The basis of his post states that if you can’t get the rice right, you won’t be able to serve good sushi. Translate that to the marketing world and this becomes a poignant message. Unless you are really good at the MOST important things, you will not succeed with the latest marketing tool etc.

I take this into the realm of social media since that is the buzzword of today and the number 1 thing marketers are flocking to. Every day it seems as though new self-proclaimed “social media experts” and consultants are popping up. It becomes scary to think that someone that spends a great deal of time navigating this technological space believes that he/she is now qualified to coach businesses through using these tools as a marketing platform. Perhaps they are extremely technologically savvy and constantly in the know about the up and coming social networks. They may also grasp the idea of social media and why it is so important for a marketer to pay attention to it. Even still – without solid expertise on the basics, these efforts will fall flat.

The basics boil down to the principles of marketing and communication.

Do you know what your customers want? Do you know your target market? Do you know how to effectively communicate a message? Do you have the ability to look beyond the digital realm and realize how social media efforts play a role in overall branding and marketing? Are you upholding brand image with every piece of communication?  Are you creative?

As marketers, these are questions that we need to be asking every day. These are also questions that potential buyers of social consulting need to ask their potential consultant. Let’s never lose sight of the basics.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that customer experience-based campaigns are not short-term focused sales messages. This especially holds true for those in the realm of selling a product. You can talk all day about why your product is superior or why a consumer should purchase your product, but that will only get you so far. Instead, completely switch gears and ask the question “how can I SHOW my potential customers why my product is superior through a fun, appealing experience?” P.S. We’re talking online AND offline experiences. This puts your consumer and their wants/needs first. That type of attitude will result in a far better success rate. Allow your potential customers to come to their own conclusions about your product through positive emotions. Truth is, the modern consumer is not going to listen to an advertiser telling them what to think anyway!

Here are some examples of customer experience/interactive initiatives that I love:

Burts Bees invites their visitors to “discover their naturally beautiful shade.”

Google gives tourists a great photo-op with this fun, interactive outdoor billboard.

LOFT gives their customers a chance to interact with stylists to perfect their fall wardrobe.

Make customer experience part of your marketing mix!

We were eating lunch at the bar of the White Dog Cafe (which just happens to be one of my favorite restaurants) enjoying our lunch when the woman next to us spilled her glass of wine. This would not have been a big deal except that it splashed all over my long, WHITE coat. I was horrified, especially since I only wear this coat occasionally to avoid spilling something on it.  Everyone at the bar of course saw what happened and was trying to help. Instantly, people starting recommending that I get a Tide Pen to get the stains out. One person mentioned it then another chimed in about how well it works, then another.  Which brings me to my point… Tide with their Tide Pen has done such a great job of branding their product that people can instantly remember where to turn when a stain occurs.  Not only that, they have turned these people into promoters of their product! Every company’s dream.  Tide is also fostering this word of mouth online as their Facebook wall allows consumers to post how they were able to salvage their stains.  People are singing Tide’s praises! You cannot get better advertising than that.

Here are some tips for a business to start creating positive word of mouth that translates in the realm of social media, but also in offline situations:

Tide Pen saves the day!

1) Have a product worth talking about: Does your product live up to its promises? Make sure your advertising is not misleading consumers. The Tide Pen would never get the recognition it does if it didn’t work! Is there something exceptional about your product that would get people talking?

2) Provide a way for customers to communicate with you:  Let your customers tell you how they feel. Allow them to have an open dialogue and express their feelings about your product or service.

3) Offer exceptional customer service: Listen to what your customers are saying whether it is positive or negative.  Value their opinions and act accordingly. The way a company responds to a consumer is unbelievably important.  Your customers will feel empowered and happy, which is key when developing a word of mouth strategy.

4) Amplify word of mouth through various tactics: Partnering with organizations, creating loyalty programs, using blogs to disperse information, educating consumers are all just some of the ways word of mouth can be amplified once the essentials of product and customer service are in place.

Have a WOM tip to share? I would love to hear it! P.S. The Tide Pen worked and my white coat is just like new!