Opportunity: a challenge for 2009
People are spending less, retailers are going under, agencies are laying off staff and the weather is unseasonably cold. 2009 started as 2008 ended, with many in the communications business wondering what lies in our immediate future in these troubled times.
I remember listening to Timo Veikkola from Nokia (who on an unrelated note holds one of the coolest job titles I’ve stumbled across - Future Strategist) at PSFK London 18 months ago telling us that the future will be utterly fantastic. He was right, but not in the way I interpreted it back then.
A perfect storm has been brewing for the last decade, and perhaps we are now entering the vortex of this beast. Media consumption has diversified beyond many “experts’” predictions (remember the guy from IBM who said there was a worldwide market for “maybe 5 computers”?), people are more cynical than ever with regards to their attitudes towards profit-seeking corporations and the economic avarice that was bred during the industrial revolution under the guise of free-market capitalism has crippled our economies to a degree that could never have been predicted.
With this backdrop, how is the future fantastic and what does an agency like Geronimo have to look forward to this year?
If I could boil it all down to one word I would say: opportunity.
There are a myriad of clichés that tell us how in tough times, the best shine. And in that is the challenge that is on our doorstep as individuals, agencies and an industry. Are we really ‘creative’? Or have we been hiding behind our self-appointed expertise and generous budgets? Do we really believe in the primacy of the idea, or is it the primacy of ‘I hope this idea convinces a panel to give it an award’? Can we tailor our messages to the complex reality that faces customers and people today, or are we more from the ‘throw enough things at a wall, and something will stick’ school of thought? These are the questions we need to asking ourselves, because the time to really prove what we as an industry have been telling clients for years (namely that we understand people and are the most skilled in providing the service we do) is now.
Now is the time for us to give people communication ideas that resonate with them, that make their lives better, even if only in a tiny way. The value of a positive experience, the power of good if you will, has often been overshadowed by our own egotistical drive for obtuse creativity that extravagant budgeting has allowed. Now that the belt has been tightened, it’s the value of the idea, the experience that is paramount. We need to be more effective than we have ever been before.
The only way to survive in these times is for us to be exceptional at what we do.
How’s that for a challenge?
Sam
Beat the downturn with Digital.
Apparently, the Chinese have a ‘word ‘ (it’s two symbols, actually) for crisis.
‘weiji’ translated means “danger and opportunity’.
It’s not true actually but let’s not let minor quibbles get in the way of a good opening line.
As we enter deeper into tough financial times companies instinctive reaction is to pull back from experimentation and innovation and shore up on the tried and tested.
Playing it safe until we ride out the storm.
That seems a bit too risky to me.
Why? Because that’s what all the competition will be doing too.
And you will still be in there amongst the clutter and noise.
Maybe not all though? Perhaps some of the competition are embracing the ‘weiji’.
Now , more than ever, is the time to be looking at fully engaging in a meaningful dialogue and relationship with your customers (and employees).
And there’s ways to do this with digital.
Use Existing Platforms
Video platforms such as You Tube, photo hosting on Flickr and various blogging software platforms are all there waiting for your content.
The sharing nature of these platforms means that – if your content is engaging and compelling enough – the audience will spread it for you.
Join the conversation
Your customers and employees are worried about how the economic downturn is going to affect them.
And they are already talking about it, online, amongst themselves.
Writing your own blog, and contributing to others is a way to establish and maintain open channel of communication between you and your customers .
Be authentic, transparent - and most importantly, human - and you’ll reap the benefits long after this recession has gone.
A simple Google Alert can keep you in the loop as to where your company is being spoken about online, and you can be ready to respond.
Try different stuff
Jumping from campaign to campaign, promotion to promotion is time consuming and costly for you; and confusing for the customer. OK, there are spikes around TV or banner campaigns but what happens in between?
It all goes dark.
Is a 0.1% click through really worth the bother?
Brand ‘awareness’ is no longer a valid or useful measurement.
Branding happens through the actual behaviors of your business, and how you involve people in that experience.
Look at ways to make the experience ubiquitous - spread across as many touch points as possible.
Think about where your audience is and go and meet them there.
With something interesting, useful and engaging, of course. Not just ads.
Now, more than ever they are tuning out from advertising messages.
The nature of the web allows you to solicit feedback from your audience and keep tickling, squeezing and tweaking your content to keep it relevant.
Think about utility
Instead of interrupting people while they are trying to do something else, as most advertising does, think about to be useful in people’s lives. What are the tools or activities your brand can facilitate that can make a difference in your customers lives?
What do we mean when we say ‘customer service’?
Serve your customers. Be there with a human voice when they need you.
Neilsen and Edelman research suggests that upwards of 70% of people trust recommendations from their peers far above advertising, when considering products or services.
Think about your top 20% of your customers. What kind of ways can you serve them that will encourage them to promote your products and services to their friends, colleagues and family?
Look to the web for insights.
Social Networks can be rich vein of insight for what your customers are actually saying and thinking, right now. Watch, listen and act.
Embrace the ‘weiji’ - the opportunity. Take this chance to make a meaningful connection with your customers.
It could be the start of a life-long romance.
Eaon Pritchard, Head of Digital.
Customer service?
Call me anytime: 079 7901 6084
Or drop me a line: epritchard AT geronimo.co.uk