Virtual Reality: Writing Customers Into The Script

"The best brands are built on great stories" -Ian Rowden, CMO Virgin Group

Storytelling has been one of the greatest sources of engagement over the course of human history. In marketing, your story is the foundation of your brand and a strategy for future growth[The Story Of Telling]. Brands create content which seeks to bond with consumers and turn them into followers, buyers and even evangelists. The good news is that we humans love a good story. The bad news is that the internet is awash with content and marketers are struggling to break through the clutter. "The best stories compel, engage and delight their audiences. And for brands to really break through, these stories need to be just as engaging as the best entertainment..." (Linda Boff, CMO, GE) 

Which brings us to the subject of this shorter piece. Virtual Reality. How important is it going to be? Let's see. Only Google, Facebook and Apple have placed huge bets on it. Virtual Reality provides a level of engagement that previously has not existed. We have heard about putting your customers in the story--making them the protagonist. Well, here is your chance. VR creates an immersive environment where there is an unprecedented level of interactivity, free from distractions, where the consumer steps into the world of the brand and participates, not from afar by watching a video, but from within the experience. My colleague refers to it as creating a 'brain stamp", an experience the consumer or business buyer will not soon forget.

If you haven't experienced this new phenomenon, go grab a Google Cardboard head set https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/

If you like music, check out the NY Times VR app and download the U2 experience. You'll be sitting on stage while Bono sings right in front of you. To the right, The Edge plays guitar--look up and see the enormity of the arena. The experience continues with a trip around the world to witness people singing the song along side the band. It's nothing like watching a video of the group. It's a private concert and a trip to India, NYC, Africa all in one.

This breaks through, friends. I had a smile on my face the entire time as did my son when he jumped into it. The first thing he said was " I need to download this tune."  Mission accomplished.

[If you want to blaze a trail and create an immersive experience that your target audience won't forget, give us a jingle. dan@augmento.agency]

Dan Sixsmith is CMO @ Augmento, a next generation agency

He is VP @ Alinean, Inc

And Chief Content Officer at "The Digital Advantage by Dan Sixsmith."

Dan also hosts the Podcast, This Week In Digital Marketing(we are back live on 2/8 @8PM ET). 

 

Subscribe here: http://t.co/H6wqFueAB2 

Twitter:@DigitalAdvantg

Content Marketing 2016: The One Question You Must Answer

Promotional Content simply doesn't work. We ignore it and become amazing filters of any content that is trying to sell us something"-Michael Brenner, NewsCred

If promotional content really does not work, then why do 93% of marketers connect their content directly to a product or service? (Economist). To be fair, marketers are under pressure to produce massive amounts of content, which needs to be pushed out across a growing number of channels and also to enable sales to more effectively navigate a tricky environment. With the war for your prospect’s attention escalating, and with buyers demanding more effective and relevant communications, what are marketers to do? The content machine is up and cranking. So why the disconnect? Why are marketers still shooting blanks? What is needed to improve content marketing programs? Let's get to the HEARTof the matter:

Help, Don't Sell: Content needs to be about the buyer. Depending on the stage in the Buying Journey, a prospect will be seeking information and looking to solve business challenges. In fact, 75% of executives who actively seek content are researching a business idea(Economist). They need Help--not a sales pitch. Social Media Guru, Dave Kerpen in his new book, The Art Of People(http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-People-Simple-Everything/dp/0553419404)  describes the most important question you can ask in a first meeting and it's no different than what your content needs to say: "How Can I Help You?" Kerpen describes how he was approached by a financial advisor years back who asked for a meeting, didn't try to sell him anything, and asked the magic question. The advisor subsequently connected Kerpen with VC's and others who could potentially help his fledgeling business. He provided value, did not talk about himself or his business. Kerpen eventually asked the advisor about his business and eventually become a client. Awesome story.

Engagement: Content needs to be interesting, entertaining and visually appealing, perhaps with embedded video. The most shared piece of content today is the Infographic. Why? Because its (a) new, (b) colorful, (c) graphical (d) informative and (e) simple and easy to consume. Shared content is the ultimate form of engagement. In fact, 83% of CMOs believe that social sharing is the primary benefit of social media marketing(The Content Code). Conversational Commerce is beginning to take off. New innovations such as interactive video, Virtual and Augmented Reality are attracting new levels of immersion and engagement.When connected to social platforms, we are seeing the greatest levels of engagement and conversion.

Authenticity- Buyers want to learn from those they believe are experts. Your brand, whether it be you own personal reputation or your company's brand ID needs to be consistent and establish subject matter expertise. Build up a dossier of effective content which connects with buyer challenges and provide case studies around how you solve(d) these issues with others. 

Relevance- Your buyers want content that solves their problems or teaches them a new way to think about their challenges. As mentioned in a prior article, Content is no longer king. Context is King. Prospects demand that your content be relevant. Interactive content which a prospect can tailor to his issues has proven to be very effective. In fact, 64% of marketers according to eConsultancy say they want to improve personalization. And campaigns with personalized content deliver 29% higher unique open rates and 41% higher unique click rates (Experian). 

Trust- Become a trusted source of information. Much like developing a new friendship, if your content is helpful, engaging, authentic and relevant, you will begin to build a strong virtual relationship with your prospects. Effective content marketing which is customer focused, timely and relevant, earns the prospects' trust. They will pay attention to your next email, or even better, subscribe to your content. 

eConsultancy estimates that $50B of content was wasted or was ineffective in 2015. It's a massive opportunity for marketers. With Valentine's Day coming up, remember to put some HEART in your content and reap the benefits of building relationships with prospects. One simple key question can lead to the revenue growth you are looking to achieve: How Can We Help You?

Dan Sixsmith is VP @Alinean, Inc

He is CMO @ Augmento

And Chief Content Officer at "The Digital Advantage by Dan Sixsmith."

Dan also hosts the Podcast, This Week In Digital Marketing(we are back live on 2/8 @8PM ET). 

 Subscribe here: http://t.co/H6wqFueAB2 

 Twitter:@DigitalAdvantg

Dan Sixsmith: Marketers May Be Missing Their Chance

Boston Consulting Group believes that 1/3 of publicly traded companies will be gone in 5 years. Learn why this may happen and how the changing dynamic between buyers and sellers is a critical component of determining your company's fate. I took to the stage at Salesforce.com's Dreamforce Conference to discuss the tectonic changes in the marketplace and which companies are leading the charge to success on this new playing field.


Dan Sixsmith: The New Critical Change Marketers Are Missing [VIDEO]

The New Marketing: Why You're Uncomfortable

The Boston Consulting Group's latest research is eye-opening: 1/3 of publicly traded US companies will be gone in 5 years....huh? Digital disruption will continue to reek havoc on corporate America says BCG. Why? One word: change. Organizations that are not able to properly manage change are going by the wayside. Those that manage change by creating it, anticipating it, embracing it, staffing for it, training around it and communicating during it are thriving. It's simple, says BCG: Change or die. 
What does this mean for marketing leaders? The playing field has changed. Buyers and consumers have changed. They want instant gratification, personalized content, relevant messaging and a consistent and continuous conversation with marketers across all channels. What are many marketers delivering? One-off campaigns, disparate messages across channels, and messaging that lacks personalization and relevance.
Marketers are scrambling to re invent themselves, but old habits die hard and it's easy to stick with what is comfortable. How are marketers feeling about their efforts?
40% of marketers want to re invent themselves, yet only 14% know how to go about this (Adobe)
54% of marketers say that to be effective in the new landscape they will need to take more risks (Adobe)
Only 44% of marketers actually have a strategy (CMI)--this is puzzling, no? "Execution without strategy is chaos"(Ardeth Albee, "Digital Relevance" read this book!)
BCG's prediction doesn't seem so far fetched after reviewing these stats.
So, what can marketers do to make sure they are not left behind as the new reality takes greater hold?

Change Your Mindset (and maybe your company):
The post recession economy has left a cloud of status quo hugging and playing not to lose which needs to be abandoned. A dramatically changed landscape requires experimentation and a new strategy. Leaders need to step forward and blaze a path. If your company is not embracing change, you need to leave and go somewhere else where they get it. Chances are your company is going to be joining BCG's list of victims anyway.

Conversations vs. Campaigns: In a prior article, I discussed why campaigns are less effective than ever before (see "Marketing Campaigns? So 2014!" http://ow.ly/3yhkqL)
And here are a few more reasons why campaigns should not be the centerpiece of your strategy anymore: campaigns start and stop yet the buyer lifecycle continues on sometimes as long as 12-15 months; the prospect's needs are changing quickly and campaigns by design can't react quickly enough; campaigns are typically different within each channel leaving a prospect with a potentially disjointed message. Prospects want a cohesive story yet campaigns have the tendency to push out chapters from different books. So how do we conduct effective conversations?

Systematic vs. Random-There must be a digital ecosystem which works together as opposed to haphazard dart throwing. Begin by evaluating how your current digital marketing efforts are performing vs. KPIs. Then sketch out the proper balance of ongoing pull content with scheduled push content (yes, campaigns still have a place) and a big splash once or twice per year. Google is a big proponent of this approach. The proper creation, orchestration and management of the ecosystem will ensure you're carrying on relevant conversations (ping me for more detail on how best to achieve) The brands and organizations that are taking this approach are realizing a 15-25% improvement in marketing ROI.

Dynamic vs. Static Content: Newsflash! Content isn't king anymore. There is a ton of it that's being force-fed down uncaring prospects' throats. The Internet is awash is meaningless content. Only 30% of marketers believe their content marketing efforts are effective (CMI). What to do? Quality is better than quantity. Dynamic and relevant content is now king.  Content which advances the conversation with prospects is king. Simplicity is king. Authentic storytelling is king. Visually engaging content is king. [Interactive Video, Virtual and Augmented Reality are poised to break through] Data needs to be leveraged to pinpoint the right messaging and content to deliver and carry on a conversation with prospects.

Outside In vs. Inside Out Messaging- The norm for decades has been inside out messaging, meaning its about us first--our team, our wins, our products, features, awards and so on. This type of messaging is similar to going on a date with a person that talks only about him or her. Not much fun. No second date. Now we know why only 7% of sales people get a second meeting (Forrester). Outside in messaging takes a customer first approach. What are the challenges, the issues, and the needs that you can solve? The messaging in your content and the way sales engaged with customers needs to be outside in. Customer issue first, insights you can bring to the table next, your company and solution last.


What is your experience around the New Marketing? What is your company doing to stay off BCG's endangered species list?  Are you a disruptor?  A maverick?  A leader? Or a wait and see, play it safe, status quo hugger? What is your personal strategy for success?

Digital Marketing: The Future Isn't What It Used To Be

“When you hear marketing, most people think advertising. While we of course do that, we have made sure that marketing has been redefined as innovation. We expect our marketers to be the champions of ‘what’s next."-Beth Comstock, CMO/General Electric 

Hope you all had a great summer. Let's see what's been going on. Some startling new research:

*97% of CMO's told analyst firm Forrester recently that they will need to do something they've 'never done before' in order to succeed in the new digital landscape. 

*40% of marketers said they do not have the time to effectively manage all aspects of their digital marketing efforts(Zmags)

*$26 Billion in advertising and marketing accounts have been put into review to date in 2015 with many brands questioning the value of AOR relationships.

*At last count there were over 2000 marketing technology players on the scene.

The marketing world is grappling with tectonic changes and as Steve Jobs said in 1983: "the future isn't what it used to be." To succeed in the new marketing ecosystem, it is becoming clear that it's time to write a new playbook. Along these lines, here are some key questions you need to be asking yourself, your team, and your organization:

1. How Do You Measure Up?

You have rushed to embrace digital, added staff and budget. Where do you focus your attention and your dollars, though? Mobile? CRM? Isn't Customer Experience supposed to be key? How about native ads? Are we running enough? Do we have enough Likes? It's overwhelming, but you need to start by putting a stake in the ground and evaluating where you are in each of the key components of digital marketing vs your KPIs. Your performance will inform your next moves.

2. Are you simply conducting random acts of digital?

Once you have evaluated your progress against your goals, you now need to make adjustments to improve. However, you need to move from doing random acts of digital to creating a seamless and holistic digital marketing blueprint. Your marketing ROI depends on successfully moving your organization in this direction. In fact McKinsey tells us that companies that are successfully operationalizing digital are seeing 10-25% improvements in marketing effectiveness, customer engagement and ROI. 

3. Are You Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone?

Innovation is an overused word. Beth Comstock of GE wants marketing and innovation to be used interchangeably. There is still a 'sea of sameness' out there when it comes to marketing. Embracing my point #1 and #2  will put you in lockstep with your customers, prospects, fans and advocates and pave the way for true innovation. There are several new emerging areas which brands can leverage. Next gen interactive video, virtual and augmented reality and drone technology are beginning to be more deeply explored. Comstock thinks marketing needs to be leading the way to 'what's next."

4. Are You Aligned With A Next Gen Agency Partner?

And along those lines, it has become clear that the present day agency/client model is evolving(did someone say broken?) New ideas are only part of the equation. Execution is every bit as important.  The marketing agency of today and beyond needs to be part consultant, part market research and part production. Or better yet, perhaps the market will create a new category, that sits atop the functional AOR categories and leads the charge.

Its time to take your random acts of digital and turn them into a digital transformation that will propel your organization to the top.

Dan Sixsmith is CMO and Partner @ Augmento

He is a VP at Alinean, Inc and Chief Content Officer at "The Digital Advantage by Dan Sixsmith."

Dan also co hosts the Podcast, This Week In Digital Marketing subscribe here: http://t.co/H6wqFueAB2