, and explore social media policy….it’s important for every company! As a marketeer is time to take up this new role,the social media coach who coaches his fellow employees in being the brand/product ambassador.
Inspired by Mic Adam
Shout!