Feedback 3.0

I was reviewing sites discussing marketing trends for the upcoming year while contemplating a post about new marketing trends for the new year. During that search I cam across TrendWatching.com and their Half Dozen Consumer Trends for 2009. These half dozen trends are a free sample of the many that they offer in their report, and I have to admit I have not yet purchased this  report, but I found these six so entertaining and thought provoking that I may just have to buy myself a Christmas present.

One topic that particularly resonated with me is the concept of Feedback 3.0. In a nutshell, Trend Watching classifies Feedback 1.0 as the posting of reviews and feedback by individuals while the brands remained unaware or uninvolved. Feedback 2.0 involves more dialog between consumers, who are still posting comments and commenting on the feedback of others. Companies are starting to pay attention to this sort of dialog.

But here is where it really got interesting for me:

“FEEDBACK 3.0 (which is building as we speak) will be all about companies joining the conversation, if only to get their side of the story in front of the mass audience that now scans reviews. Expect smart companies to be increasingly able (and to increasingly demand) to post their apologies and solutions, preferably directly alongside reviews from unhappy customers. Expect the same for candid rebuttals by companies who feel (and can prove) that a particular review is unfair or inaccurate, and want to share their side of the story.”

I find this to be an interesting and exciting idea. I am a huge reader of those comments and reviews for everything, from purchasing pairs of shoes to deciding where to stay on my next vacation. And I do put a lot of stock in them. As a marketer, I read those types of comments wherever I can find them because it provides me valuable insight into what my customers are thinking. However, unless the comments were directed to me in a forum where a response seemed appropriate, I was just taking in the information.

Having a dialog that involves brands is great. It speaks to integrated marketing communications and improving the dialog between company and consumer. It is also tricky, though, because responses must be credible, honest, and consistent with the brand message. At the same time, the responses will have to be human in order to be effective. Comments from companies that appear to be a rote response from a talking head won’t win any points from readers.

Trip Advisor is one of the sites that Trend Watching mentions that has already established managerial feedback. The site offers guidelines to managers of hotels, restaurants and attractions the opportunity to respond to posted comments. So far, not many hotels seem to be using this feature since I was unable to find an example to share other than the one given by Trend Watch. I will be keeping a watchful eye for them in the future.

In an increasingly connected world, consumers expect open dialog with companies. It is no longer acceptable for marketers to just push out what the company wants consumers to know, they have to be ready to facilitate conversations between consumers and the company and be prepared to initiate actions based on that conversation. Smart hotels will pay attention to comments on Trip Advisor, join the conversation, and consider what changes need to be made as a result of customer experiences. Feedback 3.0 is just modern computer-facilitated relationship marketing on a more global scale. And I really like it.

Lifestyles of the Hyper-connected

As I was sitting at work the other day, after posting an update to my status on facebook, a new chat window popped up with one my friends asking, “Are you facebooking at work?” Hmm. Why yes, I am. Of course. Why not? Alright, so maybe  I should be quietly sitting here working with absolutely no distractions. But that just isn’t the reality of the way I work. It also isn’t the reality of most people any more as the world becomes more and more hyper connected. At any given moment, there are at least 4 methods to connect with me while I am work, often more. And that is in addition to just walking in my office. But hey, I am a communications manager. I communicate! And I am not alone–research by Nortel found that, “Not only is 16% of the global information workforce already “Hyperconnected,” more significantly, another 36% will be joining them soon!”

Here is a video from Nortel. As a warning, it is essentially a commercial, but it also offers content that is very relevant to this topic, and I think very interesting.

Looking at my computer right now, I am connected to the rest of the world through four different e-mail addresses all channeled into my Gmail account, AIM, Facebook, and Twitter. And of course I have text messages coming in from time to time on my cell. Then there are the folks who actually call my office phone… And let’s face it–being connected is addictive. When was the last time you went to a restaurant or store when you weren’t surrounded by people scrolling through messages on blackberries, texting so fast that their thumbs are a blur, or speaking (yelling) into a cellphone? Time Magazine ran a very entertaining piece about the hyper-connected in 2007, stating that, “we need a broader term like data addiction to take in the sheer hydra-headedness of the ceaseless craving for digital stimulation that contemporary technology is creating in us.”

This sort of hyper-connectedness/data addiction happens all the time now and it creates an added challenge for marketers. Yes, while at work, but also on the bus (do signs posted there work anymore if people are looking at their own personal, tiny screens?), while watching TV (simultaneously IMing about the show you are watching, updating your status on facebook, and chatting on your cell), and even the compute, where e-mail is no longer the most convenient way to communicate (spammers take note!).

What are the best ways to cut through the sensory clutter of the hyper-connected for advertisers? And what ways will consumers be most receptive to? Sure. The best bet is to only send them message that they opt-in to, but how are you going to get their attention to get them to make that decision in the first place? Another consideration for marketers will be which technologies to concentrate on. After all, time and budgets are always an issue, so which of these technologies will work best given a particular brand?

Tis the Season

As always, I love the holidays, love to see my family, and dread the thought of holiday shopping. Of course, these days it has gotten much easier with the ability to purchase almost anything under the sun online. I am known to be a pretty major online shopper, and I love sites that make my online shopping experience pleasurable and easy and manage to make me feel important even though I have never spoken to anyone in person.

Thinking about all of this online shopping led me to consider what makes a retail site effective for me. What kind of sites lead me to purchase and entice me to come back again and what kinds send me running away? It is an important consideration, since online sales can easily be lost because another opportunity is just another click away. Customers who have taken the time to get in their cars and drive to a store to shop may accept a higher level of inconvenience to avoid getting back in the car go to yet another shop.

It is worth it for companies to invest in a quality retail website. Forrester Research estimates that by the end of 2008, nearly 10 percent of total retail sales in the United States will take place online–that is nearly $230 billion! First impressions are vital in this game and they will cause potential customers to immediately decide whether or not they want to do business with your company. Remember, there are plenty more out there. Your site should be attractive, easy to read, and offer a clean, professional looking design.

After the first impression, the experience customers have on your site is what will keep them coming back. The experience includes their ability to easily find what they are looking for, and making sure that all of the links work and that they information is up to date. That experience continues after the order too–shipping, return policies, and follow up surveys are also vitally important.

Currently I think my favorite online shopping award goes to Zappos. Yes, part of that is because I am obsessed with shoes. But the other part of it is that I truly enjoy my shopping experience with them. I find the site pretty easy to navigate, it stocks great products, and it offers helpful information and reviews from other customers. And I really do read them! While the overall design of the site is a little busy, I really appreciate the great photos of products and the fact that you can view them from all sides.

Of course, Zappos is known for great customer service. That is pretty impressive for a company that was originally founded to provide online shoe sales. When I order a pair of shoes, they are often on my door step the next day. And returns are easy too. Zappos also makes me feel like they care what I think. They want my feedback on my experience and on the shoes I purchase.

Of course, there are PLENTY of other great ones out there, and more and more pop up every day. Companies are figuring out how to make online shopping experiences great and they understand that it needs to be a priority.

If You Build It, Will They Come?

So your have spent a great deal of time and perhaps money creating a great website for your company. It is attractive, easy to navigate and it does a great job reflecting the brand. Now you need to drive people to your site. You can’t just leave it out there and hope someone comes along.

Sure, advertising in newspapers and magazines could effectively drive customers. Then there are less expensive ways to drive traffic online—some of them are free, you just have to be smart about your plan. Some free methods include strategy in how you tag your pages. An important consideration of website design is search engine optimization, or SEO, which is the process of creating Web pages that will garner high rankings.

With very little effort you can find MORE than enough advice on SEO. One major factor will be important during the construction process of your site–keywords. Keywords are words that can concisely describe your company and products and they are the word that customers will enter into a search engine. They important part is making sure that your accurately match your key words to likely searches for a product of service that you provide. And while you are proud of your brand, customers will more often be searching for your product or service than your name, so those are the things you should focus on.

IN order to make your keywords effective for searches, they should appear in each page’s meta titles, which appear above the menu bar in the browser window. You should also use the keywords in the opening paragraphs on your page. It shouldn’t be too hard to do that if your keywords were chosen to effectively represent your product or service. This can be tricky, though. Using the keywords too often in opening paragraphs in know as “keyword stuffing.” Search engines can recognize this practice and may actually reduce your ranking as a result.

You can (and should)submit your site to the major search engines so that it can be indexed rather than waiting for a Web crawler or spider to find it. You can very easily submit your site to Google, MSN, and Yahoo! among others.

Most major search engines also carry paid placement listings, where advertisers are guaranteed a high ranking, usually in relation to desired words. These paid listings are usually segregated from editorial results and labeled to highlight that they are ads. The exact position of the paid placement listings can vary. Usually, they appear above the editorial links. They can also appear at the bottom or to the side of editorial content in “Sidebar” style.

In paid inclusion, a site owner pays a fee in order to have web pages included in a search engine’s editorial listings. Does this mean that those in paid inclusion get to be ranked tops in editorial results? No. The major search engines offering such programs are usually emphatic that payment does not provide any ranking boost.

For example, someone with a brand new web site might submit their home page through a paid inclusion program in order to ensure that the page gets listed within a day or two, rather than the typical two-to-four weeks it might take for a crawler-based search engine to find the page “naturally.”

Sponsored links, or essentially ads for websites that appear in the results of a search are another good method of placing your website in front of potential customers. Google Ad Words is just one example. Google Ad Words is the method to create the ads that appear in the special bar on the right side of the screen on Google search pages.

Some people debate the ethics of playing for placement and inclusion. In my opinion, paying for placement and inclusion is no different that businesses that pay to be listed in the Yellow Pages or any other similar directory. I haven’t heard any debates on the ethics of that particular publication. And I find it extremely useful when I need to find something. I feel the same way with search engines. They are tools that allows me to find something that I am looking for. As long as paid placement doesn’t get in the way by skewing the results of my search, then I don’t have a problem with it. Well, that is mostly true. I also feel that search engines should clearly mark links that have been paid for so that there is no deception. It won’t change my decision to click on them or not, but I would prefer to know the truth.

For companies, search engines should be a major component of their marketing strategies. After all, as I mentioned earlier, there is no point in having a great website if no one can find it. Search engine advertising can also be a great investment for companies with limited marketing budgets. Pay-per-click meant that companies don’t have to pay unless their placement results in traffic to their sites. This is a terrific approach because in essence, you don’t have to pay unless your ad is effective. Magazine advertising certainly doesn’t work that way! It is all about follow through. Build a great site, but that isn’t enough. This isn’t a case of if you build it, they will come. Build it, then do everything you can to make sure they will come. It will be well worth the effort.

Wario Rocks Online Advertising

In the November 15 issue of Marketing News magazine, Jeben Berg from You Tube comments on the concept of “Culture-Jamming.” The concept of culture-jamming is something that is so disruptive (or interesting) that it forces you to look. That is a pretty major aspiration for marketers: Create something so riveting that your target audience can’t look away.

In the article, Berg is specifically referring to the ad on You Tube for Wario Land Shake It, a new game for the Wii. This ad is amazing and definitely worth checking out. If you are like me, it is worth checking it out more than once. Or more than twice. I had to watch it three times before I was actually paying attention to the game iteself! Others must feel the same way, since the video has already achieved more than 4.5 million views.

Another fantastic example of culture-jamming is by Apple for the iPod Touch. With the music and graphics, it would be an engaging ad by itself, but Apple took things one step further, and that extra step is what makes it impossible to tear your eyes away.

The manipulation of online environments in unexpected ways is fantastic. It hints at wizardry and magic. It is a world where everything is not what it seems and anything can happen. And above all it is fun. And effective, because it lends a very positive association to the product itself. It does more than just cause a user to pay attention to an ad, it transfers a little bit of the magical mystique or at least a positive brand image to the product itself.

This sort of thing may have a limited lifespan if it is replicated too many times. After all, it is the unexpected that makes it so effective. But as long as the kind of creativity that went into these ads continue, it will be amazing to see what comes next.

Thank you Cecy for introducing me to these!

Marketers could learn a thing or two from kids

Important lessons learned in kindergarten: Don’t eat the glue, don’t pick your nose, it is important to share, and cheaters never win. Again: Cheaters NEVER win. Lying and cheating is bad. Very, very bad.

Translate that to twenty odd years after kindergarten. Guess what. You should still never, ever eat glue, don’t let people see you picking your nose, share, and DON’T lie or cheat.

One of my least favorite movies ever is The Talented Mister Ripley. Sure–I like Matt Damon. He is a good actor and he is pretty durn good to look at. But the plot of the movie just makes me cringe. That’s because he lies, and then he lies some more. And he tops that all off with more lies. The entire time I am incredibly tense because I know that any minute everything is just going to come crashing down.

As a marketer, I can’t handle stretching the truth. If I did, I would feel as if I was building a house of cards and waiting for it to fall at any moment. I can’t handle that kind of stress in life, so I just won’t do it. Sure–it has the added bonus that I can pat myself on the back for having great ethics. But really, if you just tell the truth from the beginning you don’t need to worry about getting caught.

Really, I love the idea of truth in advertising. Call me simple. But first, watch the 1990 movie Crazy People. It is about of insane people that come up with advertising campaigns. But hell, if “They’re boxy but they’re good” doesn’t describe a Volvo, I don’t know what does. But if you don’t want to take advice from Dudley Moore, take some from Sir Walter Scott:

“Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive.”

Considering Color

Color really matters in web design. There is no question. Any designer or artist would be glad to sit and talk about how different colors can express different things.

Smart web designers incorporate these considerations into their designs. Sure. You probably need to include the company’s signature color. And yes, the CEO may really like red. But if you are the designer, it is crucial to figure out how to balance these requirements with color use that makes sense for the image that you are trying to create. Fire engine red is NOT going to sell me on a relaxing day at the spa.

Color psychology applies to more than just the background of the page and the font, it applies to the photos selected. The colors in the photo will affect the overall mood of the page, so choose carefully. There are people who dedicate a great deal of time learning about what various colors mean. I believe that a great way to educate your eye is to look at a wide range of photos and really think about how they make you feel and why. Ask yourself–does this make me feel happy? Sad? Calm? Energized?

When undertaking a design, I will often find a photo that suits the mood and message that I am trying to create to serve as a focal point from the design. From there, selecting colors from within the photo will help the entire design be more harmonious and convey the mood you are looking for.

One piece of advice that I saw recently that I think is very valuable for web design is to aim for softer, less saturated colors in your design. That and use colors that appear in nature. I have found while looking around the web that I really do find sites that use this approach are far more appealing to me.

SNS Marketing

How can companies employ social networking sites (SNS) in their marketing strategies? Can it be effective? Are they appropriate venues for marketing? Is it worth the effort, or are these SNS just a fad?

I think that it is possible to use SNS effectively for marketing, and like so many things in the new world of marketing today, the keys to success are authenticity, openness, and a genuine desire to connect and communicate with customers or potential customers. If those elements are there, there is great potential to build brand awareness and loyalty.

One of the potential downfalls is that companies have to let go of control. You can’t control what people will say, so there is a leap of faith and you must be open to commentary, both positive and negative. Companies should take comments as feedback and should respond to them quickly and honestly. What makes it different than the comments that companies are already receiving is that they are available in a public forum.

In terms of using a Facebook group for a company, it can be useful to reward group members by providing information and updates exclusively, or at least prior to releasing them to the general public. It can be used to create special events and send out invitations to members. Contests can also help reward members. Some companies or brands create profiles and try to gain friends, others create groups with hopes that members will join, and still others can create pages in a variety of categories that can attract fans. Of course, you can also purchase ads on Facebook, but why bother when content is free?

So I am curious–what do you think?

Ritzy Marketing

The Ritz-Carlton has an amazing reputation for quality. The mega hotel chain offers high-quality customer service, rooms, bedding the works. Following the growing trend of creating online marketing movies, the Ritz Carlton has created a series three high-quality mini dramas that showcase all of the great things that Ritz-Carlton is famous for, but that don’t just feel like commercials. They are well produced and enjoyable to watch. The folks at Ritz-Carlton clearly understand what this hot trend of making online movies used for marketing is all about and they have done it right.

The great marketing potential of this genre is this: People forget they are watching an advertisement and they lower their guard. Messages can sneak past the cynical barriers people have erected against more traditional methods. In order to be successful, these films can’t look like an ad–they have to look like a movie. This requires a main character that you can care about, an interesting plot, an escalation in the action, and a conclusion.

The first R-C video, called “The Delay” is a drama right around 10 minutes long and was produced (like the other videos) in conjunction with American Express. Now, even if I hadn’t read that somewhere I would have known it by the somewhat clunky zoom straight to the credit card the main character hands over at the front desk. But other than that, I think that they really have something. They managed to show a woman who has really had a rough day, and show amazing customer service, and a beautiful room. I would definitely stay in her room! The bed looks awesome, the decor is elegant, and the fantastic bathtub is totally inviting. And all of this was showcased as the subtle background to the story. The finale of the episode, which I will not spoil in case you decide to watch it, just serves to demonstrate the Ritz Carlton approach to over-the-top customer service and the make-the-customer’s day attitude. It really makes me want to stay there and I enjoyed watching it! Two thumbs up. At nearly 40,000 views on You Tube alone, this video is clearly doing a good job of enticing people to watch.

The second video entitled “Last Night” has a totally different feel but still showcases some of the great things Ritz Carlton has to offer. The opening scenes take place in a fantastic suite. Subsequently, the story moves to a bar that is beautiful and offers the highest quality whiskeys (all part of the story). The bartender also conveys that same above and beyond service that the previous video hints at by talking about how far and wide he had to search to find the perfect bottle of whiskey for the main character.Except for the (now expected) schmaltzy zoom in on the American Express card when the main character pays for his whiskey it is another home run.

The third video “Heads or Tails” is a bit of a different story. Maybe it is just me, but I found it excruciating to watch. Two minutes into the 12 minute black and white film I was praying for it to end. The acting is horrible, the music is annoying, and the set up seems really cheesy. I found myself wondering whether I had clicked on the wrong link–maybe this was some sort of hack’s version of a Ritz-Carlton video. In the end (yes, I made it through) there was a fun twist. But it still left me feeling a little bit like R-C lost site of its message a little with this one. I believe that there are audiences this video will appeal to, but it isn’t me.

But hey, two out of three ain’t bad. And I definitely would like to go stay in a Ritz-Carlton.

Oh *$%! My Mom’s on Facebook!

Ok. Let’s face it. Kids (teenagers, college students, whatever) in general do not like to hang out in the same places that their parents hang out. Or their grandparents. Or their friends. And what about your parents’ friends who try to friend you on Facebook? Eeeww.

Sure, maybe this “Generation Y/Millennial” Generation really looks up to their parents, and even would consider going to the mall with them (did I mention that I am a Gen-X kid?). My point is this. Yes. Facebook is fun and we all love it. Well, almost all of us. But it is growing like a wildfire out of control. So here’s the thing–the original crowd that populated this social network will soon find another place to hand their hats. Marketers, if you think you have found the next big way to reach your youth target markets, don’t put all of your eggs in this one basket.

Don’t ignore it. Facebook is certainly an easy way to create buzz and reach a bunch of people inexpensively, but now that the world has discovered Facebook, it will no longer be a haven for kids who are in the know. Your trendsetters and fad finders will not stand for this widespread invasion by the (older) masses. Before long, this is going to be a great way to reach Gen X. Believe me, I know–all of my old friends from high school seem to be joining. But the thing is, I mean old. So if you are looking for that amazing buying power that Gen. Y posesses, keep your eyes open for the next big thing.