Paul Miser

This time every year we see social strategists and gurus come put with their take on what the next year will bring. Top 10 Trends… or 5 Things to Watch…. Many of the predictions will come true and some brands will catch the wave and ride it. But what about those companies who haven’t adopted last year’s trends? Or the year before? What’s to come of them?

It’s an uphill battle for the laggards when it comes to social media. It moves at such a fast pace, to capture this year’s trends they would need to play catch up, quickly. I say start where you are and grow from there. If you try and ride the new trends you will most likely fail. Hedge your bets and start. Who cares what’s happening with “big data” if your Twitter account is still locked with no tweets. You shouldn’t jump onto the “gamification” bandwagon if you’ve never attempted a Foursquare deal. Start where you are and grow.

If you don’t value relationships.

If you want to “sell”.

If “scale” is a key metric.

If you don’t want to talk to your consumers.

If you are afraid to say something wrong.

If you’re afraid to say something.

If you don’t have anything to say.

If you think “since everyone else is on it, so should we.”

If you don’t value consumer feedback.

If you have “skeletons in the closet” you don’t want to discuss. (anything from product sourcing to product efficacy)

If you don’t have the capacity to manage relationships.

If you don’t have a strategy.

If you’re not open to change.

If you expect to measure based on “universe.”

Most importantly, if you’re not passionate about its opportunities.

…but if you are… Good luck!

In a recent article, AdAge discusses the use of “special personal relationships” with consumers as advertising fodder for several brands. The idea of using singular relationships with consumers as messaging is a great idea from the outside looking in, but aren’t we setting a standard that companies have yet to practice? Shouldn’t I, as a special consumer, expect the same, if not better, treatment with my experience with a particular brand? This communication sets a precedent of a certain level of expectation… One that many companies can’t or won’t strive to meet.

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe this is the direction that brands should travel. I wholeheartedly believe that the future of marketing isn’t marketing at all, but a combination of strong relationship building with awe-inspiring experiences built in. With that said, I’m not sure we’re quite there as brands (or as consumers for that matter).

As these expectations rise, I challenge all marketers to strive to achieve what we are communicating… Personal experiences with each of our consumers.

The idea of “scale” in the digital, social, mobile world is something that has perplexed me over the past five years or so; really ever since the masses started pushing towards the adoption levels of maturity. Scale, to me, is a bit of an antiquated measurement in the “new way of marketing.” The idea that each message, regardless of media, must reach a massive amount of people in hopes that a decreasingly small fraction of individuals take action on a lead or purchase, is one that doesn’t begin to take into account the paradigm shift that digital has created; an individual paradigm. The role of a message or interaction in the digital space, most likely, isn’t for reach or scale for the consumer. It’s about something deeper, something more intimate.

Digital has the ability to segment or even dynamically personalize messages, offers, or experiences that produces a more profound output for a brand than a simple blanket message to drain money from an unsuspecting small percentage of the communicated universe. It allows for dynamic interaction; in real-time, wherever the consumer may be.

So when thinking digital, please don’t ever say the word “scale:” for it kills the opportunities before anything commences. Instead, think loyalty, advocacy, passion, lifetime value, and incremental purchase… Expand a relationship, don’t squander it by treating people like sheep. We have a great opportunity to think beyond traditional and think about the future of our brands.

Scale is in the long term, lifetime value of consumers, not universes reached.

*** Caveat, I’m not saying that awareness building campaigns shouldn’t be a part of the overall marketing strategy. They most definitely should be discussed and executed, even in the digital display arena. What I am saying, is allow yourself to segment, allow your consumers to segment themselves, reward them for doing so.

Brands take years, decades, and centuries to build. The effort, efficacy, and engagement of the most well-known brands is an accomplishment to be amazed. Every touchpoint and growth cycle has been masterfully designed and executed. Every message created to perfection to ensure brand consistency to build the loyalty with individuals; to allow each person the ability to intimately know, holistically what the brand is all about.

A combination of craftsmanship, humanity, super-humanity, creativity, and aspiration develops these brands…

Don’t let all that work go to waste just to create mass-shopping-hysteria. Stay true to your brand this holiday season and your loyalists will love you even more. Ensure your sales are brand centric; be sure the craziness that happens in your store or around your products are being communicated in a way that would make your brand craftsmen proud. Don’t cave… overcome.