McNealy Missile – Customer Dialogue

 McNealy Missile – Customer Dialogue
A popular concept in the “New Media” era is “Customer Dialogue”. With the advent of social
networking websites, manufacturers and advertisers believe it is “hip and happening” to conduct a
“dialogue” with their customers. So, there is a virtual deluge of websites offering all sorts of
commentary, evaluations, ratings, and “customer dialogue”. Sophisticated marketers can use them
for additional market research, new product ideas, and opportunities to “fine tune” their
strategies.
However, most marketers really do not want a customer “dialogue”. Instead, they want customers
to mimic the marketer’s existing Communications Strategy, but in the customer’s “own words”.
A Marketing acquaintance once told me that marketers want their advertising to be a simple
recitation of their Copy Strategy. He felt marketers would be delighted if their advertising were
merely a “talking head” reading the Copy Strategy. While that might be true for some, the hope is
that the vast majority are looking for their advertising to reflect a creative, “unique, impactful,
and distinctive” interpretation of their Copy Strategy, rather than its mere recitation.
However, in the case of a Customer Dialogue, it appears Marketers would be delighted with a
simple customer recitation. The epitome of this view is the concept of “user generated content” –
simply put, customers create our advertising. While this might sound like an attractive and
“catchy” promotional vehicle with tons of Public Relations opportunities – “create a Super Bowl
commercial for Doritos” – it is really just that – a short term, tactical exercise. Certainly it is not
any type of long-term substitute for a great campaign idea generated through cooperative Brand
and Agency interplay. At its worst, “user generated content” is a means for eliminating or
leveraging the Brand – Agency relationship – “who needs an Agency when our customers will create
our advertising?”
This “school of thought” has its foundation in the advent – shall we say flood? – of “reality
television”. The truly seminal moment for Reality Television was the 1988 Television Writers’
Strike. Prior to that event, television basically featured situation comedies, dramas, westerns, and
variety shows scripted by a team of writers. Such luminaries as Neil Simon, Conan O’Brien, and
Woody Allen trace their comedic roots to working as television script writers.
However, the 1988 Writers’ Strike is one of those “Wally Pipp” moments in history. (Pipp was the
Yankee first baseman who in 1925 asked out of the lineup due to a headache. Yankee manager
Miller Huggins inserted a raw rookie, just out of Columbia University, named Lou Gehrig to sub for
Pipp. Gehrig proceeded to play the next 2130 consecutive games, basically ending Wally Pipp’s
Yankee career!)
Networks were without program content due to the strike, thus without vehicles for their
commercial sponsors – the network’s main income source! Necessity being the “mother of
invention”, executives decided to simply place high risk personalities such as Paris Hilton, the
Kardashians, etc. in front of “live” cameras and wait for the inevitable “car wreck”. NASCAR with
people!
While this “worked” for television, its application to advertising is problematic. Great advertising
should reflect a “campaign” – a consistent approach, continually refreshed, that builds a
relationship over time with the customer – viewer. (Look back at previous “What We’re Watching”
notes to examine some great campaigns in the automobile insurance industry.) Viewer generated
content guarantees just the opposite – a series of disjointed, entertaining, but inevitably offstrategy executions. Good news, they are cheap. Bad news, they undermine the business longterm.
In fact, you already have a customer “dialogue”. It is called “sales”. Sales are one of the clearest
ways our customers communicate with us. When pleased with our product or service, they buy and
re-buy. When not satisfied, they do not buy and, worse, tell others of their dissatisfaction. In the
internet age, that sharing of dissatisfaction is immediate and broad-scale. It can quickly spell
“death” to your brand.
Additionally, sophisticated marketers can actually predict sales performance quite accurately when
combined with broad-scale “customer satisfaction” research. While beyond the scope of this
article, customer satisfaction research is a “lead indicator” for future sales. Please remember that
“research” does not always mean a formal “study”. Your organization probably has numerous
customer “touch points” where you can quickly, easily, and inexpensively gain great customer
input and insight. (Interested? Read Making Customer Satisfaction Happen in which I detail the
strategic importance of Customer Satisfaction to any organization, regardless of industry.)
So, those are two important sources of “customer dialogue” – Sales and Customer Satisfaction
research. A third source is also inexpensive and easily accessible – the internet. It is stunning how
many organizations fail to study how their organization is portrayed on the Internet. “Search
Engine Marketing” should really be a “two way street”, where Marketers both proactively plan how
their brand will appear on the internet, but also study how it is being received. In fact, I do not
make any hotel, restaurant, or travel plans without first checking existing on-line customer
reviews. Is your organization aware of how you are portrayed on the Internet and who is making
these comments?
Lessons Learned
1. Study existing “Customer Dialogue” sources – Start with Sales and Customer Satisfaction
research. Remember with sales, check the “heart beat” of the business – its nonpromotional sales volume. This is the day-to-day sales trend. Also, check your “customer
contact points” – where your organization touches the customer. What can we learn from
those interactions?
2. Learn how your organization is portrayed on the Internet. If you search, can you quickly,
easily find your website and relevant information? What other information exists about your
firm – is it accurate, what are the sources of this information, and do we have a proactive
Search Engine Marketing plan? Do you also encourage “delighted” customers to comment on
relevant “customer dialogue” sites? No harm in asking!
3. “Customer Generated Content” can be an effective and impactful promotional vehicle.
It has particularly strong impact when combined with a Proactive Public Relations
component – one of McNealy Advanced Communication’s favorite media vehicles!
However, it is no substitute for a great Communications Idea, Campaign, and strong Brand –
Agency relationship.
Summary
It might make “great television” to watch the Kardashian’s, The Bachelor, or The Bachelorette flail
through life “in real time”. Just make certain that it’s not your brand that is left without the rose
through lack of proactive planning!