We’ve all become accustomed to the use of acronyms in everyday life.  OMG, JK and LMK are just a few of the text short cuts our smartphones have popularized.  But when someone recently asked me about ZMOT, I had to investigate.  So what IS it exactly?

Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) is that moment when you grab your laptop, mobile phone or some other wired device and start learning about a product or service (or potential boyfriend) you’re thinking about trying or buying. I’m sure you know what I mean — you probably do web searches like this every day.  — Jim Lecinski, Managing Director, U.S. Sales & Service for Google

The full book is well worth a read, but simply put, ZMOT is the new way in which consumers are integrating an online component into their shopping experience.  By adding a step to what was once thought of as a 3-step model, (Stimulus, Shelf, Experience) consumers are empowered with digital information and they know how to use it!  As marketers we need to win at ZMOT, and here’s how:

1. Put Someone in Charge
2. Find Your Zero Moments
3. Answer the Questions People Are Asking
4. Optimize for ZMOT
5. Be Fast
6. Don’t Forget Video
7. Jump In

I still remember my first time like it was yesterday. I cringed in horror at the thought, let alone the act, in which I was about to partake. It repulsed me to think I would be joining the youth culture in what would surely be their demise. And what would my parents think? But they were young once too, they must’ve experimented. So I sat back, reached out my hand and let the journey begin.

It started slowly at first; once a week, then twice, but before I knew it I was doing it daily, even multiple times a day, spiraling completely out of control. I’m talking, of course, about social media.

The more invested I became, the more useful I began to find these tools, each of their own accord. And now, as a self-proclaimed junkie, here are my reasons:

Why I Like LinkedIn:

LinkedIn is by far and away my favorite tool. It’s a working resume that allows you to connect with companies as well as individuals. You can add events, a reading list, even link your Twitter account. If you do ONE thing in social media, this (in my opinion) is the way to go.

Why I Like Twitter:

I will be the first to admit, Twitter used to overwhelm and annoy me. I was the person like, “Who wants to know what I had for lunch today?!” I completely did not understand its purpose. But the more I immerse myself in it, the more I love it. The list function is perfect for following specific individuals or topics. And it’s a great way to get current events without having to visit a bunch of websites. Finally, if you write a blog, Twitter is an absolute must.

Why I Like Quora:

Again, Quora used to overwhelm me. I’m still scared to ask a question, but it’s a phenomenal resource for getting answers. Quora is my go-to resource for answering my own questions.

Why I Like Google+

So far, the only reason I like Google + is because of how much I dislike Facebook. I haven’t really used it much, aside from sharing a few pictures, but I see its potential.

Not all tools are for everyone or every business.  Get to know your audience, engage them and watch your business grow!

As marketers, our clients are ALWAYS right…  Or are they?  They tell us who they are, what they do and why they do it better.  We take that message and develop a campaign to strengthen their brand and deliver said message to their target audience.  But what if they don’t buy what we’re selling?  In other words, what happens when you have an amazing creative concept and the client sends it packing?!

First and foremost, don’t lose heart.  As previously discussed, American Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…  Art, like the artists themselves, is created by experience and circumstance.  That is what makes it so unique and why different styles of art appeal to different audiences.  Furthermore, it is our  job to present our clients with options so they have choices.  As consumers we have endless options and our decisions vary as widely as the product choices themselves.  It isn’t to say one is necessarily wrong, perhaps there is simply more than meets the eye.  Typically, as in big corporations, there is also a trickle down effect.  If someone at the top level is disapproving, even the savviest of campaigns won’t stand a chance.

So make sure you’re listening to your client, learning from them and leaving without questions.  As you develop a deeper relationship your visions will align more closely and the creative will soon follow.  Finally, reassess the client’s strategy and ensure everything is copacetic.

What do you think, is the client always right?

It’s the same old song – the New Year started off with a bang… You updated your facebook business page, attended a few social media workshops and webinars, wrote several blog posts and even tweeted them! Well, now we’re three months in and already your blog has cobwebs, you haven’t tweeted in weeks and the last place you checked in on foursquare was New Year’s Day brunch!

You keep asking yourself, who has the time for this?! The answer is, even social media junkies hit a wall at some point. It’s information overload (even for the experts;-) So how do you get back on track and furthermore, how do you maintain a consistent social media program so you’re not constantly falling off the wagon?

First and foremost, make sure you’re using the best tools for your business as well as a social media management tool. Then, create an action plan. I found equating this concept to an exercise regimen seemed like a “fitting” analogy;-) By applying the same principles you would to get in shape, I made a checklist for getting your social media strategy toned in no time!

Here’s the skinny:

• Set a realistic goal – as with exercise, too much too soon is just setting yourself up for failure. Decide on a weekly schedule and stick to it, no excuses.
• Write it down – by putting things in writing you are making yourself accountable. Like counting calories, become aware of what it takes to reach your goal and keep track of it.
• Don’t punish yourself – we all make mistakes but there’s always tomorrow. So if you miss a post, don’t stress. Just make sure to get back on track as soon as possible.
• Reward yourself – when you DO stick to your program, give yourself a just reward (and since you’re NOT on a diet – chocolate is completely acceptable in this case;-)
• Everything in moderation – extreme exercise can derail even the toughest athlete. Make sure you’re doing social media in moderation and you’re sure to be a winner!
• Buddy up – in the case of social media, don’t take it all on yourself. Ask for blog topics from friends and co-workers, schedule tweets, use lists and, if possible, divide and conquer. If that’s not an option, use your online pals as inspiration to keep going – they love to help each other out!

What are some other tips to keep your social media program up and running?

As the end of 2010 nears, I want to talk about ways that we can improve your marketing for next year:

• Look at what marketing strategies worked – and what didn’t. Drop the “what didn’t”.
• Consider the areas of your business you want to improve: communication, customer service, etc and make that a priority.
• Go through all the messaging on your site and make sure that the content is correct, and up to date.
• Put together a to do list for the first month back in the office – making sure to include contacting your past clients for new referrals.
• If you’re using social media tools, determine how you can get more from the time you spend on them.
• Look at your most popular services and determine if there are ways you can get more of that kind of work. Also,are there services or products you offer that get minimal response? Maybe it’s time to get rid of them.
• Tell everyone in the office your goals and focus, the more that know, the easier it will be to stay on target.

Have you already started looking at next year?

WOMM, or Word of Mouth Marketing, is what people are talking about… Literally.  Why you ask? With all the messaging out there, it is harder than ever to cut through the clutter and get your customers’ attention. WOMM, first and foremost, has one of the highest ROIs of any medium. It’s essentially free advertising (and who doesn’t like to get something for nothing…) in the form of a testimonial from an existing client who is marketing your company to a person who trusts their opinion. In turn, they now trust you! Genius!! So what is WOMM exactly and how do you leverage it?

Vocus presented a PDF from Ted Wright of Fizz Corp. recently, discussing WOMM in detail. I’ve taken the liberty of highlighting some key points below:

• People trust others – 68% trust other people “like themselves”
• That trust extends to product advice – 92% cite WOMM as best source for product ideas
• People talk and do so frequently – 112 marketing relevant conversations per person occur per week
• The majority of WOM conversations are occurring offline – 71% of conversations are face-to-face

So what is the recipe for WOMM success?

• Identify a “leadership” group
• Find the talkers
• Give them something to talk about
• Create the tools to get the movement started
• Allow people to join the movement
• Measure results

Let’s give ‘em something to talk about, let’s talk about WOMM!

Earlier this week we talked about brand names, and how often they are used as opposed to the “generic” or real name of the product. We posed the question, “What’s in a brand”. To continue on this conversation, let’s talk about the actual branding of a product.

In an article from the WSJ, Rosalind Resnick discusses what makes a brand work, and her advice is simple, and brilliant

“My advice: Be the brand. Now, I’m not advising you to put on a cape and crown and belt it out on cable. What I am suggesting is that you figure out what your company stands for and start leveraging your personal brand. Once you get past your fear of making a fool of yourself, the rest is pretty simple”.

People know the heads of most of the large brands because they represent the brand – they are as much a part of it as the product they represent. In addition to the 5 she mentions (Barbara Corcoran, Donald Trump, Mario Batali, Richard Branson, Cesar Millan), there are hundreds more (Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, Steve Ballmer…). Each of these people has become the number one fan of their brand – and represents what they sell and provide with pizazz. They aren’t screaming from hilltops and working gimmicks, but they are certainly the companies #1 cheerleader. They are their brand, and even when they have passed on and the brand is in the hands of someone new, they will still be known.

Are you your brand?

In a world where today is too late and yesterday is so last season, how do you design messaging around a generation that defines instant gratification?

The attention span of an average person may be as short as eight seconds, which means your message must grab the consumer’s attention and either hold it or wrap it up in a few seconds, in order to make it effective.

(Which means by this point, I have either lost you or convinced you to keep reading).

With all the various mediums, ever-changing technology and social media transforming the advertising industry, we, as marketers, have to find ways to constantly innovate our stories.

The trend today seems to be doing just that by making your purchasing decision about the entire experience. Products don’t just serve a single purpose in today’s marketplace – they must defy gravity. A product must be able to multi-task as much as the consumers themselves. It must make your life easier and the purchase itself must be even simpler.

For example, take car commercials. A car is about defining your lifestyle! Are you a busy parent of three? A CEO? An athlete? Buying a car isn’t about getting from point A to point B anymore; it’s about saying to the world THIS is who I am. Even down to your underwear purchase (I’m using Hanes as the example here) you’re choosing the experience of the brand. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to grab my Oakley sunglasses and Prada bag, so I can get to the nearest Starbucks!

What other trends are you seeing in messaging to the “instant gratification generation?”

A blog is not a magical cure all. Neither is twitter, facebook or youtube. Social media tools were created in order to make conversation easier and more effective with a larger network of people – not to sell stuff. While they can be used to help your business grow, understanding the right way to use these tools is the only way to make that happen. Just like traditional marketing, it takes time and a lot of touches before you will turn someone from a watcher to a listener and then into a buyer. You can’t push someone too quickly or they will just push back. Social media allows messages to send faster, but that doesn’t mean we need to be faster with our pitches. Let’s take the magic and mystery out of the equation, and start thinking about them as tools. To use social media properly you must:

1. Share content – not sales pitches.
2. Be involved in the conversation.
3. Create quality not quantity.
4. Offer help and advice without expecting it in return.
5. Look for the right people to follow based on your industry.
6. Do not send spam messages.
7. Ask for help in sharing, but don’t be overbearing.
8. Give people credit – never steal someones ideas.
9. Be consistent in your message.
10. Write and share often, but don’t be a blowhard.
11. Use your instincts – branding is the same everywhere.
12. Don’t say something you’ll regret.
13. Learn to respond with your brand in mind.
14. Ask questions, it encourages conversation.
15. Take time every week to re-evaluate what works and what doesn’t
16. Not give up. It takes time for people to listen
17. Be honest. People can tell when you are just slinging fluff.
18. Create a consistent profile. Being the same brand throughout all media makes you easier to understand.

What other tips can you share that take the mystery and magic out of social media?

Every (for profit) business has an offering, whether it is a service or a product, there is something that they are going to make money off of. But, that service or product is not always (actually, rarely is it) the key marketing tool for a business. Coca Cola sells soda, right? But what is their key marketing statement? “Open Happiness”. AllState sells insurance, but they don’t use that as their marketing statement do they? They tell the consumer “You’re in good hands”.

A lot of times, this key statement is considered a tagline, but I feel that is a misnomer. A tagline makes it sound silly and pointless, just more words that mean nothing. In reality, the tagline should be called your key marketing statement. This statement is used as your  overlying sentiment that you want to portray to your customers every single day. This should be your mantra both in the office, with employees, and out of the office, with clients. This is the key to your success – and needs to speak volumes about who you are as a company and what it means to work with you. When you approach someone and they ask you what you do, you should give them your key marketing statement, then more details. Your business card should have the key marketing statement prominently placed, as should your website and all marketing materials.

When you are considering a key marketing statement there are a few things to consider:

1. What is it that you want to be known for?
2. What can you offer that no one else can?
3. How are you proving you are unique?

Using the answer to any of these questions should help you to form your key marketing statement.

What is your companies key marketing statement?

Does it actually get followed or is it just empty words?