By
now, I’m sure you’ve seen the statistic: according to Forrester Research, a
whopping 32 percent of online consumers trust a stranger’s opinion on public
forums or blogs more than they trust branded advertisements and marketing
collateral. Over the past few weeks, it’s been published, republished,
pontificated on and generally beaten to death throughout marketing media.
The
vast majority of opinion on the stat is resolutely negative. Many see it as
confirmation of the inevitable erosion of trust between consumers and the companies
hoping to serve them – proof that brands need to shift resources into social
media and adopt practices that assume a trust gap exists between the two
parties.
While
there is some truth in that, I see it as an opportunity. Brands should take the
stat as a challenge and focus on building trust by listening to consumers and
honoring their privacy and preferences. The brands that get it right – the
exceptions to the trend – will stand out and succeed.
Eric Tejeda is the Director of Product Marketing for PossibleNOW
and CompliancePoint. Eric supports the organization’s growth objectives by productizing
and launching innovative new products and services that fill critical needs in
the marketplace.
With 25 years of experience, Eric firmly believes that
permission-based marketing and preference management is a mega trend and the
path to success for marketers today.
Follow me on Twitter: @EricTejeda | Connect on LinkedIn: Eric Tejeda
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