Several weeks ago in the H-HOP Scrum I produce for the PetLynx team, Sheena, told the story of her experience with the corner garage in her neighborhood. She didn't have time to go to Canadian Tire or Walmart, but needed to have her winter tires removed and her summer tires installed. I'll let her tell the rest of the story.
"The garage called me just a few hours after I dropped my car off, to tell me the car was ready. I was surprised by the call, but walked over to the garage, paid my bill and drove my car home. Upon further inspection I noticed they had cleaned not only the tires they removed but also washed the whole car. I was amazed, but even more so when they called several days later to ask if everything was okay and wondered if I would come by so they could check the wheel nuts. I don't think I have every had such a positive experience as this since I first owned a car."
The start of every relationship is an experience. Yet many of those involved in the marketing haven't really examined the experience they are providing their clients or the ways they can add that experience to their 'resume of goodwill'. What a shame. There are so many ways online technology can be leveraged to create a pleasing experience and extend the conversations that will build client relationships.
Imagine if Sheena had the opportunity to tell her story online so other clients and prospective clients could develop a feeling of goodwill toward this garage. Online testimonials are important ways that brand managers can build trust for their brand and let clients become the 'mavens' for their products and services.
How could you add testimonials to your online presence using existing technologies like emails, your blog, Facebook or Twitter?
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Mobile Environs and the Pace of Change
There is a a high degree of speculation about how 'mobile' is going to affect the current installed base of tethered applications and computers. Reading in the area, one discovers predictions about a 'dead or dying Dell', concerns about a complex and troubled HP, and speculation about how long Google and Facebook can survive if they don't move to a true 'mobile' environment.
Un-tethering computing, web services and applications from a desktop environment seems to be the top priority of those with a secure future. New developments like HTML5 will likely allow service providers to become code agnostic. A recent BBC article stated "If HTML5 does its job properly, no-one outside the web development community will ever know about it!" However, the thing that should concern observers is the pace at which change to a mobile platform is occurring.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., in his earning report for Q1 put the pace of change in perspective. Apple sold 67 million iPads in the first quarter of 2012 (within 2 years of selling the first iPad). It took Apple 24 years to sell that many Macs, 5 years for that many iPods and over 3 years for that many iPhones. Seeing as Apple was extremely happy with the trajectory of those earlier products, it is not hard to understand why Tim Cook now thinks iPad is a profound and paradigm shifting product.
Access the Q1 Apple Earnings Report
Why is this important to those who manage Brands? It is irrefutable evidence that you must prepare for an environment where most products, services and brand value are accessed/delivered on a personal mobile device.
Un-tethering computing, web services and applications from a desktop environment seems to be the top priority of those with a secure future. New developments like HTML5 will likely allow service providers to become code agnostic. A recent BBC article stated "If HTML5 does its job properly, no-one outside the web development community will ever know about it!" However, the thing that should concern observers is the pace at which change to a mobile platform is occurring.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., in his earning report for Q1 put the pace of change in perspective. Apple sold 67 million iPads in the first quarter of 2012 (within 2 years of selling the first iPad). It took Apple 24 years to sell that many Macs, 5 years for that many iPods and over 3 years for that many iPhones. Seeing as Apple was extremely happy with the trajectory of those earlier products, it is not hard to understand why Tim Cook now thinks iPad is a profound and paradigm shifting product.
Access the Q1 Apple Earnings Report
Why is this important to those who manage Brands? It is irrefutable evidence that you must prepare for an environment where most products, services and brand value are accessed/delivered on a personal mobile device.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Brand Intelligence from Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corporation, owns Meredith's Parents Network, the leading parenthood media portfolio which includes Parents, American Baby, FamilyFun and Ser Padres. Recently they surveyed Millennial Moms (born between 1977 and 1994). Their MOMS & MEDIA 2 Survey published 9 May 2012 explored moms' various media behaviors including preferences, consumption, and motivation.
"Moms & Media 2" finds that for millennial moms, there is no part of their lives that is media free. From the bathroom (21%) to the bedroom (12%) these moms are checking Facebook, streaming television and reading magazines everywhere and anywhere they go. These moms are developing entirely new relationships with all forms of media on their own terms.
Meredith now touches the lives of 100 million women across North America and are worth the time to watch. If you market to Moms you should take the time to read these highlights.
Meredith now touches the lives of 100 million women across North America and are worth the time to watch. If you market to Moms you should take the time to read these highlights.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Conversations - Engaging those who Serve Your Brand
When I was a young boy, almost everything we bought for the farm or home came from someone we knew in our local community and experience. Each relationship with these suppliers of goods and services was supported by conversations that flowed naturally from our daily experiences. Gradually, over sixty years we've moved to urban environments, become anonymous and lost the relationships we had with the trusted suppliers of our youth.
In an earlier issue I suggested that we view everyone with a new sense of import as servers of our brand values to the network of people who trust them and their preferences. In this issue I would like to explore conversations as a tool for engaging those mavens (servers) we must have in the online marketplace to be successful.
As we get started, take a moment to make a list of several people in your brand network that you are in conversation with. Beside each name write an element that you believe drives your conversation together with the outcome(s) that you both desire for this conversation.
It is becoming painfully obvious, that large brand holders cannot achieve loyalty or influence using traditional marketing tools to initiate or maintain conversations with their consumers. However, it is also obvious the internet and social media has capacity to establish and serve these conversations.
How do we engage in conversations with our network?
I am confident you will find there are two ways you engage with people in your network. The first is that you shared an experience or interest that grabbed their attention and the second is that you supported this initial engagement with authentic conversation. As you think about conversation, there are fundamentals you need to recognize:
Bring to mind a recent conversation. It could have been on the phone, in person or online. Very likely what initiated the conversation was something you needed to know, something your contact needed to know or a followup to an experience or interest you both share. This is why real time knowledge and experiences like webinars, summits, surveys, white papers and reports are so important to initiate and maintain online conversations.
A wonderful element of online conversations is that they only arise at the very moment it becomes important for us and our contact to engage. At that moment, they can attend an internet portal, search a topic and enter a conversation that is already underway, review one that is already complete or initiate a new one. Of course, as a brand holder/marketer you have the responsibility to be involved in conversations and you must be open to bringing forward new subject matter that will enrich the lives of those you serve.
For PetLynx, we constructed a Market Services and Intelligence business unit that would create opportunities for conversations through various aspects of the PetLynx Social Comm Platform. This PetLynx business unit is directed to assemble and create knowledge, and to stimulate conversations for the entire industry. In the Know(tm) Briefings, YourSAY(tm) Surveys, Urban Animal Reports(tm), Know Now(tm) White Papers, the Summits for Urban Animal Strategies(tm), the OpenSpace Wiki and the MSI business intelligence data base are all elements of building and supporting conversations for the entire companion animal industry. After three years the industry is beginning to understand it must work collaboratively to gather 'Big Data' and market intelligence and it has begun to value industry wide initiatives like the 2011 Year of the Cat.
Act Willfully and Participate Often
Eventually, successful conversations in the marketplace develop out of having a willful, authentic desire to engage with and enrich the lives of those who use your brand products or services. Upon reaching this conclusion, you can participate in conversations that are already underway or foster a new conversation on one of the industry portals. Those who already know your brand and those who don't will come forward to be involved in these conversations. You will then be engaged with the very people who can be your mavens. They will serve your brand values to their networks as they trust you and value your authenticity. It is this trust and these conversations that will ultimately position your brand with those you serve in the online marketplace.
If you have questions or ideas to share, please add them to the comment section and WE will have a conversation!
In an earlier issue I suggested that we view everyone with a new sense of import as servers of our brand values to the network of people who trust them and their preferences. In this issue I would like to explore conversations as a tool for engaging those mavens (servers) we must have in the online marketplace to be successful.
As we get started, take a moment to make a list of several people in your brand network that you are in conversation with. Beside each name write an element that you believe drives your conversation together with the outcome(s) that you both desire for this conversation.
It is becoming painfully obvious, that large brand holders cannot achieve loyalty or influence using traditional marketing tools to initiate or maintain conversations with their consumers. However, it is also obvious the internet and social media has capacity to establish and serve these conversations.
How do we engage in conversations with our network?
I am confident you will find there are two ways you engage with people in your network. The first is that you shared an experience or interest that grabbed their attention and the second is that you supported this initial engagement with authentic conversation. As you think about conversation, there are fundamentals you need to recognize:
- First, you need to recognize that conversation is a two-way street. Dialogue, involves participation from both parties, not static content in a brochure or an advertising campaign, even though content like this may enhance the conversation.
- Second, you must acknowledge that people don't often talk with those they don't trust or engage with those who aren't authentic. For this reason, your conversations must be authentic and show that you have a real interest to enrich the life of the other person. See the Apple story
- Finally, the conversations you wish to have, may need to be framed outside of your own sphere of influence. That's why senior management must engage in industry activities and conversations more now than ever before and why online conversations may need to be on industry portals.
Bring to mind a recent conversation. It could have been on the phone, in person or online. Very likely what initiated the conversation was something you needed to know, something your contact needed to know or a followup to an experience or interest you both share. This is why real time knowledge and experiences like webinars, summits, surveys, white papers and reports are so important to initiate and maintain online conversations.
A wonderful element of online conversations is that they only arise at the very moment it becomes important for us and our contact to engage. At that moment, they can attend an internet portal, search a topic and enter a conversation that is already underway, review one that is already complete or initiate a new one. Of course, as a brand holder/marketer you have the responsibility to be involved in conversations and you must be open to bringing forward new subject matter that will enrich the lives of those you serve.
For PetLynx, we constructed a Market Services and Intelligence business unit that would create opportunities for conversations through various aspects of the PetLynx Social Comm Platform. This PetLynx business unit is directed to assemble and create knowledge, and to stimulate conversations for the entire industry. In the Know(tm) Briefings, YourSAY(tm) Surveys, Urban Animal Reports(tm), Know Now(tm) White Papers, the Summits for Urban Animal Strategies(tm), the OpenSpace Wiki and the MSI business intelligence data base are all elements of building and supporting conversations for the entire companion animal industry. After three years the industry is beginning to understand it must work collaboratively to gather 'Big Data' and market intelligence and it has begun to value industry wide initiatives like the 2011 Year of the Cat.
Act Willfully and Participate Often
Eventually, successful conversations in the marketplace develop out of having a willful, authentic desire to engage with and enrich the lives of those who use your brand products or services. Upon reaching this conclusion, you can participate in conversations that are already underway or foster a new conversation on one of the industry portals. Those who already know your brand and those who don't will come forward to be involved in these conversations. You will then be engaged with the very people who can be your mavens. They will serve your brand values to their networks as they trust you and value your authenticity. It is this trust and these conversations that will ultimately position your brand with those you serve in the online marketplace.
If you have questions or ideas to share, please add them to the comment section and WE will have a conversation!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Crowdsourcing - When you need the Best Ideas
What do you do when you need some really good strategy and better ideas than what you seem to be getting from inside the brand?
One solution is to bring in outside resources. There are myriad consultants and agencies who will help you set up focus groups and other tools to find new ideas or sort out a better strategy. If the results you're obtaining satisfies the need there may be no reason to read further.
If you wish to explore some new directions, follow along. During the last decade Mr. Lafley, then head of Procter & Gamble, began to think that he needed to pursue some new strategies for developing new products and for developing brands. It was through Don Tapscot (Wikinomics), Bob Johansen (Get there Early) and other such writers that we began to hear terms like 'creative commons', development wikis and etc. Those who now hold the reins at Procter & Gamble are benefiting from Lafley's development which now is providing some of the best strategies and products they bring to market.
For PetLynx Corporation, a long time client, we pursued a 'beyond ourselves' strategy that in 2006, developed the Summits for Urban Animal Strategies. These five annual events bring together the thought leaders in their industry to look at the present and future issues. The strategy has been very successful at creating a more trusting and creative environment within the industry. However, the real wins for this client and the industry have happened more recently when a technology called 'OpenSpace' was introduced by facilitator Karen Dawson. OpenSpace allowed 'crowd sourcing' to determine the issues and conversations that would make up each Summit. We are now pursuing ways to make this innovation for PetLynx a truly web based experience that can be driven by the trust and relationships developed in the Summit program.
So, by now you must know where this is leading and you can be forgiven if you feel somewhat uncomfortable. Developing a crowd sourcing aspect of your social media programs so that you acess the best ideas and strategies is my suggestion. There are lots of stories about pursuing this approach. Some of the good ones are still in the making. However, I believe we will see crowd sourcing become a standard element of development and process in most arenas. It already reaches into shopper marketing, funding, medical research, business development, political action and many other facets of our world.
Earlier this month McKinsey Quarterly published an article entitled, "The Social Side of Strategy". The link is provided below. My experience would dictate the sooner you begin developing this capability the better things will be. In this article, McKinsey shows other benefits like industry and organizational alignment.
One solution is to bring in outside resources. There are myriad consultants and agencies who will help you set up focus groups and other tools to find new ideas or sort out a better strategy. If the results you're obtaining satisfies the need there may be no reason to read further.
If you wish to explore some new directions, follow along. During the last decade Mr. Lafley, then head of Procter & Gamble, began to think that he needed to pursue some new strategies for developing new products and for developing brands. It was through Don Tapscot (Wikinomics), Bob Johansen (Get there Early) and other such writers that we began to hear terms like 'creative commons', development wikis and etc. Those who now hold the reins at Procter & Gamble are benefiting from Lafley's development which now is providing some of the best strategies and products they bring to market.
For PetLynx Corporation, a long time client, we pursued a 'beyond ourselves' strategy that in 2006, developed the Summits for Urban Animal Strategies. These five annual events bring together the thought leaders in their industry to look at the present and future issues. The strategy has been very successful at creating a more trusting and creative environment within the industry. However, the real wins for this client and the industry have happened more recently when a technology called 'OpenSpace' was introduced by facilitator Karen Dawson. OpenSpace allowed 'crowd sourcing' to determine the issues and conversations that would make up each Summit. We are now pursuing ways to make this innovation for PetLynx a truly web based experience that can be driven by the trust and relationships developed in the Summit program.
So, by now you must know where this is leading and you can be forgiven if you feel somewhat uncomfortable. Developing a crowd sourcing aspect of your social media programs so that you acess the best ideas and strategies is my suggestion. There are lots of stories about pursuing this approach. Some of the good ones are still in the making. However, I believe we will see crowd sourcing become a standard element of development and process in most arenas. It already reaches into shopper marketing, funding, medical research, business development, political action and many other facets of our world.
Earlier this month McKinsey Quarterly published an article entitled, "The Social Side of Strategy". The link is provided below. My experience would dictate the sooner you begin developing this capability the better things will be. In this article, McKinsey shows other benefits like industry and organizational alignment.
Think about where your brand could make the most significant gains from alignment, better ideas and strategy. Share them in the comments area if you wish.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Meet Peter Thiel - He Just Doubled his Net Worth
In 2004, Peter Thiel did something quite extraordinary.
Just three years after the dot.com crash, before Wikinomics said change was coming, before Google's IPO and while industry was still undecided on Social Media, Peter decided to invest half a million dollars in a small unproven play called Facebook. Furthermore, through all the ups and downs and failed experiments at Facebook he continued to believe in the idea and the founders.
Peter manages Founders Fund, and according to published reports he stands alone as the first outsider to invest in the Facebook venture. Yesterday, he also became famous for another reason. According to published reports, Peter's net worth doubled to $2.7 billion US dollars.
Perhaps you're invested in an internet play that is moving more slowly than you wish. High value internet plays seem to have different profiles and timing than many of us expect. Read the Founders article on the Future by Peter's partner, Harvard Business Review writer Bruce Gibney for a better perspective on VCs, good investments and the strategies they use at Founders Fund.
I'm sure Peter probably had some angst along the way and he may not have arrived where he expected, but you can bet yesterday was memorable.
Meet other Facebook Billionaires
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Understanding a New Digital Consumer
Since 2007 when we first helped our client, PetLynx Corporation, to look at the companion animal market with a national survey, we have been struggling to segment consumers into known or predictable clusters that exhibit similar behaviors.
Three specific large scale surveys commissioned by PetLynx and delivered by Ipsos and DMRKenetic among others sorted through consumer behaviors in various domains and attempted to provide an understanding by consumer segment. More recently, working with Dr. Lisa Chen, PetLynx regrouped consumers into proactive and reactive customer segments. However, this was only partially successful in predicting consumer behavior. Dr. Chen discovered that in some cases 'proactive' consumers exhibited 'reactive' behaviors and vice versa.
Earlier this year, PetLynx conducted a 20/20 forum to discuss these factors and to introduce the idea of 'domains' as an element of understanding consumer behavior. As an observer of this process and its findings and with 6 years of experience in this industry as well as a long career in electronics and telecommunications, I am prepared to provide a contribution to this discussion.
I think we are seeing a new consumer which we could call the 'digital consumer'. One that is persistently connected to the internet but more importantly connected to their network of 'favourites', 'likes' and 'friends'. However, I would encourage a different approach and interpretation for understanding these people that I will now call 'servers'. Imagine that everyone you target with your brand is at the center of a network of people who trust their judgement and honor their behaviors by replicating and promoting them across their own networks. The map of your 'professional network' on LinkedIn provides an excellent overview of what I am talking about. However, serving takes place in both the digital and non-digital environment. Who do you trust when it comes to advice? Perhaps its Uncle Harry when it comes to a mortgage or Aunt Leila when it comes to a recipe or a favorite Server when you ask for advice at a restaurant.
I believe this view of the people we target with our brand solves a number of problems. Authenticity and transparency are the new standards by which brands are judged and as 'servers' in our own network, we all test these and other attributes prior to passing along brand values to our network. Perhaps that is why measuring the experience and the sacrifice (pain) of those who associate with our brand, our products and our services is so important in this day and age.
If you accept this premise, perhaps it will be less difficult to imagine ways you could engage those who support your brand in the more intense but successful conversations they will 'serve' to the networks who believe them to be transparent and authentic.
Consumers we influence or servers we engage? Its a question that may ultimately determine the success of your brand.
Three specific large scale surveys commissioned by PetLynx and delivered by Ipsos and DMRKenetic among others sorted through consumer behaviors in various domains and attempted to provide an understanding by consumer segment. More recently, working with Dr. Lisa Chen, PetLynx regrouped consumers into proactive and reactive customer segments. However, this was only partially successful in predicting consumer behavior. Dr. Chen discovered that in some cases 'proactive' consumers exhibited 'reactive' behaviors and vice versa.
Earlier this year, PetLynx conducted a 20/20 forum to discuss these factors and to introduce the idea of 'domains' as an element of understanding consumer behavior. As an observer of this process and its findings and with 6 years of experience in this industry as well as a long career in electronics and telecommunications, I am prepared to provide a contribution to this discussion.
I think we are seeing a new consumer which we could call the 'digital consumer'. One that is persistently connected to the internet but more importantly connected to their network of 'favourites', 'likes' and 'friends'. However, I would encourage a different approach and interpretation for understanding these people that I will now call 'servers'. Imagine that everyone you target with your brand is at the center of a network of people who trust their judgement and honor their behaviors by replicating and promoting them across their own networks. The map of your 'professional network' on LinkedIn provides an excellent overview of what I am talking about. However, serving takes place in both the digital and non-digital environment. Who do you trust when it comes to advice? Perhaps its Uncle Harry when it comes to a mortgage or Aunt Leila when it comes to a recipe or a favorite Server when you ask for advice at a restaurant.
I believe this view of the people we target with our brand solves a number of problems. Authenticity and transparency are the new standards by which brands are judged and as 'servers' in our own network, we all test these and other attributes prior to passing along brand values to our network. Perhaps that is why measuring the experience and the sacrifice (pain) of those who associate with our brand, our products and our services is so important in this day and age.
If you accept this premise, perhaps it will be less difficult to imagine ways you could engage those who support your brand in the more intense but successful conversations they will 'serve' to the networks who believe them to be transparent and authentic.
Consumers we influence or servers we engage? Its a question that may ultimately determine the success of your brand.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Reinventing Your Brand - Enriching Lives or Selling Stuff
Carmine Gallo is writing a book on the development of the Apple retail brand. Recently he produced an article and a video for Forbes online that discusses his discoveries at the most successful retail stores in North America.
The impact of the developing online marketplace is forcing many to think about re-inventing their brand and mission. Perhaps your business model is in tatters and the experience you are delivering to your customers is more about what you want than the experience your customer hopes to gain.
READ THE ARTICLE - VIEW THE VIDEO
Here's a brand exercise:
Our client PetLynx Corporation is serving an industry in transition. During the April Regional Summit tour across Canada, PetLynx discovered disturbing trends showing shelters have fewer dogs available for adoption while visits to veterinary clinics and hospitals are down. Re-purposing shelters and creating new services for veterinary clients may be necessary.
A recent BMO Survey published on PetLynx InfoStream blog may have identified an opportunity. Use 250 words or less to provide a mission statement and identify key elements (point form) for a new companion animal service. Include your contact information if you would like contact or recognition.
Have fun!
The impact of the developing online marketplace is forcing many to think about re-inventing their brand and mission. Perhaps your business model is in tatters and the experience you are delivering to your customers is more about what you want than the experience your customer hopes to gain.
READ THE ARTICLE - VIEW THE VIDEO
Here's a brand exercise:
Our client PetLynx Corporation is serving an industry in transition. During the April Regional Summit tour across Canada, PetLynx discovered disturbing trends showing shelters have fewer dogs available for adoption while visits to veterinary clinics and hospitals are down. Re-purposing shelters and creating new services for veterinary clients may be necessary.
A recent BMO Survey published on PetLynx InfoStream blog may have identified an opportunity. Use 250 words or less to provide a mission statement and identify key elements (point form) for a new companion animal service. Include your contact information if you would like contact or recognition.
Have fun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)