Contagious Fanatic
With the proliferation of digital technologies and tools, brands should have better and improved connections with customers. As the world goes digital, digital content in parallel is gaining popularity and customers are getting used to the notion of “paying” for electronic content. Gen Y might be lost for good, but the babies born in the digital age should be more entitled and more familiar with the concept of virtual content.
When combined, digital content, digital delivery methods, digital platforms and digital tools create this new digital world that we (marketers, brands, agencies, consumers) have to embrace. Embrace not by focusing on Digital as a technology, but embrace by focusing on Marketing and Business in the Digital world.
The time is now to open up and educate ourselves, and today marks the launch of our first series : “The Digital Goosing”.
The goose in the image above represents how consumers are being forced-fed Digital content by brands. Brands hold consumers tight (or try to) by forcing them to use digital platforms, and then shove as much digital content as possible down their throats through these platforms. Not nice hmmmm…? Our dear customers are at risk of gagging on the sheer volume of Digital platforms, Digital tools and Digital content they are consuming.
“The Digital Goosing” is a verrryyyyy baaaad practice and over time, we will make our customers (of course…), at the very least, puke, at the very worst, choke, suffocate and die. Digital content is good. Digital technologies are good. Digital platforms are great. BUT the way they are used is just …how should I say…?…well..WRONG.
During the next few weeks (apologies, as you might have noticed, I have not blogged in a while and no, D3 or SWTOR are not the reasons, I wish though), we will cover multiple aspects of “The Digital Goosing” and share examples while offering tips on what not to do, pointers on what to avoid, and of course, propose some solutions.
The first few topics include :
CUSTOMER CARE SUPPORT / LIVE CHAT I LOYALTY I DLC, SUBSCRIPTIONS & ACCOUNTS
Overall, we will unfortunately see that the conclusion is scary.
Most of the time, WE (consumers) are neither heard nor taken into account despite all the technologies and platform available today. Tools are not properly used and behind tools and technology, brands rely on partners who are mostly just doing Digital Marketing instead of Marketing in a Digital World (which is our new Motto after our Consumer Paradigm Shift from 2010).
Remember, Consumers are not Digital Geese and DIGITAL GOOSING must stop! .…to be continued…Tomorrow…
Tags: 
The revolution is taking place. It doesn’t matter whether you like it or hate it – come March 30th, Facebook will have a brand new look.
Timeline was released some months ago for user-testing and some of us have already activated and played around with it (I tried it out before turning off my profile, if you remember my last post).
Moving forward, what does Timeline mean and who is ready for it?
It’s scary…as of 23 March 2012, 24% of the Top 50 brands have completely embraced it. Meaning they have cover photos, milestones, highlights….
16% of the Top 50 brands have transitioned without taking care to maximize their content.
The 60% majority have not taken Timeline by the horns. This means they have less than 7 days before their content is automatically pushed to the new design elements, and therefore are risking negative exposure since their content may not fit the new design.
Conclusions :
1) Social Media is still not fully embraced by brands
We have said it repeatedly – Social Media is not about pushing content onto a Facebook page the way it’s done through a TVC. Having the Facebook page replace a website or a brochure does not work. Social Media has not been embraced because 80% of all brands and their associated agencies have not been monitoring Facebook, did not take notice of the transition and have yet to implement a proper action plan to manage the Timeline transition.
2) Brands do not control Social Media
Social Media is like a relationship that involves three parties : Consumers – Facebook – Brands. Guess who is the odd one out ?…:=) Facebook retains 100% control over the type of information that can be posted as well as how that information is displayed…. Consumers, on the other hand, control how the information flows, they control whether the information even flows at all. As we say, Social Media is “AN INVITATION , NOT AN INVASION”. Do not over-use it, do not spam, just because they appear on your wall.
3) Brand presence is toned down
We saw the transition last year when Facebook suddenly changed their regulations and limited the tagging and sharing options. Facebook and Social Media are consumer tools, NOT marketing tools. We feel that Facebook is rightly trying to focus on consumers needs and in doing so, is making it more difficult for Brands to engage consumers on their platform, in order words, Facebook is taking steps to limit the degree of “INVASION”.
4) Differentiator and personal
Moving to Timeline really creates a feeling of having a closer relationship with someone. By taking this tack, Facebook has decided on creating clear human connections that would at the same time more easily expose my entire life. The previous walls and tabs were mainly focused on the instance, on what people would like, would do, or were feeling at a precise moment. With Timeline, we expose our lives, our past, our personalities in much, much greater detail.
So what do you do if you are a brand? You STUDY it.
Key features of Timeline are:
- Updated look and feel : You need to build your storyline around clear milestones
- Reduced tab visibility : This is a good thing, it prevents the occurrence of the “microsite syndrome’ on Facebook. Focus your story and energies on clear communication messages.
- No default landing page : Finally, this is the end of the Facebook promotional page / contest
- A new way of featuring content : Heard of Pinterest ? No ? Better check it out fast because it is the same here….:)
- Private messages between brands and consumers : This I really do not like. This is almost a private and direct SPAMMING feature that impacts consumers. Watch how you use it.
Facebook Timeline is here. This is a great innovation from Facebook, how will you embrace it?
Link to the high-res file here.
Or should I say, who cares about YOU on Facebook?
Am sure all of you are now wondering where I am going with this, right? Well, I conducted a bit of an experiment – I deactivated my Facebook account…
“WHAT? How dare you? Head of a Digital Company, you do not have a Facebook page? You do not understand Digital then!”
Well, hold your horses, let me explain….
It has now been … 3 to 4 years since Facebook became an integral part of our lives… no doubt about this. I remember running the first conferences on Consumer Engagement 4 years ago and showing the comparison of the total number of Social Network users across some countries… I cannot help but feel nostalgic and share the slide with you…
Now… 4 years on, where has it led us?
For sure, this might well have become the centre of our daily activities. Consumers don’t necessarily log into a Dashboard but quite likely, they log into Facebook to see what their “so-called friends” are doing. “Friends”? Do they really have 15,000 friends? Great, am glad for them …:=)
Well I don’t have 15,000 friends, in fact, I only have a handful of loyal friends and, yes, some connections. Like everyone, I post, I tweet, I share what I am doing everyday – from what is happening at work, to my automatic progress on Wipeout 2048 on Vita, to the upcoming release of Madonna’s new album (highly recommended, by the way, mark your calendars for March 26th!), to professional thoughts, pictures, you name it.
So I decided to de-active my Facebook account to see how much impact there would be. What’s your guess? The answer – ZERO!
It has been 4 weeks since and I have only received 4 emails. One from my brother, one from a professional connection, two from friends. All of them, strangely enough, asked me the same questions – Are you mad at me? Have you blocked me? ….NO I am not and have not. But this is the consequence of de-activating a Facebook account….
From this experiment, it is important to note that Facebook did not automatically notify my network of my action and as a result, my friends realized that I did-not-exist-on-Facebook-anymore only when they tried to reach me. Neither did Facebook send any alerts when my friends were unable to contact me There was simply no update and this left my network uncertain about my status. All the content and pictures I had posted were no longer visible. But since the flow of information that floods their walls is constant and of high volume, chances are, they didn’t noticed my ‘disappearance’.
So what are the conclusions of this experiment?
1) Facebook is a shouting machine
We knew it, it has now been proven. If my own network does not realize I am disconnected, what are the chances that consumers will realize that about your brand?
2) Facebook does not create Engagement
Facebook is part of the Social Media network, and allows an engagement with consumers IF and ONLY IF IT IS DONE properly. Merely ‘shouting’ on Facebook and posting brand content is useless, a waste of money and equal to yelling to an empty space, afterall, no one is listening.
3) Facebook is a public ‘strip’ machine
More than ever, instead of creating greater visibility, all those tools are in fact, burying us in the overall communication flow. Yes, we are able ‘strip’ publicly and allow people to watch and listen to us if they want. But does this mean they care about us? Quite likely not.
Finally,
4) Few actually stay close to you
Similarly, we have a direct connection with just some key brands. I guess this is why we call our friends, “friends”. They care about us the way some brands genuinely care for consumers.
In the digital “easy to make noise” universe, it is important to make a difference. AND YES, Facebook, I love you, you are a great innovation, a great way to stay in touch with people “if I want”. If this experiment proves anything, this is it: It gives even more power to consumers to decide if they really care about you.
Let me take a bet. Each of us have been busy from either writing those letters, edM or busy reading them…With technology, we are able to be more creative in the way we send our wishes to a larger audience quicker than ever, however, along with that comes the increased risk of spamming them. And if there is one thing we all hate, it is SPAM! I hate receiving irrelevant edMs / snail mails / smses, you name them. And worse of all, I do want want to be looked upon as a spammer.
As such, for the 2011 year-end wishes, we decided to invest a bit more time to work on and to measure their effectiveness….scary…:=) Scary because measurement of effectiveness is the Damocles Sword of marketeers. Everyone is scared of it because we are afraid to have bad numbers….While having a positive ROI, achieving target should be, of course, the ultimate goal of a marketer, having bad numbers or bad results does not mean the end of the world if you are able to understand what did not worked and what to change for the next time. So back to our topic, YES, it makes sense to measure our Xmas wishes effectiveness. It is perfectly logical to assess whether our message is at minimum, being viewed by the recipients, isn’t it ?..:=) If not, then we would either not send it or change the message…. Actually, on a side note, I would be interested to know how many of us are carrying out such an exercise and even more interested to discuss the results..:=) anyway…
So here it is, let’s explore how we can maximize a simple edM for clients when you run a small company and what can potentially be measured and let’s see if our own Xmas eDM was effective…:=)
eDMs, DMs, for Xmas or any other topic should follow 3 main steps and 5 rules :
1) Determine the strategy, audience and message
2) Measure and evaluate
3) Develop business insights based on the results
Yes, I am sorry to say that Creative is not part of the process…. :=( While I enjoy creativity in an edM, the effectiveness of one creative versus another one is usually limited. Therefore, while that would not be our key focus, it is naturally part of the idea generation process. So do not worry, we still have the creative direction, and our creative director plays a key role in that process…:=)
Step 1 : Determine the Strategy / Content
Reagardless of the content of the message, there are a couple of key rules one should follow:
Rule # 1 : Personalize the Content
The recipients of your edM are either your personal contacts or prospects, ie, you already have some form of personal relationship with them. Hence, it is absolutely forbidden to send a generic edM or something along the lines of “Dear VIP our dear client”. Beyond using their first names, our own preference is to customise the content to be as 1:1 as possible. For example, apart from the first names, include the names and/or logos of their companies and a mention of the context of your relationship, such as ‘Thanks for the latest project we’ve signed’, ‘Thanks for meeting us on —’ or ‘Thanks for attending our event on…’.
Rule #2 : Consolidate the Communication into One
In general, companies are organized into departments that may have their own set of prospects, clients… Coordination and synchronization is critical here. Your recipients must not be overwhelmed with multiple X’mas greetings from the different departments of your company. The communication should be consolidated and sent by the group entity.
Rule #3 : Insert a Call To Action
While sending an edM or a message is a nice gesture, it is more important to have a Call To Action (CTA) to create the potential to follow-up. In some cases, for example, during peak seasons, it is all right to exclude the CTA so as to not overload your audience. This must, however, be a conscious decision and not an oversight. Typical CTA for are along the lines of “Sign up to receive our newsletter” or “Contact us at ….. for more information”.
Rule #4 : Segment your Database
The type of message or content is of course tailored to the recipients to increase the likelihood of their viewing the edM and the effectiveness of the CTA. Your database should therefore be segmented into batches and recipients categorized by profile or organized based on the quality of the database.
Step 2 : Measure, Measure, Measure
After the edM blast, the effectiveness of your message, the creative, the CTA, the invitation would all have to be measured.
Rule #5 : Define your Target before the edM blast and Measure Against the KPI
The assessment of the success of an edM campaign is not only based on clickstream but should follow the 4 measurement types detailed in a previous blog (Clickstream, CTA, ROI, LT).
In our case, the target was to reach a 25% open rate, which is pretty high, given the industry standards and that the campaign was over the peak Christmas/New Year season.
On top of the raw measurement, an evaluation of the expenditure must be carried out so as to judge the financial efficiency of your campaign. Total the entire cost of production of your edM with the cost of the edM blast and divide it by the number of recipients. The unit cost of edM should then be used as a benchmark for the next campaign with a target reduction cost.
The ROI can only be calculated when a proper business lead is generated.
Step 3) Develop Business Insights
Finally, have an in-depth de-brief with the business owner and review a one-page dashboard to highlight they key insights that will faciliate the discussion. In our case, we observed that there was a better response from the audience of one entity versus another. This possibly indicates that the “F5DIGITAL OPERATIONS” entity has a stronger engagement with its client base. Drilling down to evaluate which audience is the most responsive highlights as well key differences between each entity and these differences translate into the reality of how business is carried out by each entity today.
Beyond the results of this exercice, there are 2 main messages for the digital world.
First, digital tactics should and must be systematically measured to achieve clear business insights. Second, it is critical to always learn from what has been done so as to evaluate the future actions.
Below are the actual measurements results. The link to the page is here : Xmas card one page
So, should you have received the above eDM for Xmas, this is what we do with your data and information. In a sense, we are happy to reach a + 95% achievement versus our original target. We are even more happy to see that you have opened our communication and answered to it positively. Season’s greeting only make sense if it is genuine and while technology allows an easier distribution mechanism, it should not be used that way.
Technology should enable a better way to engage an audience, and allow a better understanding of its needs. Ultimately, all of us are then more happy. Customers receive a better , targeted communication and companies offer a better service.
Happy New Year!!!… :=) Ok, I am not the first one and definitely will not be the last one spamming everyone with best wishes…..
Let’s have a look at how many times we have received those wishes and through how many tools: snail mail, edM, email, sms, mms, WhatsApp, Viber, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter…. our message boxes are flooded with digital wishes… :=)
Does it make us feel more loved? Does it mean we feel more connected to those we wish and are wished by? No, it just means that Digital and Technology today allows us to spam faster and wider. Therefore, I would like to share with you my dream wish list for us yo use properly Digital in 2012.
1) Use Digital
If you are not yet convinced, then 2012 IS the year. Digital is no longer a question mark – it is a ‘must-do’, a ‘must-use’ for every brand, product and marketeer. It is not that Digital has to replace your current marketing plan or activity but every company must incorporate a Digital component in its marketing plan.
2) Use Digital production effectively
Using Digital does not mean replacing your marketing activity with a website, a mobile site or a Facebook page. It is about understanding the role of the dedicated activity in the entire marketing mix and allocating a specific objective to the Digital component. After defining the mapping of the marketing activity, it is critical to realize where the loopholes are and identify the role of Digital in the creation of a connection to your consumers.
3) Do not reinvent the Digital wheel
Most brands have a good base when it comes to Digital assets. Frequently, we realize that the current effectiveness of the marketing activities is well increased by tweaking the current workflow, engagement process, setting up proper response mechanics, metrics, dashboards and mapping properly all assets. Therefore, instead of reinventing the wheel by creating a new website, social media page or CRM program, the priority should be on defining the low hanging fruits from the current activity and solving them before spending a big budget in creative directions.
4) Elevate the Digital discussion beyond production: Digital roadmap
While it is essential to have some Digital assets in the marketing plan, most of the time, it is more important to have a digital strategy discussion before deciding on those assets. In order to properly embrace a digital roadmap, it is crucial to define the digital readiness of the company and evaluate what the internal company priorities are. This is especially so since Digital impacts how every department in the company engages customers, and changes the customers’ expectations.
5) Allocate a decent Digital budget
Every company decides its own budget allocation and the split between digital and traditional marketing will vary based on the industry and the market needs. However, a digital marketing budget below 5% of your entire A&P will put the company in a very difficult position for the future. We recommend a budget allocation of between 10%-15% with a target of 20%.
6) Define the proper Digital metrics
Bear in mind, Digital give you access to a vast quantity of data and numbers. These numbers should not be used directly as a measurement element. They must be properly and accurately analyzed, compared and defined versus a pre-defined target. This entire process must be ascertained before the start of the campaign to ensure that there is a factual discussion on the results at the end.
7) Collect the right data
After the activity is in place, all the touch points would be used to collect data. However, the collection mechanics, the type of data to collect, the storage and application of the data must be specified beforehand. As consumers are increasingly bombarded with information, it is imperative to make their life easier and only ask for relevant data. Such data should then only be used in a controlled environment.
Maintain your Digital assets
Once your platform, Facebook page, website or mobile site is live, the next important step is to maintain it. There must be a clear definition of roles, content, process, roadmap and frequencies to update the content. A dedicated team should take the lead to engage discussion, while another team defines a content calendar and a discussion manager engages clients with proposals of topics.
9) Create a Consumer Engagement Plan
Aim to move away from the push marketing syndrome towards creating a real 2-way communication with consumers. Be it social media, website, offline or online, marketing activities are no longer about push but about pull and feedbacks. While it is vital of course to maintain some brand elements in the “push marketing”, there should be a systematic feedback loop to address and engage consumers beyond the one-off promotional element.
10) Hyper Segment instead of Mass Segment
Finally, resist the temptation to add or create hundreds of microsites, Facebook pages, websites, and mobile apps to push the same content. Be selective, and harness only the relevant channel or medium to accurately address your target audience with a relevant message. While this might require a bit more planning by the agency (the good news for you as the client is that you not have to do it…) :=) , it definitely ensures better results! Technology today allows you to send a real 1:1 message to your audience, from edM to QR codes to emails to print. From the nominative content, the offer can be linked to a database while respecting a generic framework and template. Every customer would receive a dedicated personalized offer that addresses him and him only.
Digital is great, it allows more things, more connections, more engagement than we could have dreamt of in the past. However, Digital must be applied differently, not as a ‘copy and paste’ of our ATL or promotional mechanics on Twitter, Facebook or mobile apps. Integrate Digital in your marketing plan, introduce a Digital mindset in your company, teach Digital properly, show Digital opportunities to your management, engage your audience and be real and open.
These are my Digital wishes for 2012.
The entire concept of loyalty has changed. The rise of social media, digital, metrics, globalization is changing the way in which we treat loyal customers. CRM does not matter anymore, long live Loyalty.
Loyalty is about engaging consumers through multiple touch points, over time. The traditional CRM system is just a support towards enabling the loyalty program or treatment to your customers. And this goes way beyond a simple edM or print or a ‘Dear VIP’. We are not robots, we need to feel that brands care about us.
Loyalty in the Digital Age
Let me share with you some recent examples, fortunate and unfortunate ones…
I recently paid a visit to the flagship store of a famous Swiss watch brand (a 3-letter brand) in Hong Kong because I was contemplating buying a new watch. You have to know that I am both a big fan of this brand and the proud owner of several models, including limited editions. Therefore, during my visit, I passionately expressed my loyalty and mentioned my past acquisitions.
I was very keen on purchasing the new watch and expected to be recognized as a loyal customer and accorded some “recognition” beyond the regular gift that they may give a new customer.
I was to be sorely disappointed. The response was simply a “Thanks for being such a loyal customer.” And it struck me, “If you really mean it, show it!” Consumers do not need to hear “Thank you” with a big smile, as if we are children. We want to feel that as a brand, you really care about us, you recognize our loyalty and show recognition. And in my case, it is easy for this particular brand to do because :
1) You are a global brand
2) You know my profile
3) This is the flagship store, not some cheap, fly-by-night shop
4) Your profit margins are just insane… I respect that…but I know it…:=)
I really wanted to purchase that watch and I would have done so the moment I was recognized as a truly “loyal customer”. As the salesperson tried to convince me discounts were not possible (in fact, I did not ask for discount, I merely wanted recognition), it became crystal clear to me that beyond the nice words, the brand cares little for me.
As a marketeer, here’s a tip. Do not pretend, in front of customers that you have no decision power or that you cannot do anything – we all know this is not true. There is ALWAYS an option to reward customers.
In the end, I purchased the watch…. :=( but it was with frustration and anger towards the brand. Is this the right choice for such a famous brand? Do you want to risk upsetting your “most valuable customers”? Of course not! Unfortunately, this is still the case, especially when the brand is in a very comfortable position, such as being a leader in the market, most often, from the luxury industry.
So how do you solve this?
First, as a brand leader, you have more responsibilities. It is critical to recognize your loyal customers and treat them appropriately.
Second, while customers realize you are not able to offer a discount, the option of goodies or privileged treatment for your best VIPs should exist. A basic ‘Thank You’ letter to the customer, for example, is a ‘Must-do’.
Third, customers must be treated from a global perspective, not a local one.
Fourth, digital technology allows brands to track, up-sell, cross-sell and recognize customers profiles.
For example :
1) When I enter the shop, an automatic RF system detects my profile and alerts the salesperson on the arrival of a loyal customer. If an RF system is not in place, then a log-in system or a system where my profile is extracted (with my consent) for the store.
2) Once my profile is highlighted, the salespersons adapt their dialog, for example, inquiring on my satisfaction with my current watches.
3) In addition, they highlight suitable products that are linked to my previous purchase, possibly attracting me to make further purchases
4) Where relevant, they make gestures such as offering rewards or gift with purchases, which leave a good impression
5) Upon my departure, a direct eDM is sent that expresses appreciation for my visit, reminds me of the products I browsed and thanks me for my future investments.
Now, if this is so easy to do, why is it not happening? Most probable reasons are technical limitations, human factors and habits, and maybe, the too-comfortable positions some brands are in.
Returning to Singapore, I experienced another disappointment. Due to flight constraints, for once I was flying back on Cathay Pacific and since I arrived early at the HKIA, I headed to the Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge. I was shocked when they turned me away because I was not flying on Singapore Airlines. How could this be? How can we, in 2011, be refused entry to a lounge on the claim that we did not fly with the airline? In addition to that, I am a member of the PPS Club, which by definition means I am among the most valued customers of SIA. Despite this, I am denied access. What is the cost to Singapore Airlines for giving me access to the lounge ? A cup of coffee ? I can pay for that ….. I did not know the coffee was so expensive…:=) This is not acceptable anymore….
In parallel, Nespresso is doing things smarter and smarter. The last time I purchased my refills in Singapore, without my needing to say a word, the salesperson offered me a nice Latte cup with smile and the message “Thank you so much for your loyalty, this is a small reward for you.” This is exactly what I want to hear, as a customer.
Some brands get it: reward your customers, reward them sincerely, beyond price rebates, especially when they do not ask for it.
Another example : On my most recent visit to Philippines, I stayed at the InterContinental Manila. On my arrival in my room, I was greeted by a ‘Thank you for your loyalty’ letter together with some coupon and discounts to use in the hotel. This gesture is still rare and hotels should take a proactive approach. Points and miles are not sufficient anymore to retain loyalty. Consumers do not care about points, we care about how we are treated and how the brand welcomes us with relevant offers.
Dunhill, as well, took a great step forward and informed all the customers about a new program that treats customers 1:1 instead of as a mass and based on my profile, will propose updated products monthly. I have not yet received the first catalog but the letter from Richard, Head of Digital was a great initiative, too rare in the industry. Kudos to you, Richard.
Finally, in Philips Family Rewards Program, every member receives a systematic personalized transactional email for every interaction with the Program and each time an action (purchase, product view, registration of past purchase) occurs, the customer receives a personalized offer based on behavioral targeting. As a result, more than 6,000 permutations of DMs and eDMs are used regularly. For example, if you purchase a TV in your birthday month, it is not a coincidence that you will receive a 20% discount on a blue-ray player….:=) Have a look at the video here.
In a digital world where customers are bombarded with more information than ever and are more volatile and more fickle towards brands, it is critical to adopt a new approach to loyalty and the entire concept of CRM / Social / Digital.
The time of promises is over, we must act and prove to our customers we truly care about them.
Don’t say it, just do it!
Contagious Fanatic
