Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

In today’s hyperconnected world, companies have little control of the information that moves around the Internet about their organization. One way to improve brand perception is by taking control of customers’ conversations and by making it easy for customers to talk in a public forum about an organization’s products.

In her book Beyond Buzz. The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing, Lois Kelly reminds us that marketing’s primary purpose is to help people understand organizations and products in ways that are meaningful to them. She says two overlooked ways to achieve this are by listening to customers and making them feel heard; and by making it easy and interesting for people to discuss ideas, issues, and points of view. Through these conversations, customers become more involved and becoming involved is the prerequisite to taking action.

I agree with Kelly about the importance of incorporating customer conversations into marketing, but I think that companies are starting to recognizie the effectiveness of this strategy. Some companies are currently using interactive multichannel marketing campaigns where actual customers can tell, in their own words, why they like the particular organization’s products.

• Take, for instance, Nikon. The company recently gave 200 residents of Georgetown, S.C., a new Nikon D-40 digital camera and they snapped photos of their friends, family, and the venues around town. Their stories, photos, and video testimonials can be viewed on www.stunningnikon.com/picturetown.

• At the Royal Bank of Canada, the organization has implemented a Client First strategy where the company has implemented new processes and has retrained the employees to focus on the customers. One of the resulting campaigns from that strategy is a series of webcasts and videos on www.rbc.com/clientstories that feature real customers giving their own point of view and experiences as to why RBC puts them first.

• Delta Airlines emerged from Chapter 11 in April and as part of its restructuring plan, the company is expanding service, adding amenities to coach, and reorganizing around the customer. Delta’s new “change” campaign invites travelers to give feedback on www.delta.com/change. The site will showcase tips and ideas from customers, and Delta says it will eventually become a collaborative forum for “honest dialogue between airline and air traveler,” a place where customers’ ideas will influence how the company operates.

• Blackberry is asking people why they love their Blackberry through ads and on the Internet. Customers can post their stories at www.blackberry.com/ask. Blackberry says the responses have been overwhelming. The site also features videos of high-profile customers—typically CEOs and founders of companies—who talk about why they love their Blackberries.

Have you seen a customer-driven marketing campaign? Share what you’ve seen here.