Thanks to blogs and social networking, Web 2.0 has made a two-fold transformation: not only has it changed the relationship between the media and the public which went from being  mere users to  active contributers but also,  it has allowed companies to have a more direct approach with customers. The newest frontier of marketing, conversational marketing represents the right tool for companies to take advantage of the “social” characteristics of the web and start a dialogue with consumers. The interview with Lois Kelly, author of the book “Beyond Buzz… The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing” enlightens us on the enormous opportunities that conversational marketing offers companies allowing them to speak with their audiences in a more simple and direct way, thanks to communities, blogs, live events as well as  through some communication targeted strategies.

With the emergence of social networks, blogs, wikis,  Web 2.0, has inevitably changed the relationship between the media and the public, which by directly contributing to the contents of web pages, went from having a passive role to an active one. This new interaction inaugurated the era of User Generated Content, a term that denotes all the material created and uploaded by Internet users, including videos on YouTube, or the profile of a student placed on Facebook, podcasts, or even a simple post on the blog.

Web 2.0 provided companies with the great opportunity of building up relations with the public in a more interesting and engaging way, giving the green light to a communication that  is no longer a one-way process but based on direct exchange and feedback .

This has brought about a  transformation of the concept of  marketing since it is no longer the users who must move towards businesses, but the exact opposite. Indeed, by participating in social networks, blogs, online conversations, initiated, maintained and “owned” by consumers, users have made it possible for businesses to understand what potential consumers want and what their interests are. The market today is controlled by the consumers themselves, who by word of mouth and  the continuous exchange of information on the web determine the destiny of brands, products and services.

In this regard,  conversational marketing allows companies to take advantage of the “social” characteristics of web 2.0. This is the topic addressed in the interesting and extensive interview with Lois Kelly, author of the book “Lois Kelly”, and “Beyond Buzz… The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing“, co-founder of Foghound, the strategic communications consulting company that has as its clients, Sun Microsystems, SAP, the Business Innovation Factory and Communispace.

Social networking, blogs and wikis allow users to personally create contents for the web, by uploading videos online on YouTube or simply by writing posts on blogs, or by editing a personal profile on Facebook. It is called User Generated Content and it represents a great opportunity for companies to understand what users want and then to offer them a successful form of advertising. However most companies have some difficulties in making the most of it. According to you what could be the right way to use User Generated Content in order to get money?

The most valuable thing about user generated content is that it gives you ideas on how to make your product or service more appealing to customers. The more appealing the product, the easier the marketing and the greater the likelihood people will buy it.

The other value of user generated content is that it is the more powerful marketing than anything a company can write or advertise– and it’s free. People trust what other people say MUCH more than what companies say. (In fact, many studies say people don’t trust companies at all.)  So when everyday people are writing about your product, your marketing is more effective – and you don’t have to pay expensive advertising copywriters.

In your book “Beyond Buzz…The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing” you focus on an important subject: “great marketing is no longer about cajoling, seducing, or selling – it’s about meaningful communication.”  “Making sense” is one of the main principles for a good communication strategy because it grounds communication, it helps people to understand information and to make decisions on both rational and emotional levels. Which is the right way to communicate to the customers in order to involve them on an emotional level?

An important way is not talking about the product it self, but sharing advice and ideas on how people can get value from using or owning the product or service. For example, if you were selling bicycles, you might talk not just about the bike features, but how the particular bike makes it easier to stay healthy – or  run errands, reducing gas usage – or play with your children in fun new ways. Or if you’re a bank, you might talk about the five biggest mistakes people make when trying to save money. Or  if you’re selling furniture you might want to talk about trends in colours and durable fabrics. This helps people relate to the product and makes them feel good about the marketer because you’re helping them, not just promoting at them.

Conversational marketing provides companies with an innovative and more interesting way to talk to their customers. How does it work?

Conversational marketing means making it easy and interesting to talk with customers.  Making it easy means having ways that people can talk with you and you with them, such as online communities, blogs, live events. Too often companies just have one-way channels, like Web sites, and there’s no way for customers to talk back – or with other customers.

Making it interesting means creating and using provocative ideas and points of view that get people involved in conversations.  As I explain in Beyond Buzz, our research has found that there are nine types of themes that get people talking – contrarian and counterintuitive ideas, big trends about to happen, anxieties, how-to advice, glitz and glam, personal stories, event and seasonal related ideas, aspirations, and David vs. Goliath perspectives.

My favorite is having counterintuitive views. For example, if you owned an office supply store, you might say,  “People spend too much less on office supplies.” What?! I thought you were trying to sell office supplies. Then, you talk about how the real issue is being more organized and learning to run in an office in new, more efficient ways. All of which requires buying from the office supply store, of course. But you’ve set yourself apart, and opened up a different kind of conversation with customers.

I also like talking about big trends about to happen because people love knowing something before everyone else.  Fro example, advertising, public relations and market research jobs are disappearing and the hot new marketing job of the future is online community facilitators.

Corporate blog represents for a company a way to communicate to its targeted market, customers and competitors. How can a corporate blog contribute to developing a good conversational marketing strategy?

The blog is a way for customers to get to know the executive writing the blog in a more personal way, building relationship and trust with the company beyond the products themselves.  In marketing today, product preference and relationship preference are the two leading indicators of effective marketing. Blogging, done right, builds relationship preference.

The other value of a blog is that it provides a way for customers to talk with the company executive, creating a two-way conversation.  That’s why it’s so important for the blogger to personally respond to blog comments. If people respond but are not acknowledged, then the blog isn’t building relationships.

Listening is a keyword of conversational marketing: “Listening, in many ways, is marketing. (…)It’s about tuning into what other people want to talk about, taking a real interest in what they have to say”.  Why is it so difficult for most companies to develop a listening strategy?

Because we were never taught that listening is important, nor have we been rewarded for listening. Rather we’ve been taught that good marketing is all about getting attention and promoting our products features and values.  Yet listening helps us get insights to create better products and listening helps us build trust and relationships with customers. 

We all tend to forget that marketing is about the customer. We need to focus more on asking, “What’s the value to the customer?” And we can only find this answer by listening.

Conversational marketing can be a powerful tool for companies that use it because it enables them to open a direct conversation with consumers and understand their needs and interests, thus creating a more effective communication. 

Simona Fiore

Qbr Magazine Staff

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