Using New Media to Listen to Customers

Social media has changed how we think about marketing.

Word of mouth has always been the most influential with regard to purchase decisions, but historically word of mouth was limited on how far it could travel. Today word of mouth can circulate around the world in a matter of minutes! Steve Latham, founder and CEO of Spur Interactive, knows how to maximize the social web and provides a clear overview of the opportunities and challenges for brands.

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Today customer retention is non-negotiable. There are a myriad of ways people can share and exchange information; and when customer starts to move from anxiety to action you want to be there to engage with them. The market landscape is always changing, and competitors are trying to deliver unique or incremental value to your customers. Social media marketing provides a compelling way to keep your customers engaged.

Marketing is no longer a speaker phone but rather a telephone. It’s about a two-way conversation and a dialogue. According to Latham, if your brand has gotten comfortable, fat and happy by relying on your market share or your history and legacy, you will be at risk. More aggressive, savvy companies will take your customers from you. In this podcast Latham gives Customer Management IQ’s Blake Landau a sneak peak into the voice of the customer and how brands can make waves online and fight customer inertia.