Are Wearables the new trend?
Many brands and marketers underestimate the potential of wearables. Even if wearable technologies seem to be in their infancy still, it is now important to integrate them into the communication mix. The usage possibilities of mini-applications seem to be endless. So we can develop meaningful use cases for the fashion-, sports- and health up to the entertainment industry. Next to the classic activity tracker that business is literally one step ahead as it tracks our routes and calculates the calories we have burned in the process with the help of networking soles. Whether you wear them at your wrist as Smartwatch, at your sole as fitness tracker or as SmartGlass on your nose – one thing is most important: The quantity of single media channels. Therefore content has to be continuously adapted and updated. Concerning Smartwatches that means that content has to be adjusted in size and length. The content here is always available and has to be designed correspondingly. Marketers now have the chance to directly interact with the customer via diverse channels with the help of a smart connection of mobile applications and communication activities. So the possibility emerges to create a sustainable relation between the user and brands, products and services, as they become helpful companions in the daily life of the user.
Are TV and Social strong partners?
Who doesn’t know the situation: During the commercial breaks in TV the second screen - most often that of the smartphone - becomes first screen. This leads to the trend that the classic advertisement block steadily looses its meaning and efficiency, especially considering the diversity of the different target groups. Video on demand also contributes to that development. In spite of continuously high expenses in classic advertisement, the trend shifts more and more into the direction of mobile advertising. And here is where the potential of second or even multi screen is: Users can purposefully be reached, inspired and connected with different campaign elements. We need to head for mutual complements in campaigns in TV and Social to create added value for the user. Especially the classic spots need to be enriched actively with social-elements to specifically accompany the user into the mobile extended (campaign-) world. Accordingly, the User has to be picked up and provided with corresponding content from the campaign.
Is Social Selling a sales driver?
As we know for a very long time now, social media offers uncountable possibilities to tell exciting stories, provide the user with further information to products and brands and – that’s the most important aspect – actively integrate him into the process. That last part is what is most often still missing! So most of the marketers use Facebook & co rather passively and present only their content on these channels and therefore underestimate the chances which lie in the direct communication with users. Brands should actively look for users which report about their products, upload photos and recommend them to their friends e.g. with the help of hashtags. They subsequently should try to get in touch with their users to get insights and feedback about their product in direct interactions and thus also have the chance to tease new products. So ongoing trust and lasting interest will be created. In addition to that social platforms offer more functions such as direct buying. Pinterest for example launched the buying-pin and now Facebook continues with the introduction of the Buy-Button and is working on further solutions. So customers can directly be addressed in social networks and purchase processes are easier and faster. The benefit for the user clearly is the transformation of the purchase process within a platform without being transferred to other sites. There is also an enormous potential for local merchants. The Social-Selling approach certainly demands some personal resources and requires huge time exposure; still it creates a sustainable and effective lead generation on the long run.