Is consumer trust online misplaced? Can brands do anything to change this?
We've all done it. In our decision making process to purchase something of fairly high value such as a holiday or fancy gadget; or when we think about a purchase that requires a long term commitment such as a mobile contract or gym membership; we ask trusted friends for their opinions and experiences.
It's human nature. We're doing our best to eliminate any risk, whether this be associated with cost or contract catches, anything really. We're after value for money and want to hear about any experiences, warts 'n' all. Based upon the information we gather from these trusted sources, we make what we feel is the best decision for ourselves.
PRSA Counselors Academy says mastering social media skills is vital this year
An online survey conducted in April and May among 450 members of the Counselors Academy, a Professional Interest Section of the Public Relations Society of America, revealed that mastering social media skills is one of the top three issues for PR professionals in 2009/2010.
When Twitter met Yammer
I have been exploring for a while to see if a link between our customer service agents on Yammer and our customers on Twitter exists. Is there a point at which the two platforms could come together in the provision of customer service?
Happily there is. It's a bit clunky but it works. And the answer is '#yam'.
Never run out of toilet paper again
Down to one square of TP? Is the dog out of kibble, the soap in the bathroom down to a sliver, and you can't find an envelope to mail that letter or a bandage for your blister? Don't blame Alice if you can't think, plan or shop ahead.
Alice.com launched today in beta. The new commerce site sells "household essentials," those necessary staples such as soap and shampoo, tissues and detergent, pet food and aluminum foil...and doesn't charge a shipping fee. Instead, they rely on customer loyalty -- the fact that consumers need to keep buying all this stuff
Did you ChaCha with "Angels and Demons"?
What's the appeal of entertaining mobile answer services? For example, were you one of the almost North American 500 mobile ChaCha text questioners wanting to know the running time for "Angels and Demons"? If so, why? Are we so busy that we would choose a movie based on its running time?
The nifty thing about ChaCha (tagline: ur mobile bff) is it isn't mobile-only. You can visit the website to query the types of questions submitted and read the responses. Following, are some of the more interesting queries about "Angels and Demons":
Price is important online. But not as important as reputation.
Getting the cheapest deal possible is made easier online, but it's not neccessarily what consumers are looking for. According to a new survey by Webcredible, reputation now counts more than price online.
The user experience consultancy found that 28% of the 1300 online shoppers polled are most likely to make a purchase based on the reputation of a website. That number was followed closely by price: 26% of consumers surveyed said that price was the most important factor when making a purchase.
But it proves that consumers are shopping with brands they trust online. And that leaves an opening for retailers to win new customers without simply cutting into their profit margins.
3 basic ingredients for an online social community to exist and thrive
It's still happening! Brands are doing their best to manufacture social communities using the social web with varying degrees of success. The majority of 'forced' online communities would appear to be made up of family, friends and those willing to give support...but not really going anywhere.
How many such company-originated Facebook groups have you seen that are genuinely thriving and active? Most don't really go anywhere, but on the rare occasion some really do take off.
I've tried to analyse why and I think there may be a need to go back to basics; your feedback is most welcome on these thoughts.
Convincing the boss to invest in social media
So, you've decided to 'get social' with customers on the web, but how can you build strong reasoning to support the decision? How can you get the boss on your team and actively investing in social media at your side?
The beginning, middle and end of brand storytelling
Storytelling is being hailed as the new big idea, but it's not that new. What makes a good story in this viral, user-generated, post advertising world has always made a good story.
From papyrus to pulpit to plasma screen, the attributes of a ripping yarn have remained the same: credibility, digestibility, and most importantly, emotional resonance.
How do you sell razors to men who don't shave? Ask P&G
How do you increase sales for a product that is already the leader in the market?
Increase interest in the market. That’s what Procter & Gamble did
when they wanted to grow sales of their razors in India.
P&G's Gillette razors are the most popular razors in India. But sales had been stagnant for years, mostly due to a natural bias against shaving. Indian men often prefer to avoid razors altogther, choosing instead to grow facial hair.
In addition, the Mach III costs about 10 times more than the competition, a straight razor. So how did P&G jump these hurdles? By growing the market through social media.
Social media: the best and worst of 2009
Email marketing: six steps to improving customer engagement in 2010
Web 2.0
Graham Charlton
Strategy & Planning
