In todays society it has become known in business that 'the consumer is always right'. We all want to please our customers to retain their custom and build longer lasting relationships for the future. But to what extent should we include our customers in the decisions we make? Should businesses be using a more collaborative or co-creative method nowadays to involve consumers on a greater level?
It is to no surprise that social media has changed the way customers have become involved in brands today. With all the brand information online it is easy for customers to form a strong opinion on different topics and therefore discuss them in-depth on forums. Social media has allowed for the masses to see each opinion and discussion and therefore word of mouth and customer reviews have become crucial. In many ways this has changed the power that a company has over its brand.
Bhalla (2011) writes an interesting concept on the power of the consumer. Here it is suggested that companies can involve their consumers on different levels through listening, engaging to responding. With higher levels of involvement the consumers forms an emotional relationship with the brand and therefore are more likely to continue purchasing from that brand in the future.
Yet with increased involvement, the consumer gains power over the brand. The company therefore begins to use a relational brand management paradigm and allows the consumer to form a voice within the company, through suggesting ideas, joining in competitions and attending various events. This is a beneficial way to making sure your products or services are meeting the needs of todays consumers. Yet, it can also change the brands values and meanings. The brand may become inconsistent which can alter its image to others.
So is power to the consumer a good thing? Ultimately the consumer is gaining power through social media. Companies need to ensure their consumers are on side with what they are producing, as with the amount of competitors it is easy to lose valued customers. Offering consumers a chance to be part of a brand allows for constant market research to be taking place. There is always the possibility that they may come up with your next best seller! Yet this needs to be managed carefully. Consumers want to be replied to quickly and feel like you are taking notice upon what they said. If this can be achieved then strong lifetime relationships can be formed, particularly through social media, which can strengthen the brand. After all, customers trust customers opinions. It may be useful to have them on board in the future as co-creation and collaboration becomes an increasingly hot topic and is happening on a wider scale by many companies.
Tuesday 21 June 2011
Monday 20 June 2011
The Joshua Tree Charity
Charities need to work hard in todays society. Particularly with the economic recession, it is hard to generate supporters and to keep the charity moving forward. There are so many charities today, all with important causes, yet it is impossible to support them all. The Joshua Tree are one charity who stand out to me as they have never given up even when the times are tough. They have used all the marketing tools to maximise upon their opportunities and build upon their brand image. Therefore this is a charity I would like to share with you all.
The Joshua Tree are a small, local charity based in Northwich, Cheshire who aim to build a holiday home and support centre for children with immuno-suppressed illnesses to visit with their families, for a free short break. Over the last few years the charity has grown from strength to strength and now are making real progress having just been granted planning permission for the fantastic house plans. The house has been designed carefully, they truly want to create a relaxing yet fun environment for the children to experience. All the space has been utilised to the maximum, even the loft space is going to be made into a childrens 'secret passage' to allow for a sense of adventure. I believe this charity is going to make a huge difference to so many families in the near future, offering valuable support during these hard times.
For me, this charity is my #1 as they are sticking strongly to their mission and maintaining consistent brand values which I think is a definate highlight to the charities success so far. The Joshua Tree are making use of both digital and traditional methods such as newsletters, website, social media and attending local events. They have not forgotten that traditional methods can make a huge impact which runs alongside the social media. Together these marketing tools are highly effective, particularly as we can see the charity develop and take on board further supporters who are dedicated to the cause. They never forget that face-to-face contact is important and so even when having busy weeks, try to attend as many events as they can.
The Joshua Tree have joined the world of social media with facebook and twitter accounts. How does this help them? Although it takes a lot of time to maintain, it is a crucial step to gaining awareness for the charity and to acquire new supporters. Furthermore I believe that by up-dating current supporters on a regular basis through these systems, it also benefits retention of supporters. Not to mention, it must be saving on valuable resources which is a huge benefit to any charity. Yet as the charity grows, this will allow for relationships and interaction between supporters and the charity, to develop. I believe this is crucial in todays society, for brands to be able to come down to a personal level and truly care about their supporters needs and influencing factors. Furthermore, it allows for perhaps some collaboration, whereby supporters can voice their opinions and generate discussions about the charity.
Furthermore, the concept of localism is becoming increasingly important for brands. Even though we have social media which appeals to the masses, it is crucial to maintain a sense of place. Even more so, a strong local strategy is suggested to be vital today. (See this article: http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/sectors/media/huffington-says-brands-need-to-develop-a-grass-roots-online-strategy/3027640.article). This is an aspect which I feel the joshua tree have achieved and are not forgetting their local supporters and environment.
I feel I should thank The Joshua Tree for letting me volunteer all those months ago. Without you guys I wouldn't have found my love for marketing and probably would be studying town planning right now! A big turn around!
If you want to find out more about The Joshua Tree you can find them on facebook, twitter @joshuatree2006 or check out their website at http://www.thejoshuatree.org.uk/.
The Joshua Tree are a small, local charity based in Northwich, Cheshire who aim to build a holiday home and support centre for children with immuno-suppressed illnesses to visit with their families, for a free short break. Over the last few years the charity has grown from strength to strength and now are making real progress having just been granted planning permission for the fantastic house plans. The house has been designed carefully, they truly want to create a relaxing yet fun environment for the children to experience. All the space has been utilised to the maximum, even the loft space is going to be made into a childrens 'secret passage' to allow for a sense of adventure. I believe this charity is going to make a huge difference to so many families in the near future, offering valuable support during these hard times.
For me, this charity is my #1 as they are sticking strongly to their mission and maintaining consistent brand values which I think is a definate highlight to the charities success so far. The Joshua Tree are making use of both digital and traditional methods such as newsletters, website, social media and attending local events. They have not forgotten that traditional methods can make a huge impact which runs alongside the social media. Together these marketing tools are highly effective, particularly as we can see the charity develop and take on board further supporters who are dedicated to the cause. They never forget that face-to-face contact is important and so even when having busy weeks, try to attend as many events as they can.
The Joshua Tree have joined the world of social media with facebook and twitter accounts. How does this help them? Although it takes a lot of time to maintain, it is a crucial step to gaining awareness for the charity and to acquire new supporters. Furthermore I believe that by up-dating current supporters on a regular basis through these systems, it also benefits retention of supporters. Not to mention, it must be saving on valuable resources which is a huge benefit to any charity. Yet as the charity grows, this will allow for relationships and interaction between supporters and the charity, to develop. I believe this is crucial in todays society, for brands to be able to come down to a personal level and truly care about their supporters needs and influencing factors. Furthermore, it allows for perhaps some collaboration, whereby supporters can voice their opinions and generate discussions about the charity.
Furthermore, the concept of localism is becoming increasingly important for brands. Even though we have social media which appeals to the masses, it is crucial to maintain a sense of place. Even more so, a strong local strategy is suggested to be vital today. (See this article: http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/sectors/media/huffington-says-brands-need-to-develop-a-grass-roots-online-strategy/3027640.article). This is an aspect which I feel the joshua tree have achieved and are not forgetting their local supporters and environment.
I feel I should thank The Joshua Tree for letting me volunteer all those months ago. Without you guys I wouldn't have found my love for marketing and probably would be studying town planning right now! A big turn around!
If you want to find out more about The Joshua Tree you can find them on facebook, twitter @joshuatree2006 or check out their website at http://www.thejoshuatree.org.uk/.
The Social Media Whirlwind
Having had facebook for many years, I have recently decided I would join twitter to see what all the fuss is about! People have been telling me to join it for ages but I never saw the appeal previously. However, now I am on it I have become addicted!!! Social media has changed the way I communicate and interact with family, friends, brands and even companies. The question is why has social media become so addictive and a large part of our lives today?
Social media has changed the marketing industry, there is no doubt about it. Gone are the days where traditional marketing of tv, print ads or mail was effective by itself. Of course under the right conditions they still work today, but it has become more important to use social media to grasp the attention of your audiences.
Why is social media important? In today's society, it has become important to collaborate, co-create and build relationships through interaction with your customers on a personal level. Customers today are highly knowledgeable upon what is out there in the market, particularly through the use of the internet. Therefore to stand out from your competitors you need to get them on side, to relate to your brand, understand your values and in many ways develop a brand personality. With this, customers will be able to relate on a deeper scale to your brand, thus an increased rate of buying your products or services; therefore retaining their custom for longer periods. Furthermore, customers trust customers. This is an explanation for the rise in customer review sites. Social media builds on this whereby a brand has become more than just a logo or product, it is now about the whole experience given to the customer. In many ways this can adjust the control of the brand within the company, leading to more power to the consumer. Yet, this is necessary when you consider all the other brands doing the same. To maintain competitive within the market surely social media is the way forward.
Companies need to get on board and take advantage of the new opportunities arising. Many would argue if they do not enter the social media world, there may be trouble ahead. The way people are interacting is increasingly online. What is more, word of mouth has become more powerful as through social media the masses can promote their favourite brands to their friends; which often leads to viral campaigns appearing. To promote, build awareness, acquire and retain customers social media is a must. If you are not using social media, now is the time to get on board.
To conclude, social media has perhaps not become addictive, but more the new way of life. It is the new way for customers and brands to relate with one another on a new and deeper level. It is about collaborating with your customers to build two-way relationships to raise your brand awareness and image. Will social media ever end? I believe this is just the beginning.
Social media has changed the marketing industry, there is no doubt about it. Gone are the days where traditional marketing of tv, print ads or mail was effective by itself. Of course under the right conditions they still work today, but it has become more important to use social media to grasp the attention of your audiences.
Why is social media important? In today's society, it has become important to collaborate, co-create and build relationships through interaction with your customers on a personal level. Customers today are highly knowledgeable upon what is out there in the market, particularly through the use of the internet. Therefore to stand out from your competitors you need to get them on side, to relate to your brand, understand your values and in many ways develop a brand personality. With this, customers will be able to relate on a deeper scale to your brand, thus an increased rate of buying your products or services; therefore retaining their custom for longer periods. Furthermore, customers trust customers. This is an explanation for the rise in customer review sites. Social media builds on this whereby a brand has become more than just a logo or product, it is now about the whole experience given to the customer. In many ways this can adjust the control of the brand within the company, leading to more power to the consumer. Yet, this is necessary when you consider all the other brands doing the same. To maintain competitive within the market surely social media is the way forward.
Companies need to get on board and take advantage of the new opportunities arising. Many would argue if they do not enter the social media world, there may be trouble ahead. The way people are interacting is increasingly online. What is more, word of mouth has become more powerful as through social media the masses can promote their favourite brands to their friends; which often leads to viral campaigns appearing. To promote, build awareness, acquire and retain customers social media is a must. If you are not using social media, now is the time to get on board.
To conclude, social media has perhaps not become addictive, but more the new way of life. It is the new way for customers and brands to relate with one another on a new and deeper level. It is about collaborating with your customers to build two-way relationships to raise your brand awareness and image. Will social media ever end? I believe this is just the beginning.
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