Online Expressions of the Point of Need

In real life, we don’t go around with a Facebook or Twitter status displayed above our heads. (i.e. What are you doing right now? “Just shopping”, or “I need help finding shoes”).

The powerful thing about online marketing is that people are increasingly expressing needs and opinions online. As an online marketer you can easily listen for specific conversations about your product or brand where people are expressing needs. Then you can engage at the customer’s expressed point of need.

To illustrate my point, here are some examples that I selected randomly of people expressing needs or asking questions in the past 24 hours using twitter (I don’t know any of these people). All of these posts on twitter are opportunities for a company to respond and be helpful. Add to that blogs, videos, images, social networks, micromedia and there are ample opportunities to listen for the point of need.

Customer support opportunities from questions mentioning Techcrunch, AT&T, Canon, coComment, Paypal, United Airlines:

Stevie_Knight: Does anyone know how 2 contact support @ techcrunch.com? I’ve been trying 2 register 4 the forums & haven’t received confirm.

Kichigai: Can anyone tell me if they’re having a problem with AT&T’s data services in South Jersey, or is it just me?

alisonedward11: does anyone know anything about canon warranties?

janelowe: does anyone know if there’s a problem with coComment - it goes weird when I try to submit a comment!

tthomas906: Last night up until 2 am trying to get my website up and running. Having problems with Paypal. I don’t know whats up with them? costing $

leanda: just wrote a list of all the problems we had we United Airlines last week, sending to insurance, UA and Expedia. Will try to avoid flying UA

Sales opportunities for companies such as Adobe, The W Hotel in San Diego, Mazda, Volkswagen, a computer manufacturer like Dell Computer or Apple, a pet store or dog breeder, a bicycle shop, etc.

jbruin: can anyone hook with me up with a discounted rate at the W San Diego? thinking about booking a room for tomorrow

dawrobel: Looking to buy a new computer…

naples: looking to buy adobe professional and other software

scarletdivision: Does anyone know where I can find a Brian Griffin dog? I really want a Brian Griffin dog.

intldiplomat: Does anyone know of businesses in augusta ga that sell refurbished bicycles?

ColinFBarnes: Can anyone point me in the direction for a nice sounding mac podcast mic/mixer setup for around $200?

Peter_BNC: looking to buy a jetta!

JonHenke: I start looking to buy a car (probably an RX8) next weekend. Huzzah! Now, to find a good deal on one.

Meet them at their point of need.

May 6th, 2008 - Posted in The Point Of Need, Online Listening, Social Media | | 3 Comments

The Point of Need and the Three Sales Clerks

I was in Quebec City this weekend where the IIHF World (Hockey) Championship is currently underway. My son was there playing in the IIHF 2008 World Youth Hockey Tournament. While we were there the kids wanted to visit a local sporting goods store.

The 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, building rapport and then engaging at the right time and for the right reason. In this experience, three different sales clerks approached us, but only one made a sale.

We walked into the store to look around around. We were just browsing. The first sales clerk approaches us and asks, “May I help you with anything?” The response was expected, “No, we are just looking around.” He leaves us alone.

A few minutes later, we walk into a shoe section and another clerk interrupts us with the same question. I wondered if a better question would have been, “Hi, how are you today? Are you in town for the tournament?” A less transactional question might have at least worked to build rapport and would still have drew out a need if we had one. Our reply was unchanged, “No, we are just looking around.”

Then one of the boys reminds his father that he will need a new pair of soccer cleats this year. They were on sale. Dad seems to be open to the idea so his son starts grabbing a few models off the shelf. Suddenly, we start exhibiting some potential buying behavior as shoes are being taken off the shelves, passed around, examined, replaced, etc.

That is when a third clerk keenly observes the signals that declared a point of need. The boy’s father stands up with the shoe his hand and looks around. Immediately, the sales clerk who had been hovering in the area jumps in to respond and simply says, “Hi there!” He knows there is a need. He reaches out his hand and grabs the shoe as the boy’s father says, “Can we get this in a larger size?”

The clerk returns. The sale is complete. The clerk writes his number on the box to claim the commission then hands his customer the shoes and says, “Thank You”. Smart guy. The first two clerks were interrupting. The third was being helpful. What was the difference?

The third clerk was listening & watching for the point of need and got the timing exactly right.

Do you think the same thing is possible online?

May 4th, 2008 - Posted in The Point Of Need, Online Listening, Social Media | | 2 Comments

Un-Marketing

Brian Solis wrote a great post today that every marketer should read. He articulates a very important change that is taking place, “Now, we’re entering an entirely new paradigm for cultivating relationships with customers as well as the people who may one day become customers.” I completely agree.

Please check out the full article, “Will The Real Social Media Expert Please Stand Up?”

In it, Brian describes a change that is taking place from traditional marketing where we speak through relatively impersonal top down messages to one where we have real conversations with people.

He says:

“We’re starting to figure out that we need to humanize our story. We’re realizing that we would never speak to our friends and family through messages, so why should we speak “at” the very people we want to reach and befriend. We’re opening our ears and our minds to acknowledge that we can no longer push our thoughts at people in order to earn resonance; we have to listen, talk, listen, assess, and contribute value.”

And,

“Instead of top down communications and focusing on the influence and control of messages and perception, we’re learning that those influential groups of people are now our peers and therefore require respect, honesty, and support in order for us to earn their trust – and hopefully their business and enthusiasm along the way.”

 

So how does a marketer go about this? Brian also provides very practical advice including:

“Observe the online communities where your company and brands (or those of your competitors) are actively discussed and figure out how to participate in those conversations as if you were approaching someone in real life whom you greatly respect. Perhaps the most valuable piece of advice I can share is to pay attention to the culture of each community and how people communicate and interact with each other. This will reveal how best to embrace the opportunity and reach out to people though a through a new form of “un” marketing.

And,

“- Start by participating as a person, not as a marketer.

- Talk like a person, not as a sales person or message factory.

- Be helpful and bring value to the conversation.

During this entire process, you’re contributing to the personality and the perception of the brand you represent.”

This advice is right on the bull’s-eye and exactly the type of marketing that I believe in. At what point did we forget that it has always been about people and relationships, about adding value? I’m glad this movement is under way.

April 9th, 2008 - Posted in Online Listening, Influence, Conversation, Social Media | | 0 Comments

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 | | 5 Comments