Online Listening: Meet them at their Point Of Need
There is a line in the marketing sand called the “Point of Need”.
On one side of the line we have blatant pitches, advertisements, and cold calls. To the receiver, these obtrusive encroachments are usually unwelcome and instinctively tuned out and deflected. No intention or need has been declared by the receiver.
On the other side of the line we may also have blatant pitches but it is perceived completely differently. On this side they are more than welcome; in fact, they are invited. What’s the difference?
The key is the point of need and the expression of this need online.
While this person may ultimately need your product in both cases, it probably isn’t the top priority for him right at this moment; he is busy and has other things to do so the timing of an uninvited pitch doesn’t match the point (in time) when he feels that need. The pitch is perceived as a rude interruption. Even worse, the company making the pitch loses brand equity because they have taken from the target customer’s valuable time and annoyed him with an unwanted solicitation.
On the other side of the line, you don’t pitch on your terms. You connect, listen, and participate in the online community. Then, when this same customer expresses a need, declares an intention, or poses a question online which you can help with, you have the opportunity and also the invitation to connect around the expressed need. Now you are helping and not interrupting.
Many companies have begun to use social media monitoring solutions (disclosure: my company’s product) in order to effectively listen online. While the initial business goals may start with monitoring conversations about your brand, measuring your share of voice, and identifying the communities of influence, companies can also tap into another benefit of effective listening: you can meet people at their point of need.
Because listening in this way is such a rare practice, the recipient is pleasantly surprised. They are delighted that you are listening to them and even more impressed that you are responding to something they said online. There are many needs & intentions being expressed online right now which are lost opportunities because no one is listening. Check out this interesting example/experiment: “I Want To Buy A Toyota Yaris“. Here is another example of how a negative perception can develop when a brand is not seen to be listening to online conversations.
The point of need changes everything. This is why most traditional outbound campaigns – regardless of the product – yield between 1-3% response rates. The timing is wrong most of the time.
This is the benefit of online listening. You always get the timing right.
Meet them at their point of need.
March 27th, 2008 - Posted in Online Listening, Online Media | |
on March 27th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Good Layout and design. I like your blog. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. .
Jason Rakowski
on March 27th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Hi Marcel, happy to talk more about the toyota experiment and your listening solution!
my email is david dot cushman AT emap dot com
I see we’re already hooked up on twitter! Reach out on linkedin too please?
on March 28th, 2008 at 10:21 am
You hit the nail on the head. There is nothing worse than unsolicited pitches (especially telemarketer calls) - ok, there are worse things in the world, but you catch my drift. Listening breeds respect and trust.
on April 14th, 2008 at 12:14 am
[…] Meet your customers at their point of need. […]
on May 4th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
[…] experience we had in the store reminded me of the importance of listening and meeting people at their point of need which I wrote about in an earlier post. It re-enforced a bunch of ideas about listening/watching, […]