Know Before You Go

The Summer semester is coming to a close and there's plenty of information that I've digested throughout the three classes I've taken - that's right, you read correctly. Three classes. Some have said I've had a death wish and am plain crazy, to me, I'm being highly efficient.

What I've noticed is how each compliment the other - my statistics class relates to my competitive strategy course which absolutely gives me insight for my digital marketing course - they all ultimately help me perform my day job better. I love how it works out like that!

Out of my digital marketing class, I think there are five key factors that I would want any of my clients that I work with to know:

1. Understand the medium. There are so many different tools out there to fulfill your business objectives. Read up on the various ways to buy digital media, how native advertising differs from standard banners, how one platform works better than another, etc. Understand how digital is measured - some of it can lead to a direct ROI while other methods sustain a long term growth strategy. Educate yourself on what works for your brand or business so you can at least give your agency a run for their money.
2. Formulate a strategy. With this knowledge comes great power. You need to have an idea of where you want your business or brand to go. Just saying you want to be online because that's where all the cool kids are isn't enough. Yes, its the job of your agencies (media, PR, creative, etc.) to help you forge that path but you need to have an objective - why do you need to build awareness? how will being on Facebook fulfill that objective? are you just saying Facebook because that's where you think you should be?
3. Provide value to the customer. I think a client needs to be open to creating value for the customer. Banners are no longer enough and with a consumer's attention span being that of a gold fish (9 seconds!) we tend to tune out banners, especially since we know where they will appear on a page. You have to be able and willing to forgo the mundane and step into waters that may be a bit murky and uncomfortable. It will yield a higher return in the end. 
4. Generate content. I'm not talking about a Facebook post that updates the consumer on your latest product. I'm talking about valuable information the consumer will specifically go out of their way to come to because it is a benefit to them. Take RedBull as an example always of a company that does it right and pulls you in with their content rather than pushing their brand message out to you.
5. Stay in the know. The landscape is constantly changing. You need to know your consumer well enough to know how their habits are changing. E-mails may have worked in the past but now Twitter may be more popular. Figure out where and how they are consuming information and make it your priority to become an expert in it.

and because I love even numbers:

     6. Don't be afraid. Digital is a scary field because it's constantly changing and evolving but the 

         possibilities are endless. Don't be scared.

This word cloud will only get bigger as the years go by - innovation is a thing of beauty. Embracing it is a necessity. 

-D

The Love Affair WIth A Brand

Have you ever thought of your relationship with a brand that you frequent? Have you ever said to yourself, "Gosh, [insert brand name here] is such an awesome brand. There when I need it, supportive and just plain awesome." You actually probably have. For some of them at least.

A Harvard Business Review article entitled To Keep Your Customers, Keep it Simple explains that all the fluffy stuff marketers do to engage with consumers is a waste of time and what consumers ultimately want is simplicity, ease of use, and a clearly defined benefit. I absolutely agree with this but I don't think this doesn't mean a brand can't establish a relationship with their customers if they adhere to that methodology.

First off, the customer journey has increasingly become more like this:

With the age of digital, consumers have a thousand more avenues to traverse - way more chances to research things and to get insights on.

What customers really want is a clearly defined path that will ultimately lead them to a purchase. I agree that complicating that path makes it hard for the user to get to that end goal. What a brand should do, according to the above article, is the following:

1. Aid navigation - minimize the number of sources the consumer can get information from (at least from the branded side). Consumers will still research and check out review sites but at least they will be constantly directed, by the brand, to the brand site (via search tactics, banner ads, etc.)
2. Build trust - make sure the consumer is able to trust in the information they've gathered about said brand. Typically users trust other users which is why most go to the reviews sections on website (i.e. Amazon). If a brand can make it so that they have brand ambassadors that focus on advice on certain products rather than touting all the specs of the product, a user is more likely to trust that information. For example, the article talks about Disney and how their mom panel aids other moms who are looking for advice on Disney trips.
3. Make it easier to weigh options - offer side by side comparisons - goes along with the first bullet. If a brand puts all the information in one place, half the research is done and streamlined, eliminating another step in the purchase decision process

As I mentioned, I do think that a brand can still build a personality and create a relationship with a consumer by keeping the above in mind (and they also need to remember to evolve with the times lest they follow the path of HMV!). By the very nature of doing the above, a consumer will be more grateful towards the brand, generate positive emotions and therefore establish their own private relationship with the brand. 

Personally, I've been grateful towards brands that make it easy for me to decide (dare I say I may even have a love affair with some?). Once they've hooked me, then they can do all the fluffy stuff they want because now I'm loyal and more likely to advocate the brand to others.

What are your thoughts?

-D