Embracing the trends: Random Acts of Kindness

Cited as one of Trendwatching's 2011 major trends, Random Acts of Kindness (RAK), is part of a plethora of trends such as Generation G (Generosity), crowdsourcing and indeed the entire social media hive can be said to be in part driven by the desire to give and share.

So - how are you embracing this trend for your business?

Random Acts of Kindness can be a way to express your brand, gain awareness and loyalty with target customers and actually give back at the same time. Businesses with Corporate Social Responsibility programmes have been shown to have better profitability and staff retention, so this is a multi-faceted approach for the business.

Here's 5 ideas to get you started:

1. How do you make a difference in people's lives - is it the supply of stationery so they can communicate, the supply of energy so they and their family stay warm? Find people at the edges of this - those who show a small struggle to pay their bill or those who love pink pens and surprise them with a little extra based on this. A family pack of slippers, a $10 credit, a pack of pink notes to go with the pink pens? Vodafone once surprised me (mid-contract) with a 3 month magazine subscription, which highlighted their unique brand position and definitely increased my brand preference.
2. If you have a supermarket product - ask your merchandising team to buy a random customer one of your products that may be suitable for the customer and give it to a random stranger.
3. If you have a service, catch up with your customer over coffee and ask them 'what else'? What else would they really like to do if they had the time / resource? Then work with them to make it happen, maybe with a free-start to help them achieve it, maybe making some calls to find other supporters to split the cost. A coffee, a few calls and it may make a world of difference!
4. Find your best customers. Surprise them with a hand-written thank you card.
5. Find a not-for profit that people in your team believe in (there will be one) and volunteer your team for a day. Invite some of your customers to join in the fun.

Interflora and KLM have great examples (covered in the original Trendwatching article). One brand that is defined by their Random Acts of Kindness? The Ritz Carlton. Employees going above and beyond for guests is the stuff of legend, the stories being told again and again.

The above ideas may not be completely random, but do build support and give permission for spontaneity. The rest is up to you and your fantastic team!

You? What Random Act of Kindness will you do today?

Successful is risky

As one of my favourite writers, Seth Godin, once said, not taking risks is risky.

So you pull together a marketing plan, using the data, calculating the ROI and working with agencies to maximise your reach and NPS. And launch a campaign that is bullet-proofed to deliver to objectives.

Your competitor launches at the same time...using the same data...and with a similar campaign.

ROI squashed as cut-through, brand-linkage and call to action lost in the confusion.

Safe is risky.

Guaranteed you have great ideas that are a little left of centre. Talk to some customers, ask them what they think. Guaranteed they are going to make those great ideas even better.

What better way to get 'risky' ideas over the line than customer say-so?

YOU? what innovative campaign ideas have you tried? What did your customers think?

Whoever is closest to the customer, wins.

Through dealing with retailers, selling direct and being a marketer I have come to the almost obsessive belief that whoever is closest to the customer will, eventually, have the most successful business.

Sounds obvious, but can be easy to forget.

For example, if I am managing a Large Brand, I can obsess over retail distribution, pricing, advertising and new product development. Playing with (useful) levers to get the maximum return for my marketing dollars.

But if the retailer deletes my product what do I have?

Unless the customer feels close to my brand and demands to buy it elsewhere, I've got nothing. Even if the retailer keeps the product, they usually do so at the price of more margin, unless I have the voice of the customer with me.

Because that is what is being close to the customer is about too - understanding their needs so you get it right. Having real conversations with them so you do develop products and Brands that they love and will follow.

Whomever is closest to the customer wins because:

- You know what they want and give it to them

- Structurally - you have the power in the distribution chain

- In an increasingly direct world inc. online sales, you need to be there to catch the ball as customers shift purchasing behaviours to a more direct model.

- In the face of increasing choice, people buy brands they like and trust. Without a relationship, you are left with the levers of price, features and high risk NPD.

Examples of companies that get close to the customer in industry-changing ways include Zappos, Metro Bank (a new model in banking), Carman's, Porshe and Nike.

Those who are closest to the customer win because they are able to deliver to customer needs, build a valuable asset in the relationship itself, build loyalty (from both sides) and simply care enough to get it right.

You? How are you shifting your business to get closer to the customer?

Photo credit: Mike's Journal

Look up! A simple marketing idea

Walking along recently I was forced to look up by the contrast of a brilliantly lit building in my area. Amongst the finery of Mayfair the luminescent glow of green, yellow and blue neon tubes draped in windows definitely got my attention.

As did the fact that the very beautiful building is for rent.

Elegant, cool, effective and low cost. Love it.

YOU? What could you do that with a bit of creativity could have a BIG impact?

Dreaming in BIG

Innovation and inspiration can come from any angle. But inevitably they come from dreaming of ideas.

So why dream from the possible?

Why not dream from the seeming impossible?

Why not dream in BIG?

Some great business examples include Kiva, Old Spice (the campaign), Earth Hour and Flickr.

I'm dreaming of you dreaming in BIG and it's making me dream in BIG. Fancy that.

You? What's your BIG dream?

Image and artwork credit: Christo and Jean-Claude

Fishing for global insight

Understanding your customers and brand perceptions in multiple countries is not a one size fits all project. Differences in cultures, infrastructure, communication channels and sheer geography mean that one methodology will often not work across different countries, as articulated well in this Marketing Week article by Steve Hemsley.

The difficulties and expense that these studies can represent is considerable and can cause conflict between offices.

So why not enlist the local team as the local experts they already are - and empower them to collect and collate the research for you? Working from central questions and a rigorous framework, just expressed differently in different regions (in consultation with a research expert), doing the hands-on research can only help local teams get closer to customers, more engaged in the results and implications.

Creative research methodologies involving imagery, stories and clear, repeatable metrics could create a wealth of layered multi-national customer insight, at lower cost and deeper engagement, for both your team and your customers. Who knows, maybe your sales manager, accountant or CEO might enjoy the venture into something different!

Your team will now know how to fish, and will be able to repeat to catch more tasty insights in the future.

You? Do you think this is possible, flawed or will work for your organisation?

Image credit

An ice rink for Christmas

Sometimes the most powerful form marketing is to capture the feeling of your brand and make it tangible for potential customers.

And that is exactly what Tiffany & Co. have done with their sponsorship of Somerset House Ice Skating in London, UK.

The experience is magical, laced with excitement and romance in the most elegant of ways.

Totally Tiffany & Co.

You? How can you capture the emotion of your brand and make it tangible for customers, what is the purest expression of that - could it be a picnic in the park, a monster truck show or a high-flying stunt?