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2011 Trends (4 of 4)

December 5, 2010

Okay, we are rounding the bend on our look at trendwatching.com's top 11 consumer trends for 2011. If you missed the first three installments, just click on these links: Part one, part two and of course, part three.

9.Planned Spontaneity: With lifestyles having become fragmented, with dense urban environments offering consumers any number of instantly available options, and with cell /smartphones having created a generation who have little experience of making (or sticking to) rigid plans, 2011 will see what trendwatching.com calls full-on “planned spontaneity.”

Brands can expect to see consumers in 2011 rushing to sign up to services (the planned part) that allow for endless and almost effortless mass mingling with friends, family, colleagues or strangers (the spontaneity part). A developing segment of this trend is consumers signing up for mobile services that passively and constantly broadcast their location.

Question re: trend #9: We've seen the breadcrumbs of this trend with all of the geo-locating services out there like Foursquare and Gowalla. I think you can also point to TweetUps and other "let's just hang" but planned events. Even the Laid Back Networking Event that McLellan Marketing Group hosts every quarter.

Could you create this sort of planned spontaneity that would attract potential customers? Or perhaps an exclusive gathering for your clients? Then, once you have them together — could you give the event some sort of twist that would make it feel spontaneous and a little crazy. (makes me think of a flashmob kind of energy.)

10.Eco-Superior: When it comes to ‘green consumption’, brands should expect a rise in “eco-superior” products; products that are not only eco-friendly, but superior to polluting incumbents in every possible way. Trendwatching.com says brands should think of a combination of eco-friendly yet superior functionality, superior design, and/or superior savings.

Question re: trend #10: This feels like old news to me. We've been talking green for the last several years. So my question is this — how do you make this tired old trend feel new to your customers and prospects? When you combine the "old news" aspect of this trend with the economic pinch that many people and companies are experiencing — I think you have to make this about the pocketbook. So how do you do that?

11:Owner-less: Fractional ownership and lifestyle leasing business models have re-emerged, with services such as car-sharing and public bike programs enjoying success around the globe. For many consumers, access is better than ownership.

Question re: trend #11: This demands a completely new way of thinking about sales. Especially if you are a big ticket purchase — how could you group potential buyers who are reluctant to pull the trigger on the entire amount? Could you lease, rent or somehow break up your offering?

Okay…those are the 11 trends that trendswatching.com says we should be prepping for. How are you going to take this information and capitalize on it in 2011?

2011 trends (post 3 of 4)

December 4, 2010

For the last couple days, we've been working our way through Trendwatching.com's top 11 consumer trends for 2011. (Read parts 1 and 2)

We're exploring them in small sets so we can dig in a little deeper. Today, we'll look at trends 7 & 8 (bet you can guess what's coming tomorrow!)

7.‘Twin-sumers’ and ‘Social-lites:’ Both of these types of online consumers identified by trendwatching.com are critical to spreading positive word-of-mouth recommendations.

Twin-sumers are consumers with similar consumer patterns, likes and dislikes, and who are hence valuable sources for recommendations on what to buy and experience, while social-lites are consumers who consistently broadcast information to a wide range of associates online.

Question re: trend #7: This trend is acknowledging the rising importance of what is now being called P2P (person to person) marketing. It's a fancy way of saying word of mouth. But as consumers grow both more frugal and more skeptical — finding influencers like the Twin-sumers and Social-lites will become even more vital to our marketing efforts.

Of course…social media is the amplifier in the equation. One co-worker telling another co-worker about a new restaurant and the terrible service they got has now become a Facebook update, with 500+ friends seeing the same story.

So the question of course is this — who among your current customers who have broad circles of friends/social media contacts? What would get them to talk about your offerings? It's certainly not going to happen if you simply meet their expectations. What could you do, say, offer, ask, share that would be remarkable enough to tell others?

8.Emerging Generosity: This trend is about brands and wealthy individuals from emerging markets (especially China) who will increasingly be expected to give, donate, care and sympathize, as opposed to just sell and take.

It’s a profound cultural change and a consumer demand that their counterparts in mature markets have had a few years to getting used to.

Question re: trend #8: This trend ties to their first trend — the random acts of kindness. But now the generosity isn't aimed at your consumers, it's offered to the world. Or at least your part of the world.

Now, this isn't just closing your eyes and choosing a charity to support. This is all about understanding your brand the way Avon and Dove do. Or how Dawn recognized it had a natural tie to the oil spill and the animals harmed by the oil.

This is really a three-fold question. First — what cause is the perfect fit for your brand? Second — how can you engage your employees and customers in the cause? And third — how do you tell the world about your efforts without bragging or coming off like you're patting yourself on the back?

2011 trends (part 2 of 4)

December 3, 2010

Yesterday I introduced you to Trendwatching.com's top 11 consumer trends for 2011.

We're exploring them in small sets so we can dig in a little deeper. You can check out the first three trends (click on the link) or just jump into the discussion on trends 4, 5 and 6.

4. Made for China/Emerging Economies: In 2011, expect an increasing number of ‘Western’ brands to launch new products or even new brands dedicated to consumers in emerging markets.

Growth in consumer spending in emerging markets far outpaces consumer spending in developed markets, and Western brands are favored more than local brands in emerging markets. Western brands including Levi-Strauss, Apple and BMW have already capitalized on this trend.

Question re: trend #4: For many of us, we aren't global in our reach and we're not going to be in 2011. So how does this trend affect our organizations?

What's actually most interesting about this trend is that these emerging market consumers love when American products are customizes for them. (levi's with a slimmer fit, etc.) They have a strong need for recognition and being catered to. Now that's a trend all of us can sink our teeth into.

How can you allow your consumers to customize or tailor your offerings? Can you build in tiers or options? Can you communicate more completely why you designed some aspect of your product/service (we know you like to listen to our podcasts while you work out so we've custom recorded 20, 30 and 45 minute versions, so you can choose the podcast that fits your workout timetable, etc.) showing that you built it with them in mind?

5.Online Status Symbols: In 2011, trendwatching.com recommends that brands supply customers with any kind of symbol, virtual or ‘real world,’ that helps them display to peers their online contributions, interestingness, creations or popularity.

This includes personalized social networking memorabilia as well as location-based games and contests which award virtual or real-world prizes.

Question re: trend #5: This really ties into my spin on #4. We like to be accomplished and we like to be able to show off our accomplishments. Whether they are Gowalla passport stamps, being a Foursquare mayor or having our answer be voted the best of the bunch on LinkedIn — we want a way to show off. But we don't want to look like we're showing off. There's the thin line.

How could you help your clients "keep score" or "earn rankings?" Is there a way to give them a sense of social eliteness?

6.’Wellthy:’ Growing numbers of consumers will expect health products and services in 2011 to prevent misery if not improve their quality of life, rather than merely treating illnesses and ailments. Products such as mobile health monitoring devices, as well as online health apps and health-dedicated social networks, will serve the multichannel wellness needs of consumers.

Question re: trend #6: There are all kinds of wellness — physical, mental, spiritual, intellectual etc. Can you tap into this trend by relieving suffering in any of the wellness categories and improving your client's quality of life?

This works very well in the B to B category as well. There are many pains you can remove from someone with a painstaking boss, or an ROI driven CFO.

By the way, I am not suggesting you get pun crazy with the wellness trend. I think you speak in your client's language about what is causing them pain and how you can relieve it. This isn't about being cute, it's about being incredibly relevant.

So what do you think? Any of these trends triggering some marketing ideas for 2011?

2011 trends (part 1 of 4)

December 2, 2010

Our friends at trendwatching.com spend all day, every day, tracking, watching and anticipating trends that will impact us as consumers, as business leaders/owners and certainly as marketing professionals.

They just released their top 11 consumer trends for 2011. Rather than try and shove all 11 into a single blog post, I'm going to break them up into bite-sized posts and dig in that way over the next few days. Easier to digest!

I've added a question or two after each trend — to get you thinking about how you could capitalize on it.

1.Random acts of kindness: Consumers’ cravings for realness, for the human touch, ensure that everything from brands randomly picking up the tab to sending a surprise gift will be one of the most effective ways to connect with customers and prospects in 2011, especially beleaguered consumers in North America, Europe and Japan.

Question re: trend #1: This is really about surprising your customers and prospects. How could you build in (they don't happen accidentally) a little bit of delight?

What could you do in a seemingly random fashion (like Southwest's enthusiastic flight attendants) that would generate some word of mouth buzz and make your customers feel special and appreciated?

2.Urbanization: Urbanization remains one of the absolute mega trends for the coming decade, with about the global population currently living in urban areas. Urban consumers tend to be more daring, more liberal, more tolerant, more experienced, more prone to trying out new products and services. In emerging markets, these effects tend to be even more pronounced, with new arrivals finding themselves distanced from traditional social and familial structures, while constantly exposed to a wider range of alternatives.

Question re: trend #2: The interesting part of this trend to me is the idea that people are longing for traditional social structures but moving away from them. As humans, we need to belong.

How could you create a sense of shared interest or goals among your customers? Could you give them something to band together around? Maybe this is where your charitable giving comes into play? Could you create a cause marketing "family" that holds your customers close to you, like Avon has done with with their breast cancer efforts?

3.Pricing Pandemonium: Mobile devices and social networks allow consumers to constantly receive targeted offers and discounts, even at the point of sale from a rival brand, as well as join interest groups. Brands should target consumers with offers and features such as instant mobile coupons and discounts, online group discounts, flash sales, and dynamic pricing based on real-time supply and demand.

Question re: trend #3: Okay…I'm going to buck the trend a little on this one. What if instead of bombarding your customers with coupons and deals (which always makes me worry that they're going to wonder why you haven't done that before) you create a secret place for where only your best customers (who of course will tell everyone they know) can access special deals?

Remember how much we all love feeling special, being in the know and being able to demonstrate that we're among the elite. Could your pricing strategy take advantage of this trend combined with those human truths?

Come on back tomorrow and we'll look at the next set of trends!

Use word of mouth to score your next job

November 30, 2010

Word of mouth sells products and services every day. In fact, 67% of consumers say that WOM is the #1 influencer of their buying decisions.

Why would work any differently when someone is "buying" a new employee?

Here's how you can amplify some word of mouth for your next job search.

I end up having coffee with many people looking for work. They might have been fired, downsized or are a college graduate just starting out. They're looking for someone to run their resume by, someone who might be able to help them make connections and often, just someone to listen. (I have some specific advice I give college kids but I'll save that for another post.)

I try to offer them as much help as I can. One thing I always do is describe what I believe is the surefire way to find your next job. I've seen it work every time someone has tried it. But it requires some work and discipline. Which is why most people never bother with it.

And why many of them are still looking for work.

If you're serious about finding the next job — follow these instructions and then watch what happens.

1. Make a list of 100 or so people (you will need email and phone numbers) that you believe would want you to succeed. This might be family, friends, former co-workers, professional group colleagues, neighbors and the people you know from the PTA, gym, church or softball league.

In other words, think long and wide. Ideally, they should all either live where you want to work or be wired into the industry you want to be a part of. If you are looking for a job in your hometown of Chicago, your cousin in Houston isn't as good a choice as your next door neighbor. Unless he's connected. Then, keep him on the list.

2. Write an email that basically says:

I am looking for my next job and I am trying to build an army of people who will help me find that new job by making introductions, sharing their knowledge of companies and people, keeping their ear to the ground, etc.

If you'd be willing to be a part of my team, I promise I will not abuse your kindness and that I will pay it forward by helping others when they ask down the road. My plan to to send you one update email per week.

In this email, I will include any meetings, interviews, ads answered and other activity done that week. I will also share what I have on my to do list for the following week. All I ask is that you read the email and if you know any of the people or companies and can put in a good word – you do.

Would you be willing to get this weekly email from me and help if you can?

3. Wait for replies and based on the yeahs or nays you get — build your mailing list. Most people, if you choose wisely, will say yes and be genuinely glad to help.

Send them your updated resume and a detailed description of the type of job you are seeking. Be candid about your strengths and weaknesses. Help them help you.

4. On the following Friday morning, compose and send your first email. Include:

Coffees/meetings held
Interviews
Phone contacts made
Ads answered/jobs applied for
Interviews set up for the following week
People you are trying to make contact with
Any specific things you need help with (review the resume, mock interview practice, etc.)
And then, send it on it's way and let the army go to work.

If you are going to employ this tactic, you absolutely MUST send an email every week. Share the good weeks and the bad. This isn't the place to whine, complain or gossip.

This is not your diary, where you can air all the emotions that come with a job search. This is a top line report of your efforts. Nothing more or less.

If you activate this job search army, you will be amazed at their reach and their willingness to help you. Be respectful of their time, be humble and say thank you often to those who help.

Most important – once you land that next job, remember your promise to pay it forward.

Note: I am not negating LinkedIn, Facebook, or any other social media tool. When you're looking for a job — it's all hands on deck. But there is something very powerful, affirming and effective about mobilizing a team of people who truly can get you past the gatekeepers and onto a short list of candidates.

Word of mouth sells products and services every day. In fact, 67% of consumers say that WOM is the #1 influencer of their buying decisions. Why do you think it would work any differently when someone is "buying" a new employee?

What if you just talked like a real human being?

November 26, 2010

I began my career as a copywriter and at the core, it's still how I think of myself. I love creating emotional responses, telling stories and drawing pictures with words. (This could be due to the fact that I cannot draw them any other way!)

But I've always believed that many marketing writers have missed the point. We're not supposed to be so clever and so fancy that we confuse people. We're not supposed to use inside jargon or bloated words (empower, paradigm, etc.) that have been so badly overused that they are meaningless.

We are supposed to talk like regular human beings.

Sure, you can be a remarkable storyteller like the folks at J. Peterman's catalog or fire people up like Steve Farber can — but you do it in language they can understand and relate to.

Check out this black Friday sales e-mail from the StoryPeople organization, located in my home state of Iowa. (click on the link to see their cool building!)

Sure, they're announcing a sale but listen to how human they sound.

Subject: Happy Bright Friday! Yippee! (because calling it Black Friday is just too bleak…)

OK, we were hanging out at the studio this morning & for very good reasons, we started a game of Let's Pretend. Why? you may ask…

Because, we would answer, given our usual balmy Iowa November weather, outside there was ice coming down in sheets the size of billboards. We HAD to pretend that it was all a bad dream & that it was happening SOMEWHERE ELSE. Somewhere else where we weren't. Like Narnia, or the South Pole, or someplace like that, where they like ice coming down in sheets.

It was fun for a while, but the ice didn't want to play along. Boo, ice! So, we decided to play something else instead. Ben suggested a game of Rename The Day After Thanksgiving. Because really, who likes the name Black Friday? We don't know who called it that in the first place, but obviously, they were having a really bad day.

Once we got started, of course, we got all happy & chirpy again (as long as no one looked outside). After much lively discussion & laughter, we voted to call it Bright Friday instead.

(But don't worry. We're not like the government, where even if it's a stupid idea, you're stuck with it. We think of it as a temporary name until someone comes up with something better. To be honest, we didn't have a lot to work with. It was one of two suggestions. The other was Rainbows & Unicorns Friday. See? Bright Friday doesn't sound so bad after all, does it?)

Because it seems like just the kind of day that demands a celebration, we're doing a StoryPeople special in honor of Bright Friday. Woo hoo! For the entire month from now until, well, a month from now. (We first thought it'd make sense to keep with the whole 30 days in a month theme & give you 30% off of all purchases of 30, or more, things. But that didn't seem all that bright, being that it was Bright Friday & all…)

So, we went with 30% off of all purchases of 3, or more, of everything. (Ok, except for individual greeting cards, furniture, holiday ornaments & our create-your-own products. Because we're swamped right now & that would push us completely over the edge. But that still leaves tons more stuff & all the rest of it is fair game.) So pick any three things- a sculpture, a book, a print, you name it & we'll give you 30% off for 30 days. Hooray for Bright Friday…

Oh yeah, one more thing…

Don't forget that you have until November 29th to nominate your favorite Princess for the only-one-in-the-whole-world StoryPeople tiara. If you haven't heard yet, the tiara was done by Lynne the Jeweler who does all the StoryPeople holiday ornaments. (Which, by the way, are only guaranteed to arrive in time for the holidays if you order by November 29th.) So, if you haven't done it already, nominate your favorite Princess (since we're running out of time, be sure you send it via email to Annette@storypeople.com) by telling us who they are & why they should be crowned this year's StoryPeople Princess of the Known Universe. Heck, if you want to make it really easy, just add it to the comment at the end of your order when you stock up on this year's limited edition StoryPeople holiday ornaments… 🙂

No matter what, make sure you get everything in by November 29th (because, no kidding, this once-in-a-lifetime chance at the tiara ends then. We're putting our foot down. Even with Bright Friday dancing into sight, ice is still coming down in sheets. So, don't even think about messing with us on this… 🙂

We look forward to seeing you at StoryPeople.com soon (& even if we don't, let us know how your Bright Friday goes. We have a feeling with a name like that, it's going to be fabulous…)

With love,

The Crew at StoryPeople

Did they make their point? Sure… they're having a sale. But they did it in a way that sounds quite human. And also very true to their brand. Can you imagine seeing an ad that says "because we're swamped right now & that would push us completely over the edge?" I'd like the company that had the courage to do it.

How about you? Could you copy use a little humanization?

By the way… thanks to reader Rebecca (love that Rebecca!) for sharing the e-mail copy. I'd never h eard of the StoryPeople before, despite their Iowa location.

But, I see that they're selling a book by Twitter sensation Tim Siedell (twitter name: BadBanana) who I knew way before he was twitter funny and he guest blogged here while I vacationed. Tim and I share a love of branding, Disney and David Ogilvy. He blogs too. He is a twisted sister of funny, so check out the book.

Gratitude: My greatest gift

November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving! Even if you're not in the states — why not take a moment today and remember some of the blessings you have in your life?

I try very hard to make my blog about you. I want to infuse value, insights and fresh ideas in every post.

But I believe that one of the most powerful emotions we can experience is gratitude. I believe it literally can move mountains and change hearts. On this day of giving thanks, I ask your forgiveness as I recognize my own incredible good fortune.

Anyway…enough prelude.

In 2006 at the Balanced Life Center blog, the author created the Season of Gratitude. She invited other bloggers to share “a gratitude moment” and I couldn’t resist joining in back then and I can't resist making this my annual Thanksgiving post.

It is more true today than when I wrote it 4 years ago. Here is my own Thanksgiving homage:

Rather than create a laundry list of the incredible and plentiful blessings that I am surrounded with every day, I decided to narrow my focus to my greatest gift.

My daughter. She is quite simply the best part of me.

Her questions force me to find my own clarity. Her humor is the perfect salve for a stressful day. Her fears remind me of my own humanity and her teen-induced insecurities keep my heart tender.

Her zest for life’s delights feeds my spirit and her need to re-charge urges me to slow down now and then. Her laughter triggers my own (sometimes in the most inappropriate places and times) and her tears show me the depth of my own vulnerability.

Her drive to succeed tempers my own so we can talk about balance and her sense of discovery (both academic and of self) lets me indulge in the same.

Her need to learn about the responsibilities that come along with being given a good life allows me to share my talents unselfishly and take her along for the ride.

Her presence gives me purpose. Her future gives me hope. And her faith in me inspires me to be a better person.

She is my Jiminy Cricket. She is my legacy. And she is, every single day, my season of gratitude.

How about you….will you take a moment and share your season of gratitude with us?

How Disney says “I’m sorry”

November 24, 2010

It's inevitable…we're going to make a mistake or disappoint a customer. And while Love Story might have told us that "love means never having to say you're sorry" I'm pretty sure that if we really want to create a love affair with our customers — we do on occasion, have to apologize.

The brilliant marketers at Disney know that for many, a trip to one of their resorts is a once in a lifetime event for a family. So if they mess up, they'd better apologize in a big way.

Like most hotels, check in at Disney's Boardwalk is 4 pm. But our room wasn't ready until around 6 pm. Oops.

How did Disney handle their error? First, we got a $200 credit on our room tab. And then, there was a knock at the door and room service presented us with this beautiful (and delicious) 8" white chocolate Mickey and four tuxedo'd chocolate covered strawberries.

Do you suppose that right after we finally checked in, someone scrambled to figure out how to make things right with us? Of course not. Disney had a plan in place and all the cast member had to do was put it into action.

How about you — what's your white chocolate Mickey? Don't wait until after you've disappointed a customer to figure out how to apologize.

Creating love affairs: You can’t buy their love

November 23, 2010

In our ongoing pursuit of creating love affairs with your customers, I wanted to share a recent experience.

If you're a regular reader, you know that I am:

A frequent traveler
A wee bit impatient
All about efficiency

So it shouldn't surprise you that I have my travel routine down to a science. I can pack for any trip in less than 10 minutes.

I own a TSA approved messenger bag so I don't have to take my laptop out when I got through security. I always wear slip on shoes.

And I just ordered TSA approved belts so I can scoot through the scanner without having to de and re-belt. (or accidentally dropping trou.)

When the belts from www.BeepFreeProducts.com arrived, I was pretty pumped to open the package. This was the final tweak to my travel ensemble. (I know… I can't help it. Don't judge me!) But when I dug past the packaging, I found more than the belts.

There was also a handwritten post it note thanking me for my order and saying that they'd included a couple extra belt buckles so I'd have some variety to choose from. (see the photo)

On a simple post it note. Nothing pre-printed, nothing fancy. Just a note from Jim.

It probably cost him 2 minutes to jot the note. But I felt the love. Why?

It was unexpected: This was my first order from the company so I had no real expectations. I hadn't spent a huge amount of money and they don't have a super sexy website, product etc. So I wasn't expecting the creativity and the personal touch.

It was personal: If it had been a pre-printed card, it probably wouldn't have been as memorable or noteworthy. He addressed the note to me, not "dear customer or sir." Whether it's true or not, I felt like Jim really did want me to have those extra buckles. He really cared that I could mix and match my buckles.

Another example of this is www.TheMemStore.com. They sell memory chips. Tough to imagine anything that is more of a commodity than that. But, with every order, they include a couple suckers. Yes, lollipops. Think it is silly? Google AND lollipops and see all the mentions and links. Do you really think people would be writing about the company they buy memory chips from, if it weren't for the suckers?

Many people believe that creating a lasting love affair with your customers is going to be incredibly expensive. It doesn't have to be. In fact, you can't buy their love.

If you try too hard or it feels like you are throwing money at it, rather than throwing your heart into it, it will backfire.

Instead of them feeling your love, they'll feel a little cheap, Ike you think they can be bought. But let Jim's post it note remind us all that it's the heart that counts, not the cost.

2 good reads from The Conference Board event

November 17, 2010

Two of the speakers at the recent Conference Board's marketing event also happened to be best selling authors. As a perk of attending, everyone was given a copy of both of their books. They were both inspirational speakers — drawing from their own experiences, research data and some good old people watching.

I'd already read Tony Hsieh's Delivering Happiness (click the title to buy the book) but really devoured John Gerzema's Spend Shift (click the title to buy the book) over the past few days.

Rather than do my usual recap, I thought I'd share YouTube presentations from each author. I think you'll feel their passion around their areas of expertise. The books represent both halves of the whole.

Hsieh's book is mostly about internal culture and the power of building a strong one.

Gerzem'a book is about the consumer and shifts in their attitudes, buying behaviors and aspirations.

Put them together and you're going to be a whole lot smarter. And both your employees and customers will be the better for it.

But without further ado… let me introduce you to the authors and let them do their own talking. (e-mail subscribers, click here to view the videos)

Meet Tony Hsieh:

Meet John Gerzema:

Both books are good reads — lots of story telling, lots of tangible examples and plenty for every business, big or small, to steal from!

Note: Both book links are Amazon Affiliate links.

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