Word of Mouth Marketing at its Finest

While Mak and I were  in Philly this week for business I had the opportunity to witness word of mouth marketing at its finest.

We were eating lunch at the bar of the White Dog Cafe (which just happens to be one of my favorite restaurants) enjoying our lunch when the woman next to us spilled her glass of wine. This would not have been a big deal except that it splashed all over my long, WHITE coat. I was horrified, especially since I only wear this coat occasionally to avoid spilling something on it.  Everyone at the bar of course saw what happened and was trying to help. Instantly, people starting recommending that I get a Tide Pen to get the stains out. One person mentioned it then another chimed in about how well it works, then another.  Which brings me to my point… Tide with their Tide Pen has done such a great job of branding their product that people can instantly remember where to turn when a stain occurs.  Not only that, they have turned these people into promoters of their product! Every company’s dream.  Tide is also fostering this word of mouth online as their Facebook wall allows consumers to post how they were able to salvage their stains.  People are singing Tide’s praises! You cannot get better advertising than that.

Here are some tips for a business to start creating positive word of mouth that translates in the realm of social media, but also in offline situations:

Tide Pen saves the day!

1) Have a product worth talking about: Does your product live up to its promises? Make sure your advertising is not misleading consumers. The Tide Pen would never get the recognition it does if it didn’t work! Is there something exceptional about your product that would get people talking?

2) Provide a way for customers to communicate with you:  Let your customers tell you how they feel. Allow them to have an open dialogue and express their feelings about your product or service.

3) Offer exceptional customer service: Listen to what your customers are saying whether it is positive or negative.  Value their opinions and act accordingly. The way a company responds to a consumer is unbelievably important.  Your customers will feel empowered and happy, which is key when developing a word of mouth strategy.

4) Amplify word of mouth through various tactics: Partnering with organizations, creating loyalty programs, using blogs to disperse information, educating consumers are all just some of the ways word of mouth can be amplified once the essentials of product and customer service are in place.

Have a WOM tip to share? I would love to hear it! P.S. The Tide Pen worked and my white coat is just like new!

Common Social Media Mistakes

Many businesses are jumping into the social media realm full force and we applaud these efforts! Likewise, many people are falling prey to common mistakes and errors.  Although social media tools are relatively simple to operate from a technical standpoint, the mindset that a business must adopt in order to approach these tools correctly is not so simple.

I just read a blog post by Mirna Bard entitled, “Top 50 Social Media Mistakes Made by Small Businesses.“ I thought this post was excellent because it gives businesses a concise way to ensure they are following the “unsaid rules” of social media. I thought this list was worth repeating as making these mistakes can be very detrimental to the success of a business’ social media efforts. Use this list as a checklist to determine what needs to be changed or what you are doing right!

1. Lack of planning (Huge one!)
2. Lack of clear and measurable objectives
3. Not learning about social media
4. Lack of knowledge about target audience
5. No commitment
6. Lack of consistency
7. Not realizing that there is a time dedication
8. Worrying too much about negative comments and brand haters
9. Focusing too much about the technology aspect
10. Passing the buck to assistants and interns
11. Spreading themselves too thin by creating profiles everywhere
12. Not completing profiles
13. Uploading pictures of pets or children for avatars
14. Fake friending just to pitch
15. Only talking about oneself, brand or products
16. Hard selling
17. Using the same tactics on every site
18. Responding to every negative comment
19. Not thinking before commenting
20. Not measuring (Another huge one!)
21. Giving up on social media too easily
22. Forgetting it’s about 2-way dialogue
23. Setting profiles and forgetting them
24. Thinking social media is a magic solution to their business problems
25. Jumping on without having a hub (web site or blog)
26. Neglecting to put links back to their web site or blog
27. Not taking a enough time to do research and listen/observe
28. No systems in place
29. Not focusing on core tasks
30. Not separating business and personal social media time
31. Putting eggs all in one basket
32. Continuing with tactics that are clearly not working for them
33. Taking the time to put a social media schedule in place
34. Not setting time boundaries
35. Not paying attention to customer needs
36. Not providing value
37. Not knowing how to integrate with other marketing/advertising efforts
38. Not knowing how to use all the social media categories together
39. Focusing too much on number of fans/followers/friends
40. Not making enough effort to seek out the right sites for their target audience
41. Neglected (not updating) websites or blogs
42. Using generic or auto responses
43. Spamming people with private messages, DMs or e-mails
44. Using social media as a replacement strategy
45. Not willing to experiment
46. Being close-minded about adding strangers to network
47. Not learning from mistakes
48. Bribing bloggers and others to write about products and services
49. Not spending time finding evangelists and influencers
50. Forgetting that building relationships can be lots of fun

Thank you, Mirna, for compiling this great list.

Facebook, Customer Service, and Peep-Toe Wedges.

It is a widely accepted notion that social media is changing the way we do business. Long gone are the days where people might tell a few of their friends about a positive or negative customer experience. Now, they can tell their entire network of contacts and essentially the world through social media. This idea scares many people, however, the benefits of social media and this interaction cannot be ignored.

One benefit of social media that should cause any business who has shunned the idea of participating to go to their computers right now and get involved is – customer service. We all know why good customer service is so important to a business’ well-being, but many forget the ease at which social media allows this interaction to take place.

Cute shoes!

The reason for my excitement over such customer service is a recent experience I had with a brand on Facebook. Anthropologie is probably my favorite store. (I wish there was one closer to Gettyburg!)  I was browsing their website as I normally do and found the cutest pair of peep toe wedges. Unfortunately, they didn’t come in my size. Normally, I would say “oh well” and move on, but these shoes were different. I really wanted them.  Since I am a fan of Anthropologie on Facebook I figured I might as well post something on their wall just to see if they would be getting more in. I expected someone to write back to me, but say something a long the lines of “we should be getting another shipment in the spring.. etc.”) But instead , the administrator posted a comment with an email address saying they would help me find the shoes. After emailing back and forth with them, they were able to locate the shoes for me at their Newport Beach store. Not only did they find the shoes I wanted, but they put them on hold for me!

Now that’s customer service. Not to mention, customer service that in my case I would have never received were it not for the ease Facebook brought to the situation. I would have not bothered inquiring on the website.

Social media is not something to fear, but should be seen as (among other things of course) a portal for amplified customer service. What are you doing to increase your customer service online? Anthropologie just earned me as a fan for life.

I would love to hear your experiences with customer service on social media!

Effective Marketing Requires More than Perceived Value

Before the digital age of today, effective advertising meant creating perceived value through its communication. Marketing does indeed need to communicate value to an audience, however, the actual products and experiences must become the biggest asset.  With social media and countless amounts of information accessible to us via the internet, a product or services inability to stand out from the crowd and offer actual value is going to hurt. Despite the advertising message, a person’s experience with the product is going to far outweigh any perceived value attributed to the product.

Frank Streifler in his AdWeek post entitled “5 Marketing Principles Brands Should Embrace in 2010″ explains this so well:

A Bain & Co. survey notes that 80 percent of CEOs believe their product to be differentiated, but only 8 percent of consumers agree. And Y&R’s recent Brand Asset Valuator found a 90 percent erosion in brand differentiation over the last 10 years. These are not just sad examples of illusory superiority, but a staggering statement of our industry’s failure to add value in the past decade.

It’s critical that marketers realize that the product itself is the most powerful brand-building tool. We’ve all heard it before: “innovate or die.” But today’s hyper-connected society adds a sense of urgency to this broadly accepted mantra because mediocrity is getting extinguished with increasing speed via social networks.

Because reality always trumps image, marketing needs to create real value versus just adding a perceived value. Marketers need to shape the offer — the product, service and experiences consumer buy — not just communicate it. Marketing becomes the product and the product becomes the marketing.

I would love to hear your thoughts on creating real vs. perceived value!

Permission Marketing – Marketing of Today

According to Seth Godin, “Permission marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them.

It recognizes the new power of the best consumers to ignore marketing. It realizes that treating people with respect is the best way to earn their attention.” (Read his full blog post here.)

Permission based marketing is marketing of today.

As consumers in modern day society, we have the wonderful  ability to tune out the messages we don’t want to receive.  Traditional media in the ways they have been used in the past, are becoming less and less effective in reaching a desired audience.

Unlike shouting your message from the mountaintops (as is true with traditional media), permission marketing gives you the magnificent chance to communicate your message to those who WANT it!! When a consumer gives you their permission to advertise to them, it is a valuable and priceless asset, not to be taken for granted.

Social media is a prime example of permission marketing. They are called “fans” and “followers” because they have opted into receiving what you have to say. Don’t take this responsibility lightly or take advantage. People are looking for the value you bring to the table.

Permission marketing takes time to build, but once it is going, the advantages are immense. The businesses that put in the effort and patience to build these important relationships with their customers will reap the benefits.

Christmas Ads: Santa Works at Mercedes, Shops at Sears.

While watching Sunday Night Football last night (ridiculous game) I noticed that good old Kris Kringle stars in a few commercials this season. I was multitasking so I didn’t have my eyes glued to the TV, but these two stuck out.

The first one comes from Mercedes.  They’re alleging that Santa rides his bike around and works for quality control at a Mercedes factory, which is attached to his home office. No wonder Mercedes are so expensive, they ship from the North Pole?

When Santa isn’t busy assuring quality at Mercedes, he’s shopping for flatscreens at Sears (with the reindeer). I don’t think I’d be allowed to bring my weiner dog into Sears, let alone 12 reindeer.

But be careful out there. That Sears Research Center might not be as simple as it seems. The Consumerist has a story about a woman who wasted 4 hours at various Sears locations trying to find a PS3.

All Santa commercials aside, who doesn’t love ugly sweaters?

Cozy! Sophisticated!

The Kansas City Art Institute’s website lets you make your own digital ugly Christmas sweater.

Happy Holidays!

Social Media & Business: Common Concerns and Objections

Diving into the realm of social media is not a task to be taken lightly. Many people know they need to be there,  but yet many concerns linger in their minds stopping them from seeing the true value in tools like Facebook, Twitter, blogging, etc. This massive shift in the way products and businesses promote themselves has happened. It only continues to grow stronger and take more hold.

When consulting businesses on social media we inevitably run into the following objections/concerns. My goal is to offer solutions and advice for the company that may be battling with these same concerns when it comes to social media.

1. What if they say something negative about me?

This concern usually always tops the list and the answer is simple: They are going to talk whether you are there or not!! In fact, turning a blind eye to what is being said on social media can be suicide. Take Dominoes for example. The massive PR crisis they had on their hands a few months back could have turned into major proportions had the leadership of  Dominoes decided to “ignore it until it goes away.” Even if a negative storm happens on social media, a companies response and tactic can make all the difference in the world. Oftentimes, a negative can be turned into a positive based on how the company responds. Consumers realize a company isn’t going to be perfect, but they do want to see that a company is willing to engage and acknowledge if indeed something happened that warranted the negative comment.

2. Social media is for kids.

To use Facebook as an example, this tool started out as a way for college students to connect with one another so I can understand why a business who may not be interested in targeting a younger demo would associate social media with kids. However, there has been a staggering increase in the number of 55+ users- with total growth of 513.7% in the last six months alone (as of July 2009) see chart here.

According to NielsenWire, when it comes to Twitter: Twitterers (a.k.a. Tweeters) are not primarily teens or college students as you might expect. In fact, in February the largest age group on Twitter was 35-49; with nearly 3 million unique visitors, comprising almost 42 percent of the site’s audience. We found that the majority of people visit Twitter.com while at work, with 62 percent of the combo unique audience accessing the site from work only versus 35 percent that accessed it from home only.

3. I don’t care to know about meaningless things people are doing throughout their day.

We don’t either! Yes, it is true that while using social networking sites you will come across some “meangingless chatter.”  That is not to say that everything on social media is meaningless.  The bigger part of these tools is the information exchange that is avaialable at your fingertips. Seek out the information that you are interested in instead of focusing on the meaningless – it’s out there! Keep in mind, however, engaging with people and building relationships involves communication. Personal details shared can become talking points, conversation starters, and ways for you to become more familiar with people. That’s what networking is all about, isn’t it?

4. I’m not a technical person.

You don’t have to be. Using social networking sites aren’t set up for web developers and computer techies. They are built to be used by the average person. Play around with the tools! You will get used to where the buttons are and how to use the websites. More importantly than being a technical person is coming at social media for your business with a marketing and strategic mind. Many computer companies will consult business on social media when their expertise lies in the technical side of things. Make sure the person who will be handling your social media or the consultant you hire has the marketing knowledge to help you succeed, not just tech savvy.

5. I don’t have time.

Finally, the number one objection we hear. We are not going to lie to you- Yes, this stuff takes time. Although most of the sites are free, it will cost you your time in order to participate effectively. We realize in business sometimes time means more than money. In order to break down the time issue into a manageable amount, a strategy must be put in place. Once you have a strategy, you will know what sites will work best for you, know exactly what to do when you log in, stop you from becoming overwhelmed, make you more effective, and combat time wasted. We all know practice makes perfect and the same goes for social media. Once you learn the ropes and how to communicate, it will come naturally and in turn save you time.

Any other concerns you have involving social media? Please talk to me…I would love to try to help.

Social Media Requires A Complete Shift in Thought for Marketers

There is no question about it. Social media is the marketing of today. Although it is not the only form of effective marketing, it is impossible to ignore.

Many businesses and people are trying to take the same old principles for advertising and simply implement them on social  media forums. They are still in the mind set of  broadcasting to as many people as possible.  This is social media suicide! The rules have changed.

Permission-based marketing.

People now want to SEEK out the information they desire without it being in their face. Tools like Tivo and satellite radio reinforce this idea. We now have the wonderful ability to decide what information and messages we receive. For this reason, search engine optimization and being available on many different social media portals is crucial. Each wing of your social media plan allows you to become more available i.e. found more often.  Fully optimizing these avenues is important in achieving the desired result. It is not to be taken lightly. Just like you would not take your traditional marketing campaign lightly.

Content is Key.

Just “being available” is not the only piece of the puzzle. Social media users are looking for relevant, desired content. If the content isn’t there, you should not even bother. Content will allow others to find you and help them become familiar with you at a glance. When you have the relevant content to back you up, you can then disperse your information via social networks. For example, you maintain a blog which holds your content. You then use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn as a means of getting your information out. Just keep in mind, it does not matter how many people see what you are doing if the content is not there to support you.

Building Trust through Communication.

When users see your content and communication, trust and familiarity are built. You must give to get on social media.  Remember that this form of communication is not about you…it’s not about your superiority or product. It’s about the user and engaging them in relevant information that can benefit THEM. These tactics should not be employed if instant gratification is what you crave. Trust and relationships are built over time, but the long-term benefits greatly outweigh the costs.

SMS Marketing Clearing Cars Off the Lot

Normally, talking about texting and cars in the same space would warrant the voting of a bill in the House of Representatives. Today, however, we’re talking in a whole different context: text messaging to sell cars.

While I could sit here and churn out facts on why text message (aka SMS) marketing is so simple and adaptable to work for literally any type of business…

• On average, text messages are read within four minutes compared to 48 hours with e-mail.
• 4.1 billion texts are sent per day in the US. by approximately 1.8 billion users.
• Response rates are 2 to 10 times higher than online display ads.

…it’s definitely nicer to see a text marketing success story in real life. Enter Fox Chevrolet in Timonium, MD.

Fox Chevrolet teamed up in a campaign with radio station 98 Rock to try and drive people to Fox’s lot during this years horrible economic downturn (especially for the auto industry). Fox did this well before the government sponsored “cash for clunkers” program kicked in, and tried to use mobile marketing to bolster sales.

Ten and fifteen-second promos were aired on 98 Rock telling listeners to text in to enter to win a $98 car.

The success was staggering. 500 listeners texted “FOX” to the station’s short code, and 300 people attended a special day-long event. After all was said and done, Fox sold 36 cars that day, 17 new, 17 used, and two winners drove off in two $98 cars.

Jeff Hasen is the man behind the plan and says, “Customers who opt-in are customers who are looking to buy. You would be hard-pressed to find a campaign that performed as well during the recession.”

This is a testament to mobile marketing. Even in the face of a cold hard recession, SMS marketing scores huge results and it makes sense why. People are increasingly CRAZY about texting, even so much that they find it wise to text while driving. And people don’t go anywhere without their phone, it’s always on them, just waiting for businesses to prompt them unforgettable coupons like “Text MCDS to 55543 for a free double cheeseburger”. Or something like that. Who doesn’t want a $98 dollar car or a free double cheeseburger?

Tips for Retailers This Holiday Season

It’s the season we’ve all been waiting for! The Holidays.  Everyone has or is in the process of shifting gears and preparing for a successful retail holiday.  Although the numbers are looking postive, unemployment and the recession is still causing nervousness among retailers going into the busiest shopping season.

So how can retailers make sure this holiday is merry and bright? These tips might help.

• Customer service. Customer service. Customer service. – need I say more? We all know a positive or negative customer experience can be detrimental to the success of retailers. Customer service plays a HUGE role in that experience. During shopping season, even more so than any other time, customers will thank you for exceptional service. Maybe you do not offer the cheapest discounts and your competitors beat you in price (this is especially true of smaller retailers competing with large giants). In this case, the customer service level you offer can set you leaps and bounds ahead and is very crucial.

• Add Value When Discounting is not an Option - Simply lowering prices and offering steep discounts sounds simple enough, but is impossible for many people. Instead of offering 50% try adding value in different ways. For example, a hardware store is advertising power tools for women to purchase for the men in their life. Store A is offering the tool at X amount and Store B is offering the tool at a slightly higher cost, but they are giving each customer a piece of wood so their husbands can try it out right away. They are offering free wrapping and will even hold onto the tool until Christmas so that the wife can hide it from her husband.  One may be less expensive, but the other is definitely a higher value.  Try thinking about what makes people’s shopping experience more convenient and time saving, while keeping your costs down. These added details make big differences.

• Show Love to your Current Customers. If you are participating in a customer relationship strategy (which is a must if you aren’t already!) Now is the time to get them extra excited and enticed by what you are offering. People forget easily. They may have had a great experience with you, but because of lack of communication they will forget. Customers are like other relationships: you must communicate! Make your current customers feel special. Reward them for their business. Offer “exclusive promotions” and get them engaged. Gaining repeat business from someone who already trusts and knows your products is much easier than acquiring brand new customers.

Any other tips? I would love to hear them! Happy Shopping!