I’m currently preparing my talk for the Bristol Enterprise Network event on the 22nd September on ‘Marketing: Harnessing the Power of the Internet’. Such a vast topic. For my talk, I’m focussing on generating online word of mouth. My co-speakers will be looking at online user experiences and at cloud computing. So, all in all, a fascinating set of subjects.
Businesses certainly can’t ignore digital marketing as part of the mix. Indeed, when you look at a typical decision-making process from awareness through to sale, the online setting is the only one where the whole process can be started and completed in one go, from a completely cold start, driven entirely by the customer. Generating awareness (as web traffic) is just the start of the process. To make the most of digital opportunities you’ll need to configure a ‘net’ to catch the interest you generate, and an online journey to take that person from one step to the next in their decision-making. However, you will never be able to entirely separate online and offline, either conceptually or practically.
It is also vital to understand how the medium (in its many guises) integrates with more traditional tools. I saw a recent US study that suggested that over 75% of American consumers would like to be able to pick up the phone and talk to a human being before placing an online order. I would hazard a guess that this percentage is higher in a b2b setting. So, turning on the digital tap will undoubtedly put demands on your business in other areas. Think it through logically, from step to step, mapping out what the person who finds you online might want, need and do – and set-up your business to handle it. This might mean employing an inbound sales team, or setting up a live chat function on your website, for example.
So, for my 20 minute slot, I will:
- Give a quick definition of online word of mouth and outline techniques for building it
- Conduct a live Twitter demonstration
- Map out the funnel into which your online word-of-mouth needs to feed
- Provide a quick list of do’s and don’ts for effective online networking
If you have examples of online word of mouth activities that have gone spectacularly well or spectacularly badly – do drop me a line. And, if you’re interested, please do join us 6pm to 9pm, Tuesday 22nd Sept at the University of Bristol, details here:
http://www.bristolenterprise.com/events/marketing-harnessing-power-internet
By Bryony Thomas | Chief Clear Thinker | Clear Thought Consulting Ltd | www.clear-thought.co.uk
Posted by Bryony Thomas 