I receive a plethora of studies from companies claiming to have the newest, latest and greatest information when it comes to consumer research and social media. There are two studies that really grabbed my attention. I wanted to share that information with you.
Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies released a study on “Why Social Media Matters.” The study included statistics from Facebook and Twitter on the increase in social media usage. The numbers are staggering. There are more than 400 million active users on Facebook. More than 20 million people become fans of Facebook pages every day. Twitter is seeing 50 million tweets per day. The study also found that 51% of Facebook fans and 67% of Twitter followers are more likely to purchase from the brands they follow.
Ogilvy Chicago and Communispace Corporation also released a study called “Eyes Wide Open, Wallet Half Shut” on the post recession consciousness. What piqued my curiosity was how the consumer “circle of trust has shrunk to include that which is close, tangible and personal”. Consumers are more active, deliberate and complex than before. They are doing more research, reading more labels, comparison shopping and talking with their peers before making purchases.
Josh Mendelsohn, VP at Chadwick Martin Bailey states, “Companies not actively engaging are missing a huge opportunity and are saying something to consumers – intentionally or unintentionally – about how they are willing to engage on consumer’s terms.” I agree with that statement.
Brand affinity is now being determined more by what consumers are saying than by what companies are saying. Allowing consumers to take the lead in the conversation about your brand is a major shift in corporate marketing strategy, however, it sends a very clear message to your consumers. It says “we value you, your opinions and your input.” The companies willing to make this shift and create a personal relationship with consumers will reap the benefits with increased fan page growth and retention, peer referrals and most importantly, sales.
Tags: customer engagement, customer serivce, marketing, social media
March 26, 2010 at 10:47 pm |
Hi Janet,
What ideas do you have for engaging consumers? Don;t you see lots of talk about ‘engagement’ and little action?
March 29, 2010 at 4:27 pm |
Jason-
Good question! Here are some tactics that I think are under-utilized by wineries! They go beyond the obvious (Twitter, Facebook etc)
Many wineries don’t know that there is a Yelp or CitySearch page where their tasting rooms and wines are being discussed are reviewed. You can claim and customize your Yelp page, add offers (ie. Mention you found us on Yelp and we’ll wave your tasting fee), and most importantly you can enter dialog with customers who have reviewed your products. Let your customers know that you hear their feedback and you care about what they have to say. Yelp has some great user guides and tools to help you craft thoughtful responses. I think every business owner should be keenly aware of their Yelp and CitySearch presence. They are great tools for building loyalty, referrals and monitoring your reputation.
Another engagement piece I recommend is video. A short video (2-3 minutes max) can really communicate the essence of your winery and your unique qualities. The “story” of the winery is a factor in the wine-purchase process. For the small wineries that we have created videos for, they have really increased their visibility within the industry: They are getting invited to pour at more events, more interest from restaurateurs and increased traffic to their tasting rooms. Videos are a great tool to tell and sell your unique story.
If you want to see some examples of winery videos, check out the WA Wine Commission Social Page: http://www.washingtonwinesocial.org/
Hope this helps!
March 29, 2010 at 9:17 pm |
Jason,
I see lots of posts that give a “one size fits all” or a “five easy steps” solution but the solution isn’t always that simple As individuals, we don’t cookie cut our personal relationships, so why would a brand want to treat consumers that way. The companies that are able to grasp this distinction are the ones that are able to make the shift.
As a marketer and a fellow wine consumer, I prefer video. When done correctly, it engages more of the senses than other mediums. Sometimes, I swear I can almost smell the wine. It trumps ratings anyday!
Cheers, Janet