"That's the million dollar question,".
With the rise of individual voices and the eroding effectiveness of mass marketing techniques, it's no wonder that so many marketing and communications disciplines are enamored with cracking the code on influence.
Specifically, influence among people.
So let me address the core question: What is influence? According to Oxford, influence has a number of related definitions: 1. The power or ability to affect someone's beliefs or actions. 2. A person or thing with such ability or power. 3 The power arising out of status, contacts, or wealth. 4 The power to produce a physical change.
For better or worse, I've seen marketing and communications professionals tackle all these definitions of influence from a variety of angles in recent months. Here are just a few, which range from elementary and practical, to academic:
Influence Identification: Can it be identified? Can it be measured? Can it be harnessed? Has nature determined any given person more influential than another? Or are there specific variables that ultimately determine influence, such as popularity, reach, expertise, trust, willingness to speak, history, or association?
Group Influence: What are the influence dynamics of groups? How do they differ from individuals? Are cohesive groups really more influential over their members? What brings them together and inspires them to act? How are people influenced by the cognitions and attitudes of others in their social group?
Emotional Impact on Influence: How do emotions affect the ability of one to influence or be influenced? Are happy people more likely to influence, while sad people are more likely to be influenced? How much is primal and in our subconscious?
Contextual Impact: How much does context or familiarity matter for influence to occur? As Jeff Jarvis noted at Edelman's recent roundtable on online influence, it wasn't necessarily his influence that sparked Dell Hell. It was the fact that his experience struck a chord with the pain of thousands of other customers across the Internet. Which then begs the question: Does influence behave differently online versus offline?
Influence of Algorithms: How do algorithms -- particularly in Web services - influence people? Does Google influence by defining what people see and where to focus attention? Do search-based "meme trackers" like Techmeme or BuzzTracker have inordinate influence versus other information sources? What about social-voting sites like Digg or Del.icio.us? Do algorithms cultivate the influence of individual people?
Influence Application: Can influence really inform marketing communications strategy to achieve higher performance? Does it make better sense to segment and market to those who are most influential, or those who are most easily influenced? Or is it a mix of both? Can we influence the influencers, or are we limited to simply observing and reacting to their actions and ripples?
Are these even the right question when applying influence to marketing strategy?
With all the attention around influence, and many unanswered questions, what we need most is more practical testing, tied to specific marketing objectives and applications. The marketer's Holy Grail of influence is the ability to recognize patterns and optimize outcomes -- whether for advertising, media-planning, public relations, word-of-mouth marketing, etc.
Without question, influence often rides on nothing more than spontaneity.
However, deeper understanding will lead to bets and actions with more favorable odds.
Can influence be part of our marketing strategy?
With the rise of individual voices and the eroding effectiveness of mass marketing techniques, it's no wonder that so many marketing and communications disciplines are enamored with cracking the code on influence.
Specifically, influence among people.
So let me address the core question: What is influence? According to Oxford, influence has a number of related definitions: 1. The power or ability to affect someone's beliefs or actions. 2. A person or thing with such ability or power. 3 The power arising out of status, contacts, or wealth. 4 The power to produce a physical change.
For better or worse, I've seen marketing and communications professionals tackle all these definitions of influence from a variety of angles in recent months. Here are just a few, which range from elementary and practical, to academic:
Influence Identification: Can it be identified? Can it be measured? Can it be harnessed? Has nature determined any given person more influential than another? Or are there specific variables that ultimately determine influence, such as popularity, reach, expertise, trust, willingness to speak, history, or association?
Group Influence: What are the influence dynamics of groups? How do they differ from individuals? Are cohesive groups really more influential over their members? What brings them together and inspires them to act? How are people influenced by the cognitions and attitudes of others in their social group?
Emotional Impact on Influence: How do emotions affect the ability of one to influence or be influenced? Are happy people more likely to influence, while sad people are more likely to be influenced? How much is primal and in our subconscious?
Contextual Impact: How much does context or familiarity matter for influence to occur? As Jeff Jarvis noted at Edelman's recent roundtable on online influence, it wasn't necessarily his influence that sparked Dell Hell. It was the fact that his experience struck a chord with the pain of thousands of other customers across the Internet. Which then begs the question: Does influence behave differently online versus offline?
Influence of Algorithms: How do algorithms -- particularly in Web services - influence people? Does Google influence by defining what people see and where to focus attention? Do search-based "meme trackers" like Techmeme or BuzzTracker have inordinate influence versus other information sources? What about social-voting sites like Digg or Del.icio.us? Do algorithms cultivate the influence of individual people?
Influence Application: Can influence really inform marketing communications strategy to achieve higher performance? Does it make better sense to segment and market to those who are most influential, or those who are most easily influenced? Or is it a mix of both? Can we influence the influencers, or are we limited to simply observing and reacting to their actions and ripples?
Are these even the right question when applying influence to marketing strategy?
With all the attention around influence, and many unanswered questions, what we need most is more practical testing, tied to specific marketing objectives and applications. The marketer's Holy Grail of influence is the ability to recognize patterns and optimize outcomes -- whether for advertising, media-planning, public relations, word-of-mouth marketing, etc.
Without question, influence often rides on nothing more than spontaneity.
However, deeper understanding will lead to bets and actions with more favorable odds.
Can influence be part of our marketing strategy?
Influence is the way to look at your marketing. For all intents and purposes, marketing is influence. However, as you note in your post, most people don't know all the different ways influence principles can be leveraged.
ReplyDeleteFor a great overview and primer of influence techniques that can be incorporated into a marketing strategy see Dr. Cialdini's "Influence - Science and Practice" - considered one of the best business books of all time.
Of course, I'm biased in that I run an influence consultancy that uses these techniques regularly.
Glad to see someone else picking up on the influence angle.
I can't disagree. But how do I use this idea? Who should do what? Is it just a communication issue?
ReplyDeleteWould love to read clear actionable next steps?
I wish "What do you want me to do", is clear to me.
While Influence is undoubtedly Marketers prime goal, i wonder what happens to product? customer relationship? price-performance trade off?
ReplyDeletemay be sometimes influence of "influence" can lead to putting the cart before the wheel
marketing is irrelevant to exceptional/out-liner products both good and disgusting but what about median products? that is where influence and marketing is needed most! thats the one we need to answer
Harshil Shah
Marketing to Generation X
ReplyDeleteTraditional marketing methods are no longer enjoying the kind of effectiveness that they once did. Audiences today are ten times more informed, a hundred times more exposed and as a consequence – a thousand times more jaded. Moreover, they have more choice than ever before in the marketing messages they wish to engage with. Generation X wants to be inspired, to be moved, to experience something real and authentic. “Don’t tell me – touch me” is their message.
I guess influence IS part of most marketing strategies. The actual question is how effectively it is crafted and executed. Whether it is a shampoo for the family which tries to influence the kids or the TV channel which sends in beautifully made program brochure and calendar to the marketing managers to be part of his media choices, 'influence' indeed is part of the strategy.
ReplyDeletevery simple answer to this is YES.
ReplyDeleteInfluence can be multifold,
1. Within Existing Customer - A positive impression created with the customer in one solution leads to that customer granting more business your way due to the positive INFLUENCE. I guess it is now a known fact to all the sales and marketing folks that it is easier to increase the share of wallet with an existing customer then to aquire a new customer.
Though, it also pertinent that as a vendor you are not seen to be a "executor" but a thought provocateur in the customer. If your excellence is only perceived to be in the area of execution it does not bode well for the business.
Hence it is very important to have excellent Accout Management, Planning and Control for Influence to be a part of the sale.
2. Using Existing Customer - Pictures speak more than 100 words, similarly a Positive Reference (Influence) from an existing customer to a prospect works wonders in a sales campaign.
If one were to look at a sales campaign as a seven step process from "Prospect to Deploy" it could work wonders at the Proof stage or may even help you tide over the same with the Develop and Solution itself.
Some of the software vendors in the ERM space have dedicated professionals and also spare a part of their marketing funds to manage and satisfy their existing customers to convert them to "refrencible" customers.
Flip side of Positive Influence is Negative as the bad news travels faster then good news. Many a company have suffered set backs due to whisper campaigns.
I for one, would always vouch for Influence as a strong pillar of a strong Sales/Marketing Campaign.
Excellent question Pradeep, and excellent post! The broad perspective you are taking on the matter is inspirinf. Well done!
ReplyDeleteInfluence, and more specifically positive influence (Advocacy) has been at the core of the strategy of the best B2B and B2C brands since a (relatively) long time. Public affairs and lobbying specialist live and breathe influence since decades and more. (Truly) Leading branding experts, marketers and PR practioners also put this concept at the heart of their thinking. Now, the evolution in the society makes the need for influence visible to almost all marketers, creating an even more ferocious competition between brands and this is truly a big change.
The notion of Influence is especially important when you have a so called High Involvement brand, with a complex purchase decision process based on collecting information and advice from varied sources. A good - but reasonable - part of your marketing and communication must aim at creating advocacy for your products and for your company. The big question is of course whether your organization is able to play this game or not. In my opinion, it requires a refreshed view on marketing where different capabilities get fully integrated into a new form of marketing defined by;
* a strong sense of the brand value
* a sharp knowledge of the ecosystem and of the target audiences
* a very precise messaging on varied topics and issues
* the identification of the relevant influencers and rock solid programs to engage with these influencers
* the capacity to combine channels and tools in a very flexible way in order to engage with the target audiences (be channel agnostic and don't dream of the one fit all online tool!).
Except in some rather "dull" areas (financial services for example, and I am not event sure this is true) it is hard to find a very strong B2B or B2C brand that does not create influence and advocacy. Now, the vast majority of companies are not A-brands. Still is the concept of influence valid? Yes, provided you use it on a relevant - and realistic - perimeter. This is may be the biggest challenge of the next decades for marketers.