A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action FUTURE LAB Feel free to re-use or mash-up this presentation under Creative Commons 2.0 licence (non-commercial, attribution) For more information on this topic, subscribe to: http://blog.futurelab.net

The central theme for Marktplein DM is Marktplein 2.0: A little less action, a little more conversation . A theme that comes from the current developments in DM and online. The consumer is ever more in charge. Only he seldomly talks with the companies he buys from. And ever more with others about the brands he buys. Positive and negative. During Marktplein 2.0: A little less action, a little more conversation you will hear stories from companies who recognise this new situation and act upon it. FUTURE LAB From the conference brochure

Word-of-mouth is 7x more effective than newspaper advertising, 5x stronger than a personal sales pitch and 2x as effective as radio advertising Marketing Science Institute, 2006 1967 1983 2001 2007 1955 FUTURE LAB

After 52 years of facts and research stating that WOM is key … do marketers still need to learn how to deal with it FUTURE LAB

WE FOCUS ON THE SYMPTOMS, RATHER THAN THE DISEASE WE DON’T GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING ENOUGH TO TALK “ABOUT” WE PREFER A ONE NIGHT STAND OVER A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP FUTURE LAB

WE FOCUS ON THE SYMPTOMS, RATHER THAN THE DISEASE WE DON’T GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING ENOUGH TO TALK “ABOUT” WE PREFER A ONE NIGHT STAND OVER A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP FUTURE LAB

What drives conversations? FUTURE LAB

EXPERIENCE – EMOTION – WOM

Source: SRD Group, Customer Satisfaction Averages, New Zealand, 2006 “ 44% of consumers say the majority of their Customer Experiences are “bland” Customer Satisfaction Averages, New Zealand, 2006

And most wouldn’t recommend a brand BTW: The same often applies to the people working for the brand themselves Telecom Europe = - 48% Profusion, 2005

80% of CEO’s believe their brand provides a superior customer experience 8 % of their customers agree (Bain & Company) FUTURE LAB

80% of CEO’s believe their brand provides a superior customer experience

8 % of their customers agree

(Bain & Company)

Do you talk about brands that leave you indifferent? FUTURE LAB

Does your brand systematically delight customers? FUTURE LAB TO AFFECT THE CONVERSATION DON’T FOCUS ON WOM AS A SYMPTOM YET START DELIGHTING CUSTOMERS

WE FOCUS ON THE SYMPTOMS, RATHER THAN THE DISEASE WE DON’T GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING ENOUGH TO TALK “ABOUT” WE PREFER A ONE NIGHT STAND OVER A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP FUTURE LAB

In a million channel world, brands whose consumers tell the best stories, win FUTURE LAB

Tell me stories that make my conversations more interesting Don’t Just Tell Me Anything

FEATURES - BENEFITS VALUES - PROPOSITIONS WHERE ARE THE STORIES ??? FUTURE LAB

Brands must become storytellers FUTURE LAB So it is possible for customers to talk about them.

THE GREATEST MARKETING STORY EVER

Origins Pope Innocent III Fourth Lateran Council (1215) Birthstones

BUT WHY THE DIAMONDS?

1938: Harry Oppenheimer meets Gerold M. Lauk of N.W.Ayer FUTURE LAB

1938 Europe FUTURE LAB 1953 1948 1990s Cullinan IX Cullinan III & IV

FUTURE LAB Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0FDGnAIWpk

1967 The Beers Goes Japan (occasional) 1972 Diamonds = 27% 1981 Diamonds = 60% 2007 Second largest diamond market (after US) Stories replace 1,500 years tradition

Hemingway Van Gogh Chabrol Sartre ...

What is the story of your brand? FUTURE LAB TO AFFECT THE CONVERSATION TELL STORIES WHICH CUSTOMERS CAN AND WANT TO TALK ABOUT

WE FOCUS ON THE SYMPTOMS, RATHER THAN THE DISEASE WE DON’T GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING ENOUGH TO TALK “ABOUT” WE PREFER A ONE NIGHT STAND OVER A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP FUTURE LAB

Renault vs. SonyStyle Are You a One Night Brand?

How often do you really talk to your customers?

We show that we value our customers by serving them well, putting their needs and interests at the center of everything we do. (AOL mission statement) Do you keep your promises? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaaAYVUWP0I

TO AFFECT THE CONVERSATION YOU WANT ME TO CARE If you want me to care … Call me Write me Buy me flowers But don’t dare take me for granted FUTURE LAB

FOCUS ON THE DISEASE, BY MAKING THE TOTAL EXPERIENCE UNIQUE TELL STORIES SO PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT IF YOU WANT CUSTOMERS TO COMMIT TO YOU, SHOW SOME COMMITMENT FIRST FUTURE LAB

But I’m just a marketer That is not my department … FUTURE LAB

YES IT IS … Your brand communicates every time it touches a customer. As a marketer you need to manage this communication. This makes you responsible for each “ moment of truth” FUTURE LAB

Identify every touchpoint of your brand Prioritise it’s (emotional) importance to the customer Determine what your brand promise means at this touchpoint Enlist support of your colleagues, retailers, … Measure and manage Consider Each Moment of Truth as a Brand Expression Source: DAVIS S., LONGORIA T., “Harmonising Your Touchpoints”, Brand Packaging, Jan/Feb 2003 FUTURE LAB

Identify every touchpoint of your brand

Prioritise it’s (emotional) importance to the customer

Determine what your brand promise means at this touchpoint

Enlist support of your colleagues, retailers, …

Measure and manage

TO MANAGE WORD-OF-MOUTH YOU NEED TO MANAGE THE EMOTION TO MANAGE THE EMOTION, YOU NEED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE EXPERIENCE THIS MEANS GETTING INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING YOUR BUSINESS DOES FUTURE LAB

A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action FUTURE LAB Feel free to re-use or mash-up this presentation under Creative Commons 2.0 licence (non-commercial, attribution)