Thought Leadership a Constant in B2B Marketing

Marketing is changing at a pace faster than ever. In one survey of marketers last year, 76% agreed that marketing had changed more in the past two years than the previous 50 years. If you subscribe to this sentiment, then you would likely not be surprised by findings from a recent study about B2B marketing priorities now and in the near future. The Information Technology Services Marketing Association (ITSMA) surveyed B2B marketers to determine their perceptions of leading marketing responsibilities now and what they will be two years from now.

Below is a graphic from eMarketer summarizing the top 5 lists for now and two years out:

A comparison of the top 5 lists for current responsibilities and the priorities in two years suggests B2B marketers anticipate dramatic changes in their roles. The number one priority currently- brand management- does not even make the top 5 list for two years from now. Use of marketing technology tools hits the two-year-out list at number 2. It can be assumed that this increased emphasis on using marketing technology will touch the other four anticipated leading responsibilities. Two observations from the list of anticipated responsibilities are that “understanding buyers” appears at number 1 seemingly out of the blue. But, has that not always been the fundamental job of a marketer? If we do not understand buyers, the destiny of our business is likely assured… and the end is not pretty. The other observation is the constant priority given to thought leadership, landing at number 4 on both lists. It is on this constant that we will examine more closely to understand.

What is Thought Leadership?

In an age in which anyone with Internet access and a keyboard has a voice, establishing a brand (corporate or personal) as a thought leader is crucial for wielding influence, building a community, and ultimately driving business growth. But, what exactly is meant by the term thought leadership? Thought leadership experts Russ Allan Prince and Bruce Rogers offer the following definition of a thought leader:

“A thought leader is an individual or firm that prospects,clients, referral sources, intermediaries and even competitors recognize as one of the foremost authorities in selected areas of specialization, resulting in being the go-to individual or organization for said expertise.”

Consumers evaluate a seller’s credibility along the dimensions of expertise and trustworthiness. Becoming a thought leader is a way to positively impact both of those judgments made by consumers. Blog posts, how-to videos, and case studies are three examples of how marketers use content to “show what they know” (expertise). A content strategy aimed at building thought leadership can also “humanize” a brand through the stories told and employees featured, tactics for building trust with buyers. Oh, and there is one more part to the definition put forth by Prince and Rogers:

“A thought leader is an individual or firm that significantly profits from being recognized as such.”

This element of the definition means that aspiring to a position of thought leadership is not done for the purposes of stroking ego; it is meant to contribute to business growth.

What It Means to be a Thought Leader

It is human nature that people like to do business with individuals and companies that they like and trust. Let’s add one more qualifier- we like to do business with individuals and companies in which we have confidence in their capabilities (related to trustworthiness but speaks more to expertise). Given this characteristic of buyers, it is not surprising that thought leadership is considered a top priority today and in two years… and in five years and in ten years. Being a thought leader is not saying “Look at me- I am great!” It is about demonstrating your capabilities to solve problems and provide help to others. Having the ability is not enough; it must be communicated to the audiences that stand to benefit from your thought leadership.

What are you waiting for? Make your voice heard by becoming a trusted resource for information, advice, opinion, and action.

To be or not to be Gangsta, That is the Question

This week, I came across a Facebook post with personal branding implications that sparked a lively debate. A well-known copywriting and marketing expert, Bob Bly, lamented in a post on his Facebook page that a young marketing expert congratulated himself on a presentation he had given, referring to himself as “gangsta.” This proclamation led the veteran marketer to question why many people use social media to stroke their egos. And, he suggested that self-promotion on social media was more prevalent among Millennials. His post elicited more than 100 comments, including several exchanges between Bly and his audience. Not surprisingly, some Millennials in his community disagreed with how he characterized their generation. This post is not about whether Bob Bly was right or wrong but rather a reflection on the impact of social media self-promotion on brands.

Stand for Something

This issue is about brand positioning. By definition, positioning is articulating a real point of difference that is relevant to your target market or community. The “young turk” (using Bly’s words) may have insight that tells him his tribe of followers would find his description of gangsta appealing and his product (marketing expertise) interesting. In essence, the young expert appears to have positioned himself as cool and edgy. Such perceptions will likely resonate within a significant part of his community. The worst scenario this marketer (or any brand- product or personal) could face is being irrelevant due to a perception of not standing for something.

Positioning ≠ Popularity

Brand positioning is one of the most important strategic decisions a brand owner faces. Why? The harsh reality is that not everyone likes you or your offering. A whole host of reasons could be cited- price is too high, quality is questionable, you are perceived as too brash because you refer to yourself as gangsta- I’ll cut off the list here or else I would have to go on and on. But, you get the point; marketing is not a popularity contest. Your brand will appeal to a certain audience, and it will not matter to other audiences. You can live with that as long as you are in tune with the audience that cares about you and perceives you care about them. Thus, brand positioning is so important because it guides decisions about who you seek to engage with your brand and how you go about doing so.

Is It OK to be Gangsta?

If you take a bold positioning approach for your personal brand such as the gangsta persona in this example, know that you will turn off some people. The question is whether your position will be relevant to enough people that the value you offer will be rewarded. Also, brand positions often evolve as customers’ needs and market preferences shift. So, the young “gangsta marketer” of 2014 will likely position himself differently at some point in the future. And, positioning, like marketing in general, is about the benefit of your offering to your community. Position your brand to answer “what’s in it for me” that your audience is constantly asking. Understanding how to answer that question will ultimately shape your brand identity.

How Do You Respond to Competition?

We have a new neighbor, one that many people have fought to keep out of their neighborhoods and towns: Walmart. It is the third one in our city; the new location is slightly more than a mile from our house. And, it is just down the road from a Kroger store. This post has nothing to do with whether Walmart is good or evil. Rather, it contains observations on how to respond to competition. How should you respond when new competition arrives in your neighborhood (or company or office)? Here are three rules to apply when facing competition:

Be Ready before They Show Up

If you are any good at all at what you do, you will have competition eventually. Why? The product life cycle tells us that during the growth stage, increased opportunity as reflected in growing sales and profits attracts new entrants. Those new entrants can be businesses expanding geographically or companies rolling out new products. You have to know that if business is good, competition is not far behind. Likewise, if you are a business that has a reputation for developing talented employees, other firms will be seeking to lure some of them away. Create a culture that customers and employees alike value and would not consider leaving.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Once competition makes its intentions known, respond by stepping up your game. You have something they want: Customers. Protect the asset that is your customer relationships by revisiting how well you deliver value. In the case of my local Kroger’s new neighbor, Walmart, it has been evident that Kroger was being proactive to new competition. The store has made significant changes to visual presentation, employees are noticeably more customer-focused (not Publix-like but more customer oriented nonetheless), and most evident, Kroger has lowered prices on many items to narrow Walmart’s price advantage. New competition was the inspiration for Kroger to make these changes. Just like an athlete reaches back for that little extra to perform at a peak level when competing against elite competition, step up your game and take on competitors.

Let Competition Make You Better

A tendency exists for competition to be perceived strictly as a negative. For example, when conducting a SWOT analysis competition almost always is categorized as a threat. Rather than being fearful of what competition might do to impact your business, view the prospect of competition as a force that makes you better. In fact, you need not compete at all in that you do not have to battle other businesses to win customers. The battle is internal, within yourself or your organization of how to improve and be a resource to customers. This point is not a suggestion to ignore or be oblivious to competition (perhaps that is why I saw the Kroger store manager walking the aisles at Walmart a few days after grand opening). Instead, let the focus of competition be how you can get better at doing what you do. That will go a long way to fending off competition.

In business, competition is often the fourth certainty, added to the customary list of birth, death, and taxes. If you think you have little or no competition you are either very fortunate or very out of touch. But, if you approach competition as an internal quest to reach peak performance you will likely find external competitors to be less of a threat to your existence.

Can You Pass the Persistence Test?

Your email in which you “applied” for an internship or job opportunity got deleted… and that might be good. The initial reaction to the prospect of your thoughtful, carefully crafted message to a business owner or hiring manager being summarily dismissed with a touch of the Delete key might be dismay or even disgust. “How rude of him to not even acknowledge my email,” you might think. But if you expect a prompt reply (or a reply at all) to an unsolicited email from someone who does not know you, chances are you will be disappointed.

Testing 1, 2, 3

One question asked frequently about personal branding is how to stand out when so many people have similar credentials (e.g., skills and education). On paper, much of the competition looks the same. The answer to standing out is not cosmetic- bright colored font or paper is just that- cosmetic. Think of how you can differentiate your brand by focusing on intangibles. An intangible that many employers are evaluating in this very scenario of email correspondence is persistence. Are you really hungry and driven to pursue this opportunity, or are you making a halfhearted effort to send résumés to a long list of companies?

The silence on the other end could be a test of your desire.Tim Earnhart, founder of Werkshop Branding, often receives unsolicited résumés from college students interested in an internship. Earnhart’s procedure for handling such inquiries is:

1st inquiry- Delete without reading
2nd inquiry- Read email, review résumé, and delete
3rd inquiry- Reply to sender, giving feedback to the inquiry.

According to Earnhart, an easy way for applicants to stand out is to send that second and third inquiry. Why? Most people give up after the first email they send, showing no persistence in demonstrating their desire for an opportunity to work at Werkshop Branding.

Pass the Persistence Test

Pursuing an internship or job today is easier than ever before because of electronic communications, namely email and job websites. Résumés can be distributed widely and often are sent with little customization by the sender to articulate a fit between applicant and organization. You may not think it is fair or professional, but an employer wants to learn as much about you before committing resources to hire and train you, Testing your persistence is one way intangible attributes can be evaluated. I am not suggesting that persistence in the form of follow-up emails or phone calls is a substitute for required skills or experience, but persistence is a trait you can demonstrate that is hard to convey on a résumé. In short, you may taking a test without even being aware, but you have to pass the Persistence Test.

Be different by being persistent.

Photo Credit: Ervins Strauhmanis, Creative Commons License 2.0

Networking is…

With more than 1,000,000 college degrees granted annually, competition for jobs is great. Of course, that only takes into account newly minted graduates looking to launch their careers. Millions of other professionals already on a career path are looking to move upward to higher positions or on to new opportunities. Networking serves two important roles in building a personal brand to compete in the job market. First, one’s network of contacts can be tapped to acquire more knowledge that enhances skills. Second, a professional network is a communication channel that can be used to meet people, share information, and pursue business opportunities.

Different Approaches to Networking

Perceptions of networking differ among professionals. Some people network relationally, focusing on quality of the interface. Other people network on a transactional scale, valuing the result. Relational networking and relationship marketing share key characteristics. Mirroring relationship marketing, networking includes distinctions of trust, cyclical education, ongoing relationships, maintenance, and a continuous dialog. In contrast, transactional marketing measures a goal by using an object of importance. Furthermore, these transactions are usually discrete with little to no future interdependence.

What is Networking?

It is one thing to espouse the importance of building a network of professional contacts to future business professionals; it is another for them to have a good grasp on exactly what it is you are advocating that they do. So, to assess students’ understanding of professional networking, I have collected data from students enrolled in an undergraduate sports marketing course over the past several semesters. Data have been collected from 151 students so far in this ongoing study. I focused data collection on students studying sports marketing because building a network of professional contacts is vital to establishing a personal brand in sport business and standing out in a highly competitive market.

Data were collected on students’ perceptions of networking by simply asking them to complete the sentence “Networking is…” Definitions were analyzed using content analysis to look for themes or common notions about professional networking. Students’ concept of professional networking as reflected in their definitions reveals a disproportionate emphasis on shallow engagement with others, falling under a category labeled “connections.” A total of 113 students (75%) defined networking as pertaining to building connections with other people. Relationship building was the theme with the next highest frequency of mentions as 45 students (30%) included a reference to relationships in their definitions of professional networking. Two other themes, learning and sharing, received few mentions as elements of networking (5% and 3%, respectively).

Bridging the Gap between Actual and Ideal

Perhaps the findings that perceptions of networking relate to “making connections” is understandable. After all, what is LinkedIn’s label for networking? Connections. Quantified connections, whether it be on LinkedIn, Twitter, or the number of business cards collected at an event are used as proxies for networking ability. This “notches on a belt” approach to networking is troubling in that it is reduced to little more than a game of how many connections can be made (quantity) rather than a focus on providing mutual benefit to someone in your network (quality).

My favorite definition of professional networking is simple: “Building good relationships.” When we build good relationships, we help others become successful and help them however we can (e.g., make an introduction or write a letter of recommendation). But, you have to make “deposits” in the networking bank with your connections so that when you need to make a withdrawl (i.e., ask a favor), you have available goodwill upon which to draw.

Your Turn

What is your definition of professional networking? And, if you believe that you need to become better at networking, what obstacles or weaknesses are keeping you from being more effective?

Image Credit: flickr.com/baggyjumper, Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

If You Give a Flip about Personal Growth, Try Flipboard

One of the challenges of being a consumer in the Information Age is how to discern value from noise. Filtering through the abundance of information on the Internet is the Paradox of Choice on steroids (if you are unfamiliar with the Paradox of Choice, you have to watch Barry Schwartz’s TED talk on the subject). Information is fuel for our personal growth, but if you put diesel in an engine that runs on unleaded gasoline you have inadvertently caused problems that will cost you time and money.

So, what are valuable resources for gathering information in support of your personal growth and development? One resource that has become a go-to app for me is Flipboard. I have been intrigued by the concept of Flipboard since I first read about it shortly after its release in 2010. Simply put, Flipboard is a social digital magazine. It enables users to collect articles from magazines, blogs, websites, and social networking sites into a single location. Flipboard is like a news reader and thus is not unique in that regard. What sets Flipboard apart is its design- the user experience is outstanding as readers “flip” through articles collected with a swipe of a finger.

More than Cool

Design is important in creating a great user experience, and the cool factor of Flipboard makes using it akin to reading a print magazine. But, being cool is not enough to have utility for users. Specifically, Flipboard can contribute to your personal development in the following ways:

Collect for Yourself – If nothing else, using Flipboard is a platform that allows you to construct a personal magazine based on your interests. You select categories or topics about which you wish to receive content. Flipboard is my newspaper. My consumption rituals include beginning each day catching up on the latest news by reading articles from the Cover Stories and News sections. At lunch, I use Flipboard to read about what is going on in the sports world, checking out articles from the Sports section and delving into subsections on baseball and hockey. I have described only how I use Flipboard for general consumption, but I apply the same practices to read the latest articles and thought in areas such as advertising, content marketing, design, social media, and technology. Selecting topics to include in your Flipboard is like selecting food from a restaurant buffet- you pick what you want whether you desire a wide variety or a limited number of items.
Curate for Others – The “social” part of social platforms like Flipboard is based on sharing. Creating magazines to share with other Flipboard users is a way to be part of a community of people with shared interests. You will find yourself “flipping” articles into your magazines that others have flipped into their magazines as well as other Flipboard users finding value in your flips and flipping into their magazines. For example, I have a Flipboard magazine titled Personal Branding U in which I gather articles related to career preparation, development, and personal branding. These topics are central to my job as a college professor; I am happy to help others by sharing the resources I find.
Express Your Brand – A third use of Flipboard is to use it as a channel to support your brand, whether you are a digital-only brand or one with offline presence. Think of Flipboard as a content marketing channel in which the content you curate can be strategically gathered to support your branding efforts. Another Flipboard magazine I have is titled Sports Biz U. The magazine has dual objectives as being a curated source for others interested in sports business and being a support vehicle for a sports marketing textbook that I have co-authored. The magazine can be used by sports business faculty (whether they are using our book or not) to have access to supply of current events and trends in sports business.

Try It for Yourself

Flipboard has evolved from being only for iPad to being available on iPhone, Android devices, and Kindle Fire. In addition to using it for personal growth, I have incorporated Flipboard magazines into courses that I teach, exposing students to a wider range of news and thought in the marketing field than I have ever been able to do through any single source. Best of all- the Flipboard app is free! Download the app, then check out a good “how to” article on using Flipboard like this one from Jason Evangelho. It takes some time to figure out how to make the most of Flipboard, but once you master it you will have added a valuable new dimension to your personal development efforts.

Are You Ready to Win?

Image Credit: Pyrrhos Papadopolous, Creative Commons license

Let me begin by saying I am not a University of Alabama football fan. Not that I am a hater, but growing up a Mississippi State fan and going on to become an alumnus I came to loathe the Crimson Tide. My feelings were driven by one simple reason- Alabama regularly clobbered State in football. I had to get in that disclaimer just so my family and friends did not think I have changed allegiances!

Now, on to the question: Are you ready to win? Am I ready to win? I have to confess that my answer is not “yes” on a daily basis, but I am challenging myself to make a shift due to something I learned about the Alabama Crimson Tide. I read an article stating that Alabama had a streak of more than 50 consecutive games in which it was picked to win. Did they win them all? Of course not, but the popular wisdom that Alabama would win, whether the opponent was highly ranked or a relatively obscure team, was remarkable to me. Success was not a hope; it was a foregone conclusion.

Why Nick Saban Wins

My observations as a sports fan points to three reasons for this noteworthy run of elevating a brand to the pinnacle of its category:

1. Expectation – Success starts with a leader instilling a culture that demands excellence. Alabama has that nailed in the person of head coach Nick Saban. It’s one thing for fans expecting to win regularly, but the team has to take care of business on the field. Under Nick Saban, winning is not a hope-for-the-best outcome, it is an expectation.

2. Preparation – Winning does not happen because the oddsmakers predict it; Alabama wins because of Saban’s meticulous attention to detail. A popular sports adage is that players and teams perform in a game like they do in practice. You win on the practice field through self-improvement and commitment to teamwork.

3. Hunger – If there is one trait I do not like about Nick Saban is that he gives an outward appearance of not being too happy or joyful when Alabama wins. In part, that might relate back to the point about expectation to win. But, another explanation is that the Alabama program has a hunger to not just win in one season, but annually. I think one reason it is so difficult for teams in any sport to repeat as champions is that the hunger that drove them to success can dissipate or be hard to maintain.

Ready to Win?

Enough about football- what can you learn from this example to build the professional brand you aspire to have? First, expectation must replace hope, fate, serendipity, or other reliance on external outcomes shaping your destiny. Adopt a growth mindset in which you hold expectations of reaching goals.

Second, commit to preparation by pinpointing the weekly and daily activities you must undertake to meet your expectations. Just showing up doesn’t cut it- leave that to your competition. What are you going to do today to make yourself a better student, salesperson, teacher, engineer? It is the daily work done often out of view of others that has the greatest payoff later.

Third, check your appetite- are you hungry or are you just looking for someone to feed you? The latter is comfortable and makes you feel good for a while, but in the long run you will get hungry again because you have not met expectations for your own brand.

Set the expectations and do the work needed to meet expectations, all the while being driven by a hunger to advance and grow. You may never be given a championship trophy for your efforts, but your brand will benefit immeasurably.

Now is the Time

I have been blogging since 2007. When I began, I barely knew what a blog was and had little clue as to exactly why I wanted to blog. My duties as a scholar call for me to write often, so I coupled my love of marketing with a desire to write. Would there be an audience? I did not even care if anyone read because that is not why I was blogging (luckily I felt that way because I am pretty certain few eyeballs came across my blog in its early years). Blogging is like exercising, the more frequently you do it, the stronger you become. And, you gain confidence and build enthusiasm that fuels the desire to blog on.

Into a Rut

For the first time in my blogging career, I have found myself stuck in a rut. Despite posting more than 700 entries total to my blogs (Marketing DR and Sports Biz U), I suddenly found topics harder to come by and the passion for blogging missing some of the intensity I felt before. I attributed this change to having surgery to remove my gallbladder a few weeks ago. It certainly sapped my energy for a while. Blogging was not a must do activity as I recovered. However, the recovery is behind me so I can no longer blame my physical condition. Had I become lazy, I wondered. Or, is it a classic case of writer’s block? Two books I have been reading gave me the insight needed to understand my withdrawal from writing.

Act Yourself into Feeling

One book I am reading right now is The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John Maxwell. I have read many Maxwell books over the years and was interested in getting his take on how we should pursue personal growth. In the opening chapter, Maxwell identifies eight growth gaps that keep us from realizing our full potential. While all eight gaps can be obstacles to personal growth, one of them was particularly relevant to me: The inspiration gap. Growth will not occur while we are waiting for “the right time” to embark on a course of action that will challenge us to grow. Maxwell cites a quote from Harvard psychologist Jerome Bruner: “You’re more likely to act yourself into feeling than feel yourself into action.” We can rationalize our decision to delay action- “I’ll wait until after Christmas,” “I’ll be ready when the kids move out of the house,” “It will be time when all of our bills are paid.” We can delay ourselves right out of growth opportunities as we wait for a time we feel will be more conducive to challenging ourselves to grow.

Reinvent Yourself in Order to Grow

Another lesson I have taken away from the book The Power of No by James and Claudia Azula Altucher. One of the takeaways from their book is the idea of reinventing yourself. If you are stuck in a rut or are otherwise not where you want to be it is not a life sentence. A five-year plan is advocated for transforming into a “new you.” But, it will never happen unless the decision to change through action is made (act yourself into feeling). I have given a great deal of thought to this idea of personal reinvention. Perhaps that is why blogging had become more difficult, that I would benefit from a “new me” sharing thoughts on whatever is motivating me to action these days.

Defining personal reinvention is still a work in progress for me, but I see it as necessary to stoke the fire that has been smoldering. I am convinced that I am not going through some mid-life crisis (even though I just turned 50). You can be looking at reinvention whether you are 20, 50, or 70. Most of us long to have a clear purpose, one in which we add value to loved ones and others with whom we come in contact. Tomorrow is a good time to reflect on purpose; today is even better.

Marketing Lessons Learned from Burger King

Experience can be a valuable source of learning, whether it is from our own experiences or observing the decisions and actions of others. Two news stories I read last week, both about Burger King, reinforced one of the most important lessons a marketer can learn. I was somewhat surprised because BK has made its share of missteps in recent years and has fought to remain relevant in the quick service burger category. So what was the lesson? It was simple yet powerful: Listen. Listen to what others are saying about you as well as listen to what is going on in the world around you.

Chicken Fries, Please

The first example of Burger King being attuned to the market can be found in the story behind its re-introduction of chicken fries. The menu item was pulled in 2012, but customers have not forgotten it. Tactics such as a Change.org petition, a Facebook group, and Twitter account all paid tribute to chicken fries and advocated their return to the menu. BK listened and has brought back chicken fries… albeit for a “limited time.” It would be understandable if market analysis and other tools of the trade led to the decision to eliminate chicken fries. But, BK had irrefutable evidence iin the form of customers longing, whining, begging, or otherwise demanding to bring back a product they liked. BK listened, and chicken fries are on the menu again.

Be in the Moment

A second example of BK showing why it is important to listen occurred last Monday as news broke about the death of Robin Williams. What would a burger restaurant have to do with the unexpected passing of a beloved entertainer? BK was scheduled to run a promoted trends ad for chicken fries on Twitter Monday evening. However, the real time conversations for which Twitter is known would surely be all about Robin Williams (and they were). Ads for fast food would not mesh well with public sentiment at such a delicate time. BK executives astutely arranged to pull the Twitter promotion. There would be other days to promote chicken fries; the moment was not right. Marketers must live in the moment, knowing when to seize an opportunity (such as the “blackout” during the 2013 Super Bowl) and when to defer to more important matters in the lives of their customers.

Ready to Listen?

Listening is perhaps the undervalued secret weapon in a marketer’s arsenal. The importance of solid communication skills is a given, but the focus tends to be on sending messages, not receiving them. We glorify the masterful copywriter and are in awe of the salesperson who can seemingly sell ice to Eskimos. Listening does not have the glamour of writing or presenting, but commitment to listening and understanding the world around us is essential for communication (and marketing) success).

Rethinking the Marketing Communications Model

I am teaching an undergraduate marketing communications class right now. One of the foundation pieces in the course is study of the traditional communications model and how it works in a marketing context. The model as it has been taught for years mirrors how communication occurs in other contexts- at home, school, work, church, organization meetings- any environment in which you are communicating with other people. But, as I shared the concept with my students I could not help but think the model is outdated for marketing. A different way of looking at communication flow and how marketers should approach the communication process with their audiences is needed.

The Status Quo

In case you are unfamiliar with the traditional communications model to which I am referring, a visual appears below. The most striking characteristic to me (and the one that prompts a call for change) is that the message sender (the marketer) is in command. The model kicks into action when a company or brand wishes to communicate a message to one of its target audiences. The sender controls message encoding (what is said) and channel placement (where it is said). Then, we cross our fingers and hope that the intended recipient is willing to receive it, process it, and give desired feedback (become aware, change beliefs, take action, etc.).

The problem with the status quo is that it is brand centric; more emphasis is put on message sending than being receptive to incoming messages. Case in point, a recent study found that 38 percent of all Facebook posts sent to US brands go unanswered- so much for feedback. In today’s digital world, communication is no longer solely seller driven.

An Alternative Model

Another source of inspiration for questioning the status quo of the traditional communications model came from an article written by Jan Vels Jensen, CMO of Trustpilot, titled “How to Give the Loudest Voice to Your Best Advertisers: Your Customers.” In the article, he advocates that brands seek to replicate old-fashioned conversation by creating digital communities. Stories that customers have about their experiences with your brand, good and bad, should be encouraged rather than something that we get around to if budget and resources allow. The title of the article sums it up- loyal customers can advocate for you, help others by answering questions online, and make you better by giving frank feedback. So, rather than a communications model based on the belief that the marketer is in charge, should we not be approaching interactions in this manner:

It begins by shedding impersonal labels like “receiver,” “consumer,” and “customer.” You want to have conversations with people. Sure, it is great if they do business with us but we want to widen the scope of conversation beyond the typical buyer-seller interaction. The alternative model also proposes that as a business, we are not the only recipient that a person might target. And, the same message might be shared across all channels. For example, have you ever had a bad experience with a business, tweeted or posted to the business’s social media pages, got no response, and proceeded to tell friends, your online social network connections, and even a community of brand users? Thus, the days of ignoring four out of 10 Facebook posts must end. Brands no longer dictate terms of communication. We are a participant and as such should encourage participation through active listening and be ready to communicate when called upon.

Get Over It

The days of brands controlling communication flow are history. Yes, advertising still gives us a channel to use in which we can plan communications (message, timing, and distribution) to a target audience. We can no longer rely on that model alone because customers are talking. Make sure they are heard and give them platforms to not only communicate with you but become your best advertiser.