The Art of Conversation

Good conversation is hard. Dialogue, by definition, is a process of giving and receiving. In the old-media world of monologue communication, brands didn’t see the need to spend much time on the listening end of the conversation. It was one-way tell people stuff. Feedback was what an angry customer gave you, if they could find your customer service number. Or took the time to write you a letter. It was easy to ignore that angry (and clearly misguided) costumer, and turn your attention to acquiring a new customer, simply turn up the volume on the monologue tell people stuff side.

Today, everyone is a publisher. Finding your customer service number is not important. As a matter a fact, it doesn't matter. Every customer is equipped with a bullhorn and a network of folks who listen and likely value what they say. Your brand better as well. Your brand must be good at the "Art of Conversation.” Particularly the part about listening and receiving feedback, you're going to get it, so you better be in a dialogue.

How do you do that? You accept that your brand is co-owned by the folks who use it (this is the new reality). By doing so, you bring your customers into the fold of your organization. They are an extension, and a very important on at that. Your culture must change to be in tune with your customer like never before. You treat your customers with respect, it’s a different respect than in the past, you treat them with peer-to-peer respect. You listen more than tell. See, funny thing about customers (people), if they feel respected and listened to, they’re incredibly loyal. Loyalty leads to advocacy, and that is where marketing thrives. Your customer will lead your brand into new customer’s hands, much more so if they feel kinship w/ your brand, ownership of your brand.

At Groove 11, we have a passion for building brand relationships. All relationships are built on conversations, and good conversations, as a core element, have robust dialogue. You want your brand to be part of a dialogue that moves product. That begins by listening. Please listen to your customers actively and often. Your brand and bottom line will thank you.

Comments

[Freda Byrne]

The quote for the day from Bill Gates: “Your most unhappy
customers are your
greatest source of learning.”

underscores the need for organizations to get in and stay in the coversation. What is happening with ComCast right now is a clear indicator of how a brand can respond and change customer perception. Thanks Rod for this post.