Made a presentation today on advocacy at a Marketing Week Trends summit in London. Listening to the speakers throughout the day and the discussion around the trends affecting consumer brands such as media fragmentation, lost consumer trust, loss of control …it reinforced my belief that the one thing brand owners do need to do immediately, is to put their consumers in the driving seat and get them to help steer a course through these challenging times.
Let me make a prediction. In two or three years time every major brand will be taking customers inside their business – creating on-line idea forums, Consumer Boards of Directors, Consumer AGM’s, Blogger Committees etc. Getting consumers onside, asking for their help, getting them to canvas opinion amongst their peers…. works. It stimulates conversations, provides transparency, generates advocacy and provides insights and ideas that you simply don’t get through traditional research methodologies. It’s also been validated by a number of academic studies.
Brands are entering new and unchartered territories …. they need to take action today to engage their greatest asset, their customers and start a new journey together.
Super post – and here’s some supporting evidence for your prediction about brands increasingly taking customers inside their business.
Fifty-five percent of consumers want an ongoing dialogue with brands, according to a new survey conducted by ExpoTV, http://www.expotv.com/about/press_releases/159,Consumers_Want_To_Talk_To_Brands,_Finds_
So consumers want to be involved and empowered. If marketing is about satisfying market needs – your prediction will come true!