The latest buzz in marketing is based around being able to react instantly to consumers on the social web. Every aspect of your organization can benefit from real-time marketing, but with so much data out there, and so many conversations going on, the mot important part of real-time marketing is knowing what to look for. Don’t forget you need to know what to do with the data when you find it.
Lead Generation
People are talking about services they need online. Just a few examples: “Do you know any good web hosting companies?” “Chili’s or Applebee’s? I can’t decide.” “Just saw the new Nissan Leaf, would love to take it for a test drive”, these are leads – large and small – that are ripe for the picking. If you see the conservation, there’s an invitation to jump in and market to the consumer and possible earn a customer for life. Even if you don’t jump in, keep an eye on them and wait for the right time.
Customer Service
Customer service has the potential to be the largest winner when it comes to real-time marketing. Everyday consumers are having problems with products and brands, and the first they do – tweet or blog about it. If you could catch these issues before they escalate and publicly offer a resolution it not only restores consumer faith in your brand, but it sends a clear message that you care about the little guys. Plus you never know when one of those little guys might actually be a pretty big guy that can damage your brand.
Market Research
If you’re more of the research type, there is a tremendous amount of insight to be gained from what is going on real-time. You have a never-ending focus group at your disposal. You can get instant feedback on new products or marketing campaigns as they roll out. Just think about the buzz that any new Apple product generates, knowing what people think could help shape the direction of your brand. All without paying big bucks to get it done.
As you can see, taking advantage of real-time marketing is essential to your brand or companies survival in the new age of the social web. Now that you know what to look for, you need a solution. I’d recommend taking a look at ListenLogic’s RESONATE as an enterprise-class listening solution.
