Gail wanted to buy an expensive set of golf clubs online for her husband Kevin as an anniversary gift. She wanted to talk to someone who could provide some unbiased information and help her find the right brand. Imagine if she could be connected to brand advocates or ambassadors who could help educate her and point her toward a powerful option.
Kevin wanted to book a cruise online for his wife Gail to celebrate their tenth anniversary. Having never been on a cruise, Kevin was leery of relying on the information he read about on various websites. He’d love to talk to someone who has been on the specific ship he was interested in and could provide him with the details he needed to make sure he and Gail have a terrific time.
Say hello to Needle, an online advocacy site. www.needle.com
Needle, no Haystack
Imagine as you browse a website for golf clubs or cruises, you could speak to someone who doesn’t work at the company, but is an ambassador for them. Instead of reading through reviews, you get to chat or talk to someone who has first-hand knowledge and experience in the category. They can help you make the right decision. With deep knowledge of the category and the products you are considering, they have first-hand and valuable experience. And this help is free.
Morgan Lynch knew there had to be a way to talk to someone credible, an expert who could offer insights on which competition wetsuit would give him an edge over his brother in a triathlon, but he couldn’t find the right help. Morgan turned to Mikko Valimaki and Joey Dempster, to create a different kind of online customer experience. Together Morgan and his colleagues have built an influencer and advocacy platform that can be an integral part of your marketing toolbox. Another business born because an entrepreneur had a problem.
[Tweet “Needle. Another business born because an entrepreneur had a problem.”]
Most of us are increasing our online purchases. We go to a website and often get lost or stuck when we need a little more information. It would be so helpful if we could talk to someone who can help guide us to the right decision.
In the case of Needle, their advocates do benefit financially from a completed sale. But like any salesperson, if they can provide useful and first-hand information, they make us more willing to click purchase.
Jay Baer, in his new book Hug Your Haters gives an example of a woman named Barry who has been on every Royal Caribbean Cruise. If you go to the Royal Caribbean Cruise site, a pop-up box asks, would you like to speak to Barry, a real-live customer? She can answer all your questions.
So Barry, who is sitting in her kitchen somewhere in America has sold over twelve million dollars’ worth of cruises.
She is involved in their affiliate program and yes, she must explain that she gets a commission if you book a cruise that day. Using real customers as advocates brings a whole new level to customer service.
Looking for a competitive edge to help your brand, thread the needle? Check out advocacy programs if you sell online. You’ll get the point.
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Photo credit: By Dmeranda (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons
