Fiorella Coello

Marketing, e-Business, and Internet Consultant

Blog

Consumer 2.0: It's not a problem; it's an opportunity to improve! A few days ago, I was in an e-Marketing dinner. The main topic during was how companies can create value, in a period where consumers are living the saturation of channels. Consumers have all information they need everywhere at anytime.

In order to understand that undeniably the consumer has the power to be with you, or leave you, just try to keep the following concepts in mind:

1. Without doubt, this is the Consumer 2.0 time. Consumers themselves are at the centre of this trend. They are the producers of information, publishing in real time.

2. Consumer 2.0 services offer information generated by consumers for use by a wider consumer audience.

3. Information used to be produced and distributed by professionals for others to adopt, but these times are past. Non-professionals are now increasingly participating in the production of information. Additionally, in knowledge-based information systems the production and consumption of information are closely related. We could speak of a sort of hyper interaction between the producers and consumers of information.

The birth of the C generation

4. Cash: The consumer is able to spend their money with you only if your offer is really competitive. The consumer 2.0 values their time and money, so don’t let them waste their time.

5. Make your customer your Co-creator: let them suggest and help you to improve your product or services! More and more consumer can participate in the product creation process.

6. The Consumer 2.0 loves share their experiences in Communities, so please give them good reasons to speak about you and recommend your product or services.
Try it, and then buy itLast week, I've read in La Vanguardia's Magazine (one of the most popular newspaper in Barcelona), about Experimental Stores.

I'm sure that the following phrase "please don't touch it" sounds familiar for you in several stores. I would like to summarize the article for you, because I was completely impressed.

Well, the phrase "please don't touch it" in the classical stores could be pass to the history, because the Experimental Stores are the future. This is the new trend in Marketing, so you'll find the important brands in the technology sector applying this new strategy.

Samsung has opened its first store in the USA this year. This is a big store in Manhattan where you can do everything you want, except buy: customers can check their e-mail, enjoy a nice movie with a home cinema system. Visitors can learn how the different devices work, test them with help of expert people who work in the showroom.

According to studies of the firm, this experience not related with the purchase's act influences positively in the election of their brand when potential customers are going to buy. It could be in a big store or Internet.

Other companies as Apple or ATT, are betting for this new marketing concept without eliminate the "cash machine". Now, their products and gadgets aren't in a glass display cabinets. The chain stores as MayTag allow the customers cook biscuits in their ovens or use their clothes dryers with the own clothes of the clients. But, there are limits; it seems that delicatessen stores couldn't try this new marketing trend. It's obvious ; )
aSmallWorld.net a private social network, an exclusive Cyber ClubFrom the Marketing point of view, it’s a perfect method to segment users and also make sure about the quality of them. The commentaries are real and written by members. As a guarantee, you know that each member has been invited by other one, so, the user’s quality is high. (Double meaning ; )) If you want to discover why it has a double meaning, continue reading the text… What Asmallworld is? Well, Asmallworld is a “viral networking community”. The profiles of members in the main are important business people, individuals with a high purchasing power, celebrities as Naomi Campbell, Quentin Tarantino, Tigger Woods, and also royalty people. They write about exclusive places to go, like restaurants, gyms, cultural places, exclusives parties, meeting points, etc. Who can get in? Asmallworld, is not open to anyone, so if you want to be a member you have to receive a register invitation from a friend who is member. It is a private social network, which offers travel suggestions, advices, ratings of restaurants, feedback, and so on. Furthermore, you will find other areas of common interest between users. In any case, to enjoy the “exclusive” services and network of Asmallworld, you have to be very good “connected” to receive the invitation. If not, as they say: “If you have no friends who are members yet, you simply need to be patient.” ; ) More information: http://www.asmallworld.net/