How not to look an ass in any eCRM Conversation

One of the key maxims of conversation is taking turns.

This not only allows the participants to learn more about each other but also helps the conversation take it's natural course.

This obviously applies in the real world and even more so in the digital world of eCRM. Brands often fall into the trap of talking about themselves non stop until the consumer either finally capitulates or runs away!

We have no excuses not to listen to the customer or potential customers. Our ability to monitor what they look at, at what time and for how long has never been so great. And yet many brands fail to use this insight.

It's key that in any eCRM conversation that you learn about the other party and don't just talk about yourself.

The former will make you look smart

The latter will make just make you look an ass

Thank you to My Top Twitter Followers in 2010

@ctfergie @irinakremin @zoetw @pure360 @miapapanicolaou @ecirclemedia @grahamlubie @madleeeen @thanktank @shonali @johnyuill @jbjag @tamaragielen @brandguardian @tref @kgsglobal @philipstorey @hcmsanmarcos @weareawa @chrisbrogan @allyburt @genevievecoates @htoby @marketingb2b @gyrohsr @richardgibson @wearebourne @wisequeen @b2bmarketingeu @poneillforr @inboxgroup @felixvelarde @natedog138 @rlevans @andrewbonar @sarahatdell @mediatrust @iamgfc @jortpossel @nikitap @kaeppler @homebaselounge @verahartmuth @khusseini @mattlacasse @indiescott @ecircle @rorycarlyle @donpeppers @mailfinch @tsevis @lisannevos @ciberesfera @ian_pollard @kirstenpetra @effectivecrm @gamblingaffs @ecircleuk @taylorzoe @kareysisemore @bababart @jmacdonald @susanprater @katzy @bizboost_b2b @silverpopde @vandenboomen @chadatbourne @brightstepceo @jvanrijn @bluehornetemail @digsocial @holborndirect @email_expert

Merry Christmas

And if you are over 18..Jingle Bells brought to you by Guinness!!

Too late for a very important date?

Its too late !!! You won't get your pressies delivered from Amazon, HMV, John Lewis etc etc..well you could try but it would be a great leap of faith!!!

Thankfully for us last minute shoppers, retailers like HMV allow us to send e-gifts!!.

Don't Forget the 12 days of Christmas

In a study by eDigitalResearch, 75% of respondents said they’d be online on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, so it makes sense for your email strategy to take this into account according to Simon Bowker from eCircle in his simple tips for making your Christmas email marketing campaigns a success.


But lets not forget that Christmas goes beyond Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so here are a few ideas courtesy of Sherry Chiger on directmag.com.


But whatever messages you send out over the holidays, remember, a conversation isn't just for Christmas!!

Email Knock, Knock!

Yesterday I had a meeting with another client where I ask my traditional question of when do they send their email messages, followed by the question that always seems to trip clients up..Why? Why do they pick that time and day to go knocking on someone's inbox door?

The resultant answers to the latter usually vary from the because we always send at that time, to because we tie in with our 'bricks and mortar' bigger brother, to because we think it works best at that time.

The one answer that very rarely materialises is ' because we regularly test broadcast time and date and align it with it with our customer behaviour'. And when I say rarely I really do mean rarely!

Sometimes the ' because we always have' is justified on the basis on what they deem to be best practice. Admittedly there are stacks of tables indicating the most popular broadcast days and times (click here for an example from Kris Kiler). But most popular doesn't mean best for you and your audience.

Next Generation Marketing -Berlin

This was an awesome conference.

For me it what was a conference should all be about: Inspiration, Theory and Practice. So I wanted to out down a few words about what the real take out for me was.

Fundamentally we are Human Beings and as such want to be treated as such, and it doesn't matter if we are talking B2C or B2B. We don't want to be spoken at we want to be spoken with. Yes it is All About the Conversation, with a recognition that we want to have these conversations at a time and place that suits us, not the marketers.

If as brands we can learn to listen before we even think about speaking then we are well on the way being there for our customers before we attempt to sell them anything.

Yes, I recognise the fact that technology has changed rapidly over the last 10 years,5 years, 12 months, 7 days! And we have to keep pace with how this technology is changing the way the conversation takes place and the speed with which it takes place. But at the other end of the tweet, mobile app, Facebook page, net book widget is someone like me (well not exactly like me but you get the idea). Someone who might have a need to learn more about a product , a service or an idea before fully committing to it. Educate and inspire me and I might become a willing disciple. Stop me from what I am doing in order to force feed me brand speak and I will walk the other way.

In the words of Rick Segal from Gyro HSR

Thinks heart not head
Ideate not execute
Care not convince
Give back don't take
Join the flow, don't stop it

I will write more soon but for now, thank you KGS for a great conference.