Capturing Expressed "Intent to Purchase" Online

Consumers have a number of reasons to utilize the internet to engage in online shopping activities such as conducting price comparisons, seeking product information, reviews, advice and more. With increased accessibility to the internet via mobile devices and tablets, these activities and conversations are growing at exponential rates. The internet, thus, has become a fundamental tool for brand marketers and online retailers to communicate clear, concise, sophisticated levels of communication, catering to the expressed needs of online social consumers.

On a daily basis, people are becoming more avid in sharing their purchasing intents and experiences within their social networks. This online trend is creating valuable opportunities for marketers to engage directly with their consumers, allowing them to understand and influence their buying behaviors. Social media and online communities can be a goldmine of intelligence and opportunity for brands given that they are able to effectively understand what their consumers are saying, what it all means, and what they can be doing about it.

In a recent case study I worked on (via Mashwork) titled “Android Showdown: Bionic vs Galaxy S II” we put this theory to work with a goal of understanding how individuals online were expressing intent to purchase a particular phone. In the study from April 1-June 21, 2011, we found 14,838 online conversations expressing explicit intent or seeking advice on whether to purchase either phone. By analyzing this data set, over ten times larger then leading market research firms, we were able to then effectively organize and make sense of the organic, unsolicited conversation across the social web. (Read more about the results of the study here.)

Seeking intelligence around consumer buying behaviors through the use of focus groups and surveys is time consuming and expensive. By utilizing social media listening services, companies are now able to organize thousands of conversations to inform, adjust and shape their online marketing initiatives.

AHHHHHHHH!!

Fear, it's something we've all experienced. It makes our palms sweat, our knees shake and our words harddd to-to-to come byyyy. Sometimes, it even causes us to put on our best Macaulay Culkin AHHHH face. Many of us cling to certain fears our entire life because it's part of who we are. We assume that we cannot change it because we feel we have little control. The beautiful thing about fear though, is that it can easily be overcome, and it's actually really fun!

When we think about things that scare us, it's usually because we assume the WTWTCH (what's the worst that can happen) senario. Say you're afraid of public speaking and you're standing on stage. Imagine that the worst thing that could happen is that everyone laughs at you. So what, who cares? Some people spend their entire lives trying to get people to laugh at them. Life goes on!

Fear is nothing but an obstacle created by your own imagination. Don't let it keep you from getting what you want. 

Make a list of things (today!!) that scare the living shit out of you (or at least make you a little nervous) and over the course of the next few months, figure out how to face every single one of them head on. What could be more exciting then the rush of fear followed by the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and relief? After all, "life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all."

Wanted: Problems.

Solving problems. It's what keeps me up at night and gets me going in the morning. Even if there isn't an obvious or pertinent problem to be solved, it's the finding of new opportunities that breathes inspiration into my every waking hour.

So what exactly is a problem? According to Google, a problem is...

1. A matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome.

2. A thing difficult to achieve or accomplish.

But...let's just ignore that actually because I don't find those definitions representational at all. In fact, I have a major problem with them, let's define problem as 'an opportunity for improvement' instead.

When you think about it, we as human beings spend almost every waking hour solving problems. No matter who you are or what you do, you're solving them in one way or another. Some are BIG and others really small. Some take milli-seconds to solve while others take a lifetime.

Typically in approaching medium to big sized problems, many of us turn on our "Ohhh noo a problem!!" attitude and quickly turn to the help desk, physics, friends, even prayer to have someone/something deliver the solution for us. Instead of running from problems though, what we really need to be doing is running towards them, embracing them like the opportunities they are.

If we can consciously make ourselves aware of problems, changing the way we approach them, we'll be able to tap into our creative minds to find an endless array of opportunities instead. They just may be the stroke of luck or knock on the door we've been waiting for. Be a problem seeker not an avoider and amazing things are sure to come!

Uncovering Hidden Connections

The possibilities are unparalleled when it comes to organizing and managing information about individuals based on their social media profiles and habits. Over the past decade, we’ve been essentially uploading our identities to the internet. Every time we share something online, including the things we “like”, the words we use, and things we “tweet”; we are creating an”online identity” which can be effectively managed to bring us closer to others that share similar interests.

A company I came across in May that is doing an amazing job of promoting this social connectedness is Sonar.  After downloading the application to your phone, you are then prompted to sign in with your Twitter and/or Facebook account. The ultra savvy networking app then analyzes your profile to let you know how other people in the room are connected to you based on the interests and friends that you share.

This application is leading the way in terms of showing us how we’re REALLY connected. As I checked-in to “Heatpocolypse NYC” today on Foursquare, Sonar kindly let me know that another user (let’s just call him “Jake P”) was checked in to the room and also likes “Rafael Nadal”. Now, if Heatpocolypse were an actual location, say a lounge, I might just have walked over to Jake P. to discuss Nadal’s recent victory at the French Open and I also might have made a new friend. The beauty of social networking can be uncovered by showing us how we’re all connected.

Thank you Sonar for making it easier to find new friends!

Simplicty: A Strategy Guide

There’s no denying that the social ecosphere is becoming more and more complex as companies strive to develop new ways to engage and interact with their core audience. So with all this information and engagement happening, how does a brand “keep it simple” to get the real message across?

Rule #1: Offer a clear, consistent, voice and value. Before you hit “GO” on your social media campaign, take time to develop the objectives of your online presence. Be sure to identify the value you bring through engaging with your core audience, and create a “content schedule” that will allow you to offer clear, consistent messaging. Use these strategies to marry both your offline and online initiatives, with an end goal of prompting a behavior.


Rule #2: Provide content that your audience cares about. A great starting place for developing your “content schedule” is through understanding what your audience cares about and driving conversation around that. Typically, consumers will choose to engage with you because of the value you have to offer them. Being able to create and share content that lines up with the interests of your audience is key.

Rule #3: Create simple, low friction experiences that consumers want to share. Creating simple, sharable content is key. In other words, don’t make your audience think. Keep it simple and valuable and it’s more likely to be engaged with, thus getting more impressions across the social graph. Always be armed with clear, sticky CTAs.

How to #FollowFriday

#FollowFriday has become an international event! Every Friday across the globe millions of people on Twitter use the #FF hashtag to recognize their favorite tweople. It’s a fun way to share and find awesome new people to follow on Twitter.

It works well for a few main reasons:

1. It helps you find interesting people to follow. By using the search function on Twitter, you can search #FF and browse thousands of recommendations. Also, you can follow the trusted recommendations of your friends.

2. It feels good. There’s no denying that getting a #FF from a fellow user, along with sharing your own favorites, promotes a positive feeling across the twittersphere. It’s a great way to say “Thank you for being awesome!” and “You should follow this person!”

3. It’s easy and you don’t have to be a Twitter expert to participate. #FollowFriday enables you to share as many or as little #FF’s as you’d like, in one tweet or twenty. Keep in mind however, you don’t want to overwhelm your followers with dozens of #FF’s. In this case, it’s more about quality than quantity.

A great resource we came across to see who is endorsing who is the website Top Follow Friday. The algorithm used on this site analyzes the number of times someone is #FollowFriday’d. As of today, the “Queen Elizabeth” Twitter handle @queen_UK (with 300k followers) is ranked #8 and @dalailama (with nearly 3M followers) is #17! Check it out to find some great new people to follow!

Happy #FF @everyone!!!

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar

No one can make you serve customers well.....that's because great service is a choice.  Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, and black tie, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the cab to open the back passenger door for Harvey .

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'

Taken aback, Harvey read the card.. It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.' Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice...' Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.'

Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.'

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.'

And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'Have you always served customers like this?'

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day.'

He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.'

'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.'

'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said.

'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting.

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

How about us?  Smile, and the whole world smiles with you... The ball is in our hands!

A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up... let us do good to all people.

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.