Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much!
Retail Relevancy has never been more… relevant. In part one of my conversation with my friend and business partner John Andrews, we touched on Alexa, Amazon, and the evolving way that consumers experience retail. In part two, we’re continuing that conversation, and digging into how the modern retail experience (when it’s done right) should empower both employees and customers to engage on a human level. Let’s dive into some of the highlights:
No matter how you slice the demographics, young people hold a lot of sway on social media. They influence social conversation, establish trends, and tend to help social sites thrive when they show up in large numbers. Part of this is the power of numbers. According to Pew Research, 82 percent of US adults age 18-29 actively use Facebook, though the 65+ demographic is no slouch at 48 percent. However a recent study highlighted by MediaPost suggests that one in three young social media users qualify as influencers.
When you tell your story in a way that people will care, you create a relationship, a connection, a value that goes beyond immediate $’s and cents. It is what creates conversation, the content that creates trust, loyalty and advocacy.
If you’re aiming for omni-channel excellence, or simply looking to thrive on your channels of choice, don’t forget about the human side. In fact, it should be your first priority. With every new trend and communication channel comes new opportunities to connect, so it’s natural for marketers to seek out the most promising tools for the job. The challenge is that every trend has an expiration date, and it’s too easy to sacrifice the fundamentals in favor of the hot, new tool with an unknown shelf-life.
The time is now. Not next year, or six months from now, or at the conclusion of a five-year plan. Success won’t come with the next marketing conference, the new social channel around the corner, or the next piece of “game-changing” tech that’s just waiting to be unleashed on the world. Your future is written largely by what you do today, so the biggest single challenge for marketers in 2017 will be staying focused. Stop worrying about what’s next and concentrate on delivering what is now!
I have been very lucky in friendship. I may not have the wealth or success that some can claim, but I know what it is to have people in my life who know me well, like me just as I am (well, most of the time), listen to me, make me laugh, support me always, and who make my life better on a regular basis.
What does it mean to build a reputation? I’m not talking about brand recognition, or even the quality of the products or services you offer. Those things are important; however, a reputation is something more. It’s the little things…those moments of unprompted kindness and consideration that stick with you for a lifetime. In other words, the stuff that you truly remember.
What’s in a social impression? Better yet, what does branding actually mean to the consumer? Building a brand culture is about much more than proliferating an image or ad across social platforms, because that sort of recognition is fleeting.
If I had one piece of advice to give marketers who are beginning a career in 2016, it would be this: Millennials are not a new species. Keep that in mind the next time someone tells you they have the “secret” of marketing to Millennials, Gen Z, or whatever generation comes next.
You’ve heard me say before that everybody has influence because we all have an influence on the people around us. However, this can be a double-edged sword, especially if we let negative emotions rule us.