Using Your Customers To Drive Your Brand Strategy

Answers. Advocacy. Community.

Using Customers to Drive Your Brand Strategy

June 7, 2011

First, a little introduction

• Thom Brodeur, Executive Vice President and CMO• EmpowHER is a health media company for Women• Only network of sites exclusively dedicated to women’s health

and wellness• Started in 2007 by renowned women’s health advocate

Michelle King Robson

• Fastest growing in the category:

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Confidential and proprietary. Do not distribute. © 2011 EmpowHER

Top5Top5 Top25Top25 Top7%Top7%Women’s Health& Wellness SiteSource: Experian Hitwise

Of All Women’s Lifestyle SitesSource: Experian Hitwise (all categories)

Of All Health SitesSource: Experian Hitwise

Brand strategy?3


Who creates the brand strategy in your organization?

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And once your strategy is set – who determines the course,

corrective tweaks and follow up?

And then, what?

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Times have changed – teams have changed

It’s a new world out there …6


The Old Way The New Way

Captive audience Audience in control

One-way “push” communication Two-way dialogue

Brand in control of messages Anyone can take control

Publishing WAS the investment Participation IS the investment

‘Speed of print’ - FAST ‘Speed of click’ - FASTER

You’re NOT in control anymore….7


THEY ARE

Continuum of customer role8


Gone are the days when your customers were JUST customers…

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Customer feedback should not only be at the center of your brand strategy, but customers should be active partners in developing and

adapting your strategy

Customers should be at the center of your strategy

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So much noise!

How do you rise above it? 11


“The humble brand understands that it needs to re-earn attention, re-earn loyalty and reconnect with its audience as if every day is the first day.”

BRAND HUMILITY

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Connect with your customer …. EVERYDAY

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How do you measure the ROI of those connections with your customers?

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Continuum of measuring customer impressions

?

Go beyond the impressions, tap into your customer’s soul – and measure expressions

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SOUL

Others see the value beyond impressions…16


“As we progress in the (economic) recovery, we expect greater use of emotional benefits by aspiring brands to drive long-term health.” ~ Bob Liodice, President & CEO of the Association of National Advertisers

“Impressions only tell advertisers the raw size of the audience. By definition, impressions are passive. They give us no real sense of engagement, and consumer engagement with our brands is ultimately what we're striving to achieve. Awareness is fine, but advocacy will take your business to the next level.” ~ Joe Tripodi, EVP, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer at the Coca-Cola Company

“By increasing meaningful interaction, brand reach is dramatically amplified through the social effect. Your customers will not only be encouraged to “like” your brand, but genuinely love it.” ~ Brian Solis, award-winning Author, Speaker, and Principal of Altimeter

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EmpowHER. A Case Study.

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The answer…

We

listened...

And then,

we

created…

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The results of listening…

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• Gina was suffering from irregular periods, heavy bleeding, and severe depression.• Treatments did not help; came very close to taking her own life.• Shared her story on the site, and within 24 hours she was on a brighter path.• Her doctor is really addressing her issues and she feels Gina like a new person.

“Plain and simple…EmpowHER saved my life.”

• Christina had a complete hysterectomy in her 30’s creating a confusing path of changes to her body.• Her doctor could not give her the answers she needed.• She found the answers she needed on EmpowHER.• Christina now advocates for others and has won an award from the American Heart Association for her efforts.

“What I thought was the end, was only the beginning… EmpowHER changed my life.”

GinaMember, EmpowHER

ChristinaMember, EmpowHER

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• MonaLou’s partner was having odd sensations in his abdomen.• Read an article on EmpowHER about the symptoms of aortic aneurysm.• His doctor who scheduled emergency surgery.• Had it burst; he would have died... Post surgery, he is a perfect picture of health.

“Reading an article on EmpowHERsaved my loved one’s life.”

• Went to doctor with symptoms, tested negative.• Diagnosed w/Stage IIIC Ovarian Cancer 4 months later.• Daughter Shari passed away from same condition• Needed to know she had support and could express her grief.

“Sharing my story on EmpowHERhelped me find other women in thesame situation.”

MonaLouMember, EmpowHER

PaulaMember, EmpowHER

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By listening, and incorporating customer feedback, our audience became our co-pilots that helped EmpowHER architect…

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So where do we go from here?

First, accept that you are no longer in control … your customers are!

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Spark conversations with your customers, don’t control them.

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Provide content that your customers really want – not that you want to push. And, make it EASY to share!

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Design a feedback mechanism to capture customer sentiment and incorporate it into your brand.

EVOLVE!

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That’s our mission! We are measuring this EVERY DAY helping us stay mission-aligned in all that we do.

Measurable Impact

Are you ready?32


Start listening to and engaging your customers.They are already empowered and networked.

Let them help you! Start creating measurable impact…

TODAY!

Others we’ve helped. How can we help you?33


Questions?

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Thom Brodeur, Executive Vice President and CMO

EmpowHER

[email protected]

Using Your Customers To Drive Your Brand Strategy

Health & Medicine

Transcript of Using Your Customers To Drive Your Brand Strategy