Creating and Connecting with Brand Champions Online

Are you a Brand Champion?

vs vs My brand is the best…

Why do each of these brands have devoted fans They deliver products that meet the emotional and intellectual needs of consumers They deliver a brand experience that extends beyond just marketing They listen to their consumers and react to their needs Consumers feel connected with the brands themselves and with communities of passionate consumers

They deliver products that meet the emotional and intellectual needs of consumers

They deliver a brand experience that extends beyond just marketing

They listen to their consumers and react to their needs

Consumers feel connected with the brands themselves and with communities of passionate consumers

These devoted fans are Brand Champions They passionately defend their brand as the “right”choice The brand fulfills needs in their life They see the brand as a key ingredient in creating their life experiences They talk passionately to others about their experiences with their chosen brand An emotional connection with their brand may cloud their judgment of other brands

They passionately defend their brand as the “right”choice

The brand fulfills needs in their life

They see the brand as a key ingredient in creating their life experiences

They talk passionately to others about their experiences with their chosen brand

An emotional connection with their brand may cloud their judgment of other brands

vs eMail, Internet, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, photos, video, music, publishing eMail, Internet, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, photos, video, music, publishing The best computer… ARTIST PROGRAMMER

You need to value Brand Champions because… They spend more over their lifetime on brands they love They are evangelists for brands and products They influence sales through their word-of-mouth support of brands and products (online and offline) They can help shape products, services and communication programs that connect with other consumers

They spend more over their lifetime on brands they love

They are evangelists for brands and products

They influence sales through their word-of-mouth support of brands and products (online and offline)

They can help shape products, services and communication programs that connect with other consumers

Two types of Brand Champions 1. ACTIVE EVANGELISTS Actively communicate about their passion Others ask for their opinion because they are seen as an “expert” on a sport or activity More likely to participate in communities of other activity or brand enthusiasts Online: reviews, blogs, message boards, communities Offline: branded clothing, stickers, face-to-face

1. ACTIVE EVANGELISTS

Actively communicate about their passion

Others ask for their opinion because they are seen as an “expert” on a sport or activity

More likely to participate in communities of other activity or brand enthusiasts

Online: reviews, blogs, message boards, communities

Offline: branded clothing, stickers, face-to-face

Two types of Brand Champions 2. PASSIVE ENTHUSIASTS Are passionate about a brand or product but communicate their passion mainly when asked Will create an online review if the sentiment for a product goes against their point of view Feel that a brand fulfills their needs, but they don’t feel the need to “spread the word”

2. PASSIVE ENTHUSIASTS

Are passionate about a brand or product but communicate their passion mainly when asked

Will create an online review if the sentiment for a product goes against their point of view

Feel that a brand fulfills their needs, but they don’t feel the need to “spread the word”

So how can you create Brand Champions? You must acknowledge their needs and desires and engage them throughout an entire spectrum of brand touch points.

The Brand Champion Continuum Moving from Indifference to Devotion

Why is the Internet critical to the pursuit of Brand Champions? The Web is the only place a consumer can completely experience every aspect of your brand It is the only cost effective way to build relationships with your consumers 92.5% of adults said they regularly or occasionally research products online before buying 1 By 2011 50% of durable goods purchased will influenced by online research 2 1 Source: Big Research 2 Source: Forrester 2006

The Web is the only place a consumer can completely experience every aspect of your brand

It is the only cost effective way to build relationships with your consumers

92.5% of adults said they regularly or occasionally research products online before buying 1

By 2011 50% of durable goods purchased will influenced by online research 2

If done right, your Brand Champions will spread the word for you, starting to feed the awareness side of the funnel

2001 digital camera… 6 people I did research and finally bought my first digital camera Digital is great and the Canon S30 is a Great Buy Erik Joel Marianne Kathy Jim Chris “ Passive”

2007 Digital SLR… Infinite… I still love Canon. Nobody could convince me otherwise. I want to share what I learned with others. “ Active”

Consumers will create their list of choices many ways Asking “Experts” they know Doing general online searches “Best digital SLR” Visiting retailers to get information Reading magazines on the topic or activity Seek out topic experts online Seek out communities (clubs, online, message boards)

Asking “Experts” they know

Doing general online searches “Best digital SLR”

Visiting retailers to get information

Reading magazines on the topic or activity

Seek out topic experts online

Seek out communities (clubs, online, message boards)

Online influences are everywhere

I want a digital SLR…

Your brand champions help

I guess it’s vs.

Once a consumer has narrowed their choice of brands they move to the next step of the continuum

The Brand Champion Continuum Moving from Indifference to Devotion

Brand consideration is where a brand’s Web site can make a difference Consumers will go to each brand’s site they are considering and in a hope to get their questions answered

These are the brand sites? Right?

Most brand sites fall short of consumer expectations, why? They don’t understand who is visiting their site They don’t understand why they are visiting The information that is published is easy for marketing to create or leverage from packaging or other places Nobody owns the brand site as a living entity Nobody is listening to consumer’s needs The sites don’t leverage their best sales people, their “Brand Champions”

They don’t understand who is visiting their site

They don’t understand why they are visiting

The information that is published is easy for marketing to create or leverage from packaging or other places

Nobody owns the brand site as a living entity

Nobody is listening to consumer’s needs

The sites don’t leverage their best sales people, their “Brand Champions”

72% have never visited Source: Hanson Dodge Web User Intercept Survey - Major Footwear Brand

76% are researching or buying Source: Hanson Dodge Web User Intercept Survey - Major Footwear Brand

68% will buy within a month Source: Hanson Dodge Web User Intercept Survey - Major Footwear Brand

68% will buy at a store Source: Hanson Dodge Web User Intercept Survey - Major Footwear Brand

What is the value of your site? 100,000 unique visitors a month 76,000 are researching to buy 52,000 will buy within a month 35,000 will buy offline = $3.9M Sales 15,500 will buy online = $1.7M Sales Someone will get $5.6M worth of sales at $110 per pair of boots…

Most existing brand sites…

What consumers want Source: Hanson Dodge Web User Intercept Survey - Major Footwear Brand

If you listen to your consumers they will tell you I want to understand what product is right for me I need to understand the details of XYZ What is the difference between an X and a Y? I want you to tell me more than I can get from a package or a “unknowledgable” sales person How does X compare to the competitors Z So you’re the marketer, what do people really think?

I want to understand what product is right for me

I need to understand the details of XYZ

What is the difference between an X and a Y?

I want you to tell me more than I can get from a package or a “unknowledgable” sales person

How does X compare to the competitors Z

So you’re the marketer, what do people really think?

The new generation of brand sites…

“ Marketing” vs. “Informative” www.canonusa.com www.dpreview.com

VW.com Building a car is easy, informative and fun

Apple.com Content that engages, informs and educates users

Humminbird.com Faceted navigation and complex technologies thru video

Lendal.com Telling the tech story thru video and customization tool

Once the consumer buys we need to deliver on the promises made and start the relationship

The Brand Champion Continuum Moving from Indifference to Devotion

You’re now naked, consumers are exposed to the truths of your brand The brand and product needs to live up to the promises of marketing and the company needs be prepared to support the consumer

Most of the time consumers love their purchase…. Unless…

“ I have had nothing but problems with the XXXX I purchased on Christmas Eve and still haven't used. Not to mention, you don't answer your phone during business hours…. This is the third problem I have with service and parts... I am sure another company would be more than happy to have my business as well as all my coworkers/family/friends… ” “ I am now furious with your company…”

Negative also spreads quickly I made a big mistake!!! I want to make sure others don’t do the same thing… “ Active”

A brand’s site needs to make support simple and easy Make it easy to call, eMail or Chat with with a rep Give them access to a comprehensive knowledgebase Create a discussion forum for consumers to share in the support needs of others Monitor the feedback from consumers and adjust, react and revise your service approach to fix issues quickly Ask your consumers how you are doing and listen to online reviews to find issues

Make it easy to call, eMail or Chat with with a rep

Give them access to a comprehensive knowledgebase

Create a discussion forum for consumers to share in the support needs of others

Monitor the feedback from consumers and adjust, react and revise your service approach to fix issues quickly

Ask your consumers how you are doing and listen to online reviews to find issues

Give them support and start communicating

After the purchase, users will come back to your site for a few other reasons To validate their purchase decision Find ways to stay connected with the brand To find tutorials, how-to-guides, ways to engage in the sport or activity To look for add-on products or accessories

To validate their purchase decision

Find ways to stay connected with the brand

To find tutorials, how-to-guides, ways to engage in the sport or activity

To look for add-on products or accessories

Apple.com Simple, easy how to videos and content

I really want a portrait lens Is there a good one I can afford? $89, that’s a deal!!!! Online Community = Buy 50mm f1.8 Brand Site = A list of lens, HUH?? Dealer = Don’t Have, Sells instantly Online Retailer = Great Reviews

Help them enjoy the sport or activities you impact Develop community within your sites Give them tools to interact with each other and share content about their passions Create content that helps “newbies” Get experts to contribute content or engage online Get permission to communicate with users about meaningful topics (activities, events, tips, etc.)

Develop community within your sites

Give them tools to interact with each other and share content about their passions

Create content that helps “newbies”

Get experts to contribute content or engage online

Get permission to communicate with users about meaningful topics (activities, events, tips, etc.)

Burton.com/community/ Give users tools to connect with each other. “ Actives” will participate vs. “Passives” who monitor

Harley-davidson.com Give them content and tools to engage with the sport

Jeep.com Let your users inspire each other with their content

A great product experience, stellar customer service and a connection with their lifestyle… Creates Brand Champions

The Brand Champion Continuum Moving from Indifference to Devotion

Your Champions want to stay connected Build ways for Champions to give back to the community of users Give them exclusive access to content, news, new products, etc. so they feel special Listen to them directly and by monitoring what they are saying elsewhere Create ways to engage them to help create content

Build ways for Champions to give back to the community of users

Give them exclusive access to content, news, new products, etc. so they feel special

Listen to them directly and by monitoring what they are saying elsewhere

Create ways to engage them to help create content

Trekbikes.com Let consumers sell your products in their words

LetLeviRide.com Support the causes your consumers care about

Xaviertube.ning.com Solicit your users to tell your story through video

IamWolverine.com Engage users to build your next campaign

Trekbikes.com/trek_life/ Make it easy for champions to stay “in the know”

Series13.com Give Champions the power create unique products

Trekbikes.com/women Engage your Champions to create a dialogue with others

Trekbikes.com/i/ Embrace new ways to deliver your content to Brand Champions and the “feet on the street”

The Brand Champion Continuum Moving from Indifference to Devotion

In the end it is simple… FIND where your target consumers and brand champions are interacting online LISTEN to what they are saying to better understand what they want and need from your brand ENGAGE your users in a dialogue and create new ways for your consumers to interact with your brand EMPOWER your Brand Champions to create stories and lead conversations about your brand to actively influence others Source: Steve Rubel - www.micropersuasion.com

Give me feedback on this presentation. greenroom.hansondodge.com/mima/ My Contact Info: Bryan Rasch [email_address] 414-510-8455 Cell Linkedin.com/in/bryanrasch/

What else is on our “Active Minds”? blog.hansondodge.com research.hansondodge.com

What else is on our “Active Minds”? blog.hansondodge.com

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