Time for brands to start building a real 2way communication channel

We’d be seriously underestimating the power of consumers if we continue simply broadcasting our brand messages as we once did. New generations are not only receiving messages through different channels but also process them different. Today’s consumers are savvy, better informed and more conscious of the choices they make than ever before. The lure of smart phones as a distraction from commercial breaks and proliferation of ad-blocking technology means it’s easier than ever to shield ourselves from unwanted advertising. In fact, a significant proportion of the population in developed countries have already opted to be ?out of the advertising system“ with brands unable to reach younger and more upscale audiences.

New generations opting to be out of the advertising radar

The shift of advertising channels and messages opens-up room for the development of two-way communication models between brands and customers and are further strengthening the importance of pull marketing and earned media. The sucess of brands will hence lie in their ability to adapt and shift the way they communicate with consumers. This evolution of the role of consumers from passive recipient to comarketer signifies a huge transformation in modern marketers approach to brand management and advertising.  For some, this could represent a loss of control but it is actually an opportunity if you know how to take advantage of it.

Start building a trusted two-way communication channel with your consumers

The key is to find communication channels and messages that remain trustworthy, relevant and meaningful to consumers. The best way to do so is by reaching them via direct recommendations from friends, family and colleagues – from people they know and relate to. According to AC Nielsen word-of-mouth and personal recommendations are trusted by more than 80% of consumers. Brands which turn customers into advocates and encourage them to pro-actively spread real-life, face-to-face recommendations will hence drive lasting mental availability and boost purchase.

Recommendations from people I know are the most trusted form of Advertising.

Successful brands of the future will deliver experiences that surpass expectation, seek meaningful, two-way dialogue and drive genuine advocacy. They won’t have customers as such, instead they’ll have a community of co-marketers that will carry out marketing activities on behalf of their favourite brand. This brand ambassadorships differs from celebrity endorsement or influencer marketing. The crucial difference is that real brand ambassadors choose to actively promote products purely voluntary  and  unpaid, hence driving authentic and honest content and recommendations.

Advocacy must become a priority in companies’ pull marketing strategy

Consumer conversations and recommendations do stimulate sales - especially in the later stages of the purchase funnel - as confirmed by McKinsey and many other studies. Brand Advocacy must hence become a priority in companies’ pull marketing strategies to improve consideration and closure. Instead of being afraid of the role of consumers as comarketers and trying in vain to maintain the highest degree of control about what is being written and said about their brand online, companies should embrace this new reality and start leveraging the energy and power of consumers as influencers and brand advocates.

         Consumer-driven marketing is key for consideration & closure.

The future belongs to companies who, as opposed to just focusing on old fashioned push-marketing, do a better job of discovering, listening and mobilizing their customers to do the marketing for them (= pull influence). Smart companies will start now to get their customers to do the sales and marketing on their behalf and start building long–lasting brand trust by entering into real collaboration and intensive partnerships with co-marketers.

Start marketing with and stop annoying your consumers

At TRND we believe that long-lasting collaboration with consumers and influencers is key for brands to build trust and stay relevant in the future. some colleagues have therefore written a dedicated white paper to provide marketers with a set of parameters designed to cultivate and nurture deeply rooted trust in their brand, by marketing with your consumers.

trnd white paper - how do marketers build brand trust?

If you are interested in more details or want to engage in a discussion about brand building, word-of-mouth, influencer marketing or consumer pull strategies please do get in touch via LinkedIn or mail ([email protected]) - I am really looking forward to hearing your thoughts, hopes and experiences ...