The key implications to have in your framework for the balance of 2009 and the aftermath in your 2010 marketing plan work:
1. Do not assume your current plans will get you there--Re:THINK your plan to make sure it will get you maximum performance.
--Why? We are seeing major shifts as we help our clients with rapid Re:Think work: purchase frequency and cascading to lesser category/brand options are the challenge --as family budgets are compressed and shopping trips are reduced—and brand purchases are threatened. Yet, there are moves you can make now to reduce this and flip it around in 2010.
2. Get fresh insights; use new tools to help understand how/what they feel and how your brand/marketing efforts are delivering (or not):
--Quick set of influencer groups is a given—particularly in friend combos. We also use Network Insights to gauge online chat/blog content, Twitter, etc. to get a rapid read on digital WOM. We use Emsense for neuro-diagnostics on commercials, on retail impact, on concepts, packaging, etc. The key is fresh, quick and not expensive.
3. Deliver An Enhanced Value Proposition:
--This is not necessarily selling your brand cheaper. This is delivering MORE VALUE at a competitive price—via added or enhanced product, in service, in speed, in convenience, or other marketing options, etc.
4. Show you have compassion—you share their “pain”:
--The out of touch CEO and monolithic company will lose, versus the empathetic, real set of people that are part of a brand. Weave the human side of your brand into PR, into websites, online, wherever it fit your brand essence and direction. We have town-hall forums, CEO and management on blogs or online, coupled with online outreach video story telling as part of what we are doing. Real people talking to real people.
5. Don’t Get Caught In The Old Marketing Model As The Consumer Is Responding In New Ways:
--The purchase drivers are not where most marketers or agencies are focused: a recent BIG Research Survey (3/09) showed that product brand experience, friend/family word-of-mouth, 3rd Party blog or article, innovative new ideas and value based retail—are the key drivers of purchase.
Yet most spending is on traditional media and assets. There needs to be an evolved model that mixes the new with the traditional, in an episodic plan that drive brand/business performance. And there are a host of related things that you can employ in this new mix (“Smart-bombing”, Brand Newsroom, Obama-type viral online, etc.).
Hope this is of value to you and your team (please pass it on to business friends).
Let’s catch up soon, as there are additional ways we can help rapidly (think 6 days, 6 weeks).
Re:Think NOW!
Best regards,
Patrick & The Team At NOW Inc.
ph 646-620-6618
