the new content kings: how retailers are using content to create loyal lifetime customers

How retailers are using content to create loyal

lifetime customers.

The New Content Kings

Steve Groenier | February 2012steve@attractonline.com twitter: @marketonline

Attract Onlineattractonline.com

Key Takeaways

• Why customer loyalty is critical to your long-term success & survival.

• How to create a content strategy that will drive customer loyalty.

• 6 tactics for turning customers into your best content producers.

• 3 ways to create content that drives sales.

• How your content strategy can help you improve other areas of your business.

How do customers see you…

YOURBRAND

YOUR BRAND

ONLINE

$PRICE

How good is your price?

∞PRODUCTSELECTION

How big is your selection?

☺SERVICE

Can you delight with service?

Truly Loyal Customers Only See…

YOURBRAND

?How can your businesscreate truly loyal customers?

We take those funds that might otherwise be used to shout about our service, and put those funds instead into improving the service.

— Jeff Bezos, Amazon

“If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that.

We view any expense that enhances the customer experience as a marketing cost

— Tony Hsieh, Zappos

“because it generates more repeat

customers through word of mouth.

?How do you improve thecustomer EXPERIENCE online?

The Customer Experienceis about INTERACTIONS

Creating personal interactions online happens through content.

the great thing about CONTENT

Wine Guru Gary Vaynerchuk

It’s Unique

the great thing about CONTENTIt’s Personal

the great thing about CONTENT

It’s Exclusive

The Primary Goal ofyour CONTENT strategy:

Drive Customer Loyalty

How can CONTENT drive loyalty?

• Share their knowledge freely• Gather customer feedback• Build word-of-mouth networks• Create customer communities• Make an emotional connection

Companies with loyal customers share these traits:

How can CONTENT drive loyalty?

• Education• Expert Articles• How-To’s• Q & A’s• Tips

Share knowledge freely:

• Website Pages• Blogs• Videos• Mini-Sites• E-Books

knowledgesharing

Inform, Educate & Inspire

Inform, Educate & Inspire

Inform, Educate & Inspire

Inform, Educate & Inspire

Expert Articles

How To’s

How To’s

Get Blogging

How can CONTENT drive loyalty?

• Product Ratings & Reviews• Facebook Polls & Questions• Email Survey• Website Feedback Forms

Gather customer feedback:

Gather customer feedbackfrom WEBSITE forms

Gather customer feedbackfrom WEBSITE forms

How can CONTENT drive loyalty?

• Recruit Bloggers (Written and Video)• Reward with badge to post on their site.• Promote when they write about you.• Recruit experts to contribute content.• Build relationships with social influencers.

Build word-of-mouth networks:

Bloggers

Build word-of-mouth networks

Build word-of-mouth networksFacebook

How can CONTENT drive loyalty?

• Make community a focus.• Build social presence.• Start a forum.• Host online & offline events.

Create customer communities:

Create customer COMMUNITIES

Create customer COMMUNITIES

COMMUNITIES on home pages

COMMUNITIES on home pages

COMMUNITIES on home pages

How can CONTENT drive loyalty?

• Go out of your way to help customers.• Enable customers to tell stories.• Compliment your customers.• Say Thank You!

Make an emotional connection:

Make an EMOTIONAL connection

Get Customers to Create Content

• Send EMAIL asking to review products.• Provide way to Ask & Answer QUESTIONS.• Have fun with CONTESTS.• Ask for their OPINION about products.• Launch a BLOGGING partner program.• Give away products for making VIDEOS.

6 Great Ways:

Asking & Answering Questions

Blog Contest

579 Responses

Facebook Photo Gallery

Customer Videos

How Content Improves Your Business

• Buyers get feedback on new items before they order.

• Have Customer Service respond to problems posted on Facebook wall.

• Mine product reviews for problems.

• Distribute customer feedback to related teams.

4 Great Ways:

To improve the CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

• Include content in your SITE SEARCH results.

• Curate Facebook content for a NEW BLOG.

• Feature content in your EMAIL NEWSLETTER.

• TWEET about your stories from your bloggers.

Make sure CONTENT can be found

Content through SITE SEARCH

Content through SITE SEARCH

Content through SITE SEARCH

Content through SITE SEARCH

Curate content into NEW Blog post

Feature Customer Content in EMAIL

Summary• Customer LOYALTY is critical to your long-term success &

survival.

• Create a winning CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE with content.

• Get customers to CREATE CONTENT with product reviews, questions & answers, blogs, photos, videos, stories.

• DRIVE SALES by introducing new products through sneak previews, creating top 10 lists, and promoting great reviews.

• Get your ENTIRE BUSINESS involved in your content strategy and improve other areas of your business.

• Contact me if you have any questions: steve@attractonline.com