Marketing Shifts "From Mass to Grass"

Today's marketing is about connecting to the consumer. But it's always been that way from day one.
However, new ways of reaching the customer are what marketers crave.

A full house of attendees discovered the new methods of reaching the consumers of today at the Canadian Marketing Association's Word of Mouth Marketing Conference (From Mass to Grass) held on April 12, 2007 in Toronto.

It's all about online social networks, stated Jackie Huba, co-author of Citizen Marketers: When People are the message.

"There's a global trend of content being created (about products and services) on the Web. Forty eight million people have created content, by posting pictures, videos, podcasts, writing on blogs...58 percent of Canadians read blogs," remarked Huba during the morning keynote address. Interestingly, while only 1 percent of visitors/users create content on the sites and 10 percent interact with what's presented, it all remains 100 percent viable to the Web community.

Huba pointed out that Word of Mouth, such as the Web content that users generate, influences purchases more so than TV, Coupons, Newspaper inserts or Articles. In fact, studies show that 92 percent of consumers admit to using word of mouth referrals as a basis for a buying decision. So it's no longer a case of 'let the buyer beware' but more about 'let the seller beware.'

While the majority of attendees were fully aware of the four Ps of marketing (Product, Price, Place, Promotion), they became aware of the fifth P, what Huba called Participation. "Social media allows us to connect (and shows), how to get customers to participate, it's about creating ownership... they want to help us out."

How do you create this customer ownership and good word of mouth?

"You have to be authentic... practice what you preach... do the right thing... ask your customers what they want ...and then give them what they want," offered Eric Petersen, Director of Community Relations at lululemon, a popular athletic apparel company. His company has used tactics such as: The lululemon Love Bus, where women do yoga on top of their company vehicles in rush hour traffic; graffiti its entire storefront; holding dance classes in their stores or boarding up the store windows and doors to create the impression it was closing down. By doing so, the company creates "buzz" and media interest, which drives customers to the stores. Then any positive interaction and attraction to the popular line of clothing items feeds the word of mouth strategy that has jettisoned lululemon into one of the trendiest stores to shop.

While buzz can spread in fast and furious fashion throughout sites such as YouTube, del.icio.us, digg and the like and benefit the organizations involved, it can also cause corporate migraines. One need only examine the case of an upset consumer trying a get a modem fixed from a Comcast technician. He ended up videotaping the service technician who fell asleep on his couch while on hold with his central office. More than 100,000 people viewed this on YouTube and its entrenched on Google by any number of keywords associated to Comcast.

While the shift from "the medium is the message" to the consumer is the message appears to have taken hold, now it's up to marketers to get that message.

"I'll be executing the concepts learned from the CMA session," said Phil David, Director of Marketing at G.A.P. Adventures in Toronto. "User generated content is obviously something we can use from our global travel customer base in 100 countries...it's how to use the tools available to interact that's the challenge now."

Lucky for David that the Canadian Marketing Association offers workshops on how to do just that.