According to the latest Pew survey, today’s Internet users are not only a savvy bunch, they’re not just kids.

Seriously, that’s the biggest stereotype we run up against on a daily basis, so when we get a chance to share stats like this, it’s one of our very favorite things.

No surprise — times, they are a’changing. According to Pew’s research, Millennial surfers (ages 18-33) are more likely to surf the web using mobile devices and engage in activities like social networking, gaming, listening to music, instant messaging incessantly and reading blogs.

And, as people get older, they logically trend toward a dose of information and activities that make their lives easier, in addition to the entertainment element of the Web. Pew’s research supports this by reporting that Gen-X users (ages 35-45) (read that “not kids”) are more likely than their younger counterparts to seek out news and information, search government sites and get their financial information (and, in my case, do online banking and pay my mortgage) online.

Some Major Changes In Web Habits

• Searching the Internet for health information is now the third most popular online activity for all Internet users, ages 18 and up.
• Growth of Internet usage among those 74 and over has quadrupled since 2008 (my 73 year-old mother-in-law is proof of this – she’s online daily!)
• Consumption of online video is up to 66%, an increase from 52% in 2008 (and this will, undoubtedly, continue to rise).

The Web – For Every One, Every Day

Most importantly, the Internet and using the Web as a part of everyday life isn’t just for one age group – it spans many. Pew’s research indicates there are an increasingly growing number of everyday Internet activities that are common among all age groups. These things include things like:

• Email
• Search Engine Use
• Searching for Health Information
• Getting News
• Buying Products
• Rating Products, Services or People
• Doing Online Banking
• Making Travel Reservations or Purchases

There’s much more info in the Pew study, so be sure and check it out. And, if you’re a visual geek like me, here’s a handy dandy chart:

Bottom line – our society is using the Internet to find and consume a wide variety of information. We use it to communicate – via email, social networking, podcasting, etc. We use the Web to get things done (pay bills, schedule appointments, get directions, book travel). And we use the Web for a majority of the information we need – whether it’s about products, services, destinations or health information.

So as you consider whatever it is that you do for a living, whether you work for someone else or have your own business, make sure your marketing strategies take into consideration the Web – and what people want, need and do online. And if you’re really smart, you’ll put mobile strategies at the top of your to-do list. But that, my friends, is another post.

Facts About Today’s Internet Users is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

I stopped at a local eyeglass shop this afternoon to begin the arduous process of shopping for new specs. There was really no time for this indulgence in an already busy day packed with wall-to-wall meetings, but I felt like stopping, so I did.

This was a relatively new neighborhood store and one I’d not visited before. The young man in charge was waiting on another couple and they were clearly fully engaged in the shopping process. (Translation: They were going to be awhile).

I started browsing the glass cases and found a few things that caught my eye. After a few minutes of browsing, from across the room the manager asked if I was in the looking for new glasses. I smiled and nodded. But I said “I don’t have a ton of time, so I’ll just look and come back another time – I can see you’re busy.” To my surprise he said, “Make yourself at home. You can look at anything you like. Just step behind the counter and try on whatever you like. And if you need me, let me know.”

Color me shocked. In all my years of shopping for glasses, I’ve always found myself at the mercy of salespeople. It’s just the way it is. If you happen into a store at the wrong time, you’re in for a long wait just to get a chance to try something on, because the staff are waiting on other customers. And we won’t even discuss all the helpful folks who want to draw out the process by forcing you to try on things that you know you’ll hate. But you do it to just to appease them. To further compound things, in many upscale stores glasses are often kept in glass display cases, requiring the assistance of a salesperson just to try them on. All in all, it’s a pain in the neck shopping for glasses, especially for a time-starved person like me — and that’s why I keep putting it off.

This little gift? This was like getting the secret passcode to the cookie jar.

So you know what I did? I dove right in. I forgot my time constraints and indulged myself by trying on more glasses than I normally would and, in the process, found several that I really liked. And you know what happened when the couple the manager was waiting on left? Well, he saw that I was doing just fine on my own and let me be.

Here’s the thing. For a customer like me, a purchase of a new pair of glasses is easily worth about $1,500 to an eyeglass shop. And if I manage to find more than one pair I like, I’ll buy them both, so you can double that number. Before you think me a spendthrift, I have horrible eyes, I buy amazing frames and even more amazing lenses because my eyes are worth it. I may skimp on some things, but never, ever on glasses. I wear them every day of my life, so, for me, this is an investment well worth making.

I’m the customer an eyeglass shop wants to have. But the manager didn’t know that. And what he did was so simple, but something that doesn’t occur to so many. He let down the walls. Instead of keeping me at arm’s length, in front of the case, biding my time and waiting for it to be convenient to him to help me make a purchase, he just opened the door. He gave me the keys. He put me in charge. He got out of the way.

He made my user experience so amazing that I not only stayed longer than I imagined I would, I’ll probably go back and buy the $1,500 pair of glasses that I liked. And, even better than that, I came home and wrote a blog post about it.

What about you? What kind of user experience do you offer your customers and prospects? And don’t get hung up thinking it matters whether your business is a brick and mortar location or an online one – it doesn’t. Do you build walls to keep customers at bay, always making them jump through your hoops and adhere to what’s convenient for you? Or do you consistently look for ways to break down the walls and allow them to create experiences that work for them? It can be as easy as designing your website with your users’ experience in mind – or doing what Joe did, and inviting me to step behind the counter and help myself.

You might be surprised by what could happen if you considered breaking down a wall or two. You might even sell more stuff to more people. Imagine that.

And, for the record, the eyeglass shop was Brookside Optical, located in Prairie Village, Kansas. The manager’s name was Joe and, he doesn’t know it yet, but I’ll be back. I’ll definitely be back.

Oh, and Brookside Optical, if you’re reading this, your website stinks. I can fix that for you.

Breaking Down The Walls is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

I love Zappos. I have twin girls. And, while I’m not so good at math, here’s one thing I do know:

Zappos + Twin Girls = LOTS of Shoes

Why do I love Zappos? I love their selection, the fact that they remember what I like and let me know when they’ve got more of it. I like Tony Hsieh and the culture he’s created. He’s a smart guy who’s built an empire based on common sense and being real. And managing to grow Zappos to over $1 billion in gross sales annually, while also regularly landing on Forbes’ list of Best Companies to Work For list are no small accomplishments. Gini Dietrich wrote a great post about Tony. it’s here if you’d like to read it. She likes him, too.

I really like Zappos because they make me smile. On a crazy busy day, when I’m wading through hundreds of emails and see an ad like this, well, I stop. After all, it’s about SHOES. And we chicks, we’ve got shoes in our blood. But when the ad copy actually makes me smile, that’s what I call winner winner, chicken dinner. That’s when I know that my love for Zappos is deserved.

They get me. And I want to buy more of their shoes.

Note to: Zappos Marketing Department + Ad Agency → Mission Accomplished!

Want to Sell More Stuff? Humanize Your Brand is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

Addiction is still a topic that it is hard to find conversations about online.  It makes sense.  Most people want to put their best foot forward on Twitter, Facebook and Linked In.

Even in 2010, there’s still a stigma attached to addiction, depression and mental health issues.  Even in a Web 2.0 world, it makes people squirm to openly talk about drug problems or alcoholism. It’s not a crowd pleaser if you tweet:

My sister has a pain-killer addiction! Know any rehabs in the Tri-State area?

One of our clients here at V3 Worldwide is Challenges, a drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility in Fort Lauderdale Florida.  Working with the amazing team at Challenges is interesting and eye-opening in many ways.

But developing a marketing and social media strategy for Challenges has shown our team that many of the old stigmas still remain about addiction and mental health issues.

For example, it’s a fact that addiction and mental illness are both brain diseases. A person vulnerable to one type of brain disease (addiction) may also be vulnerable to another. They involve the same pathways, molecules, and chemicals in the brain and Mental illness and drug addiction often occur together.

Some people begin abusing drugs or alcohol as a form of self-medication for other  problems such as depression or bipolar disorder and other issues. Drugs of abuse may temporarily relieve some of the symptoms associated with mental illness, such as stress, anxiety, social inhibitions or depression.

But in our research for this client and as we monitor this topic online, I am stunned by the number of people who still think addicts could quit “if they wanted to” and look at mental health problems as character flaws.

As society uses new technology to communicate,  human behavior needs to catch up to the technology so more people will get help.

Addiction, Depression and Social Media? is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

Today’s AdWeek features a story about the Internet darling of the moment, Groupon. Groupon’s Deal of the Day offer has managed to capture a significant share of voice, largely as a result of its inherently viral nature. Those elements, coupled with a struggling economy, deal-seeking consumers and businesses that need to sell more stuff to more people in order to survive, have literally made Groupon and other similar businesses (LivingSocial, Gilt Groupe, etc.), overnight successes.

Groupon’s success is impossible to deny – with its $1 billion valuation, Forbes calls it “the fastest growing company ever” and the startup is purportedly on track to see $500 million in revenue this year and suspected of doubling that in 2011.

In the same category, sites like zip2save (my favorite) that aggregate good deals, coupons and offers and actually help customers do the research and find better deals on products they seek are making great inroads in both the online and brick and mortar shopping experience.

Bottom line: at this particular moment in time, deals matter. Consumers need them and brands do too. But it always amazes me how quick people are to throw ad agencies under the bus.

Groupon’s staffers proudly claim that they don’t have any need for Madison Avenue and that they are perfectly capable of great success – all without the wisdom and capabilities that an agency traditionally brings to the table.

I think that’s great. The whole concept harnesses the magic of collective buying power, much like Costco and Sam’s Club did when they stormed into the retail marketplace.

But here’s the rub. Brand loyalty matters. Sure, I love Groupon and quickly glance at their deals as they land in my inbox daily. But I have no brand loyalty. If LivingSocial has a deal that appeals to me, I’m as apt to buy from them as I am from Groupon. And when local players like Lucky Monkey or DealBug show up, I’m even MORE likely to buy from them than I am from Groupon, because supporting local businesses matters to me.

DealBug is particularly interesting, because they allow consumers to tie their purchases to a select school or not-for-profit at the time of purchase and then contribute a portion of sales to those groups. For consumers, feeling as if their purchases can make a direct impact – on things they care about – is often a big selling point.

My point is this – consumers are fickle. Especially when they’re in the market for a deal. I don’t think they really care if they get the deal from Groupon, Living Social, DealBug or anyone else. A deal is a deal is a deal. And the companies who offer them are a dime a dozen. So, strategically, or at least in this ad agency owner’s book, there is a need to focus on the things that matter to us boring old agency people. Things like strategically building solid brand identity, creating a loyal customer base and communicating a unique selling proposition. Think Apple and the iPhone. The smartphone category is beyond crowded. AT&T service sucks. Yet people camp out on sidewalks overnight in order to buy their products.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking Groupon or their success. Groupon and its clones are lucky. Right now. They’re at the right place at the right time and growing like mad as a result. The fact that they don’t feel they need the services of traditional ad agencies – now – is terrific. And good for their bottom line. Do note, however, that they are utilizing traditional advertising as part of their integrated marketing strategy — which is an important component of their success.

In my experience, Groupon and the like are the exception rather than the rule. Most businesses benefit from the services of an experienced marketing consultant or ad agency team — large or small. I’d venture a guess that at some point, when there are more competitors in this space than you can shake a stick at (and there will be), these kinds of businesses will ultimately decide they’ll be more successful when they combine the inherent social nature of their brand with the smarts that an agency brings to the table.

The BIG Question: What will they do to become the Apple of daily deals?

Groupon: Just Say NO to Ad Agencies is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

Susan Weinschenck, Ph.D., wrote an interesting piece on influence, and how a common theme that researchers encounter is that we think that OTHERS are influenced by certain things, but that WE are not. We are wrong.

Regardless of what we think, we are very much influenced by the thoughts, actions, opinions and purchases of others. That’s why online reviews are so important. Face it, we’re a bunch of sheep. When we see what others think, what their experiences have been, what their thoughts on quality, price, functionality are, all of that factors into our ultimate buying decisions.

The same is true when it comes to Facebook, and that’s one of the reasons Facebook is growing in popularity – and in power. When we see that our friends “Like” a product, service, event or even a person, we are more inclined to explore and, in most cases, “Like” them or it, too. Familiarity, recommendations, either explicit or implied, lead to a comfort level that consumers seek.

Here’s an example. Susan (whom I would really like to stalk follow on Twitter and anywhere else she hangs, but she did not give me that opportunity by putting connectivity buttons on her blog, grrrr) roped me in with a simple blog post. I discovered Susan’s nifty post when her content was retweeted by Beth Harte, someone in the industry that I respect and admire. I not only enjoyed the blog post, which was implicitly “recommended” by Beth, I also retweeted it which, for the non-Twitterai, means sharing it with my pals on Twitter. Then, I posted it on my Facebook wall because I can’t resist sharing great stuff with MY friends, and now I’m off to Amazon to buy Susan’s book, Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click. All of this because my friend, Beth, recommended it. And without ever really realizing that she was doing so.

Let’s recap: She liked, I saw, I paid more attention because she liked, based on her “rec” I shared, which means I endorsed, I went back and bought something and then I told you about it. Get it?

Influence drives sales. Need I say more?

Two important things: This is a perfect example of the power of social media and how opting NOT to use it as an integrated part of your overall marketing efforts is, well, stupid.

Secondly, it illustrates the importance of listening in the social media space using monitoring tools. If you’re a brand, you should care what the sheep are saying about your product or service, and the only way to find that out is to monitor and gather business intelligence. Here at V3, we use Spiral16 (client) and that helps us stay on top of what’s being said that could potentially influence and impact our clients.

What are you doing to influence the people you want to buy your stuff? And how do you know whether or not it’s working?

Fact: Influence Drives Sales is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

This is what my friend Erika Napoletano, the infamous Chief Redhead at Redhead Writing, would call a Bitch Slap. Damn, but I wish I’d thought of that.

I’ll ask again … do you have a job? If so, it’s probably because the business you work for has customers. And when was the last time you gave a damn about those customers? Those pesky people who bug you incessantly with their neediness. Those annoying gnats that allow you to keep that job. The J.O.B. The thing that provides a living. That feeds your kids. That pays your rent.

Pull your heads out people!

Let me give you an example. Yesterday, I was at the neighborhood grocery store. I needed deli meat and I prefer the brand that this store carries. It’s also about five blocks from my house, so I shop there often. I got to the counter and there were 6 deli workers, all engaged in the business of doing something other than being even remotely interested in waiting on me. The only customer. I’m polite. So I waited. And waited. Then I waited some more. Then I realized they were playing the “I’m going to ignore her and let someone else wait on her – I’ve got stuff to do here” game. I’d recognize that game anywhere – it happens all too often.

So, panties most definitely in a wad and in a quiet rage, I huffed off to the front of the store and the customer service center. As if I have time for this crap. The young girl manning the counter asked if she could help. I replied that I wanted to speak with a manager. She said “sure thing” and poked her head into the office and spoke to ‘the guy’ and said “There’s a customer out here who wants to speak with you.” I suppose he grunted in response, but I’m not really sure.

And I waited. And waited. Then I waited some more. Have I mentioned that I’m not particularly good at waiting? The young lady realized that steam was about to come out of my ears, but she figured that cowering in a corner was safer than bothering her boss again and reminding him that I was waiting to be serviced. Oh, that sounds kind of nasty, doesn’t it. Not that kind of serviced.

Finally, I gave up. I have a business to run. Clients to keep happy, kids to feed, deli meat to buy. I went to the checkout counter to begin the process of paying for the groceries in my cart. When my friends, the checkers and baggers, asked about my shopping experience (as they are no doubt trained to do), I said that it was crap. That I’d gotten absolutely no service at the deli counter and when I went to the office to talk to the manager about it, I’d gotten no service there either. They shook their heads and said “That’s too bad. You’re in here a lot. You send a lot of money here.” No duh. And, for the record, not one of them beat feet over to the customer service office and dragged a manager out to rectify the problem. Another fail.

Speaking of money, let’s do some quick math. Some of you are smiling, I know. You know how I feel about math. But this is important. I cook. A lot. And feed a family of four. I spend, on average, $200 a week at this store. That equates to about $860 per month that I spend on groceries and other necessities. Round that off and say that my annual value to that particular store is about $10,000. Do you think that when those idiots at the deli case are ignoring me that they see a big, flashing sign with $10,000 on it – or do they just see some bothersome gal in sweats busting up their party and having the audacity to expect them to slice up a little turkey?

And that manager. What a moron. He doesn’t deserve his job, that’s for sure. Funny thing, I doubt he even knows it.

So, here’s the thing. I quit you, Cosentino’s Brookside Market. And now, I schlep an extra three miles over to the Hen House in Prairie Village and give them my $10,000. There, they welcome my business. They greet me enthusiastically, with a smile, and can’t wait to slice some turkey for me. And anything else I need they serve up graciously. That’s how you treat a customer, folks. As an aside, I’m not the only customer who feels that way about the Hen House – check out this Yelp review and you’ll see what I mean. I wonder if the folks at Cosentino’s have ever heard of Yelp. Hmmmm.

Don’t make the mistake of taking your customers for granted. Greet them every chance you get with a smile and an appreciation for the fact that they choose to spend their hard earned money with you – instead of with someone else. Small businesses who are looking for a way to differentiate themselves from the competition would be well-served to remember these simple words of advice. Treat your customers like royalty – they will reward you by coming back.

Have a Job? Thank Your Customers. is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

When I started to write this post, I really had to stop and reflect as to whether the topic of today’s rant should be on customer service or on consumer behavior. After much consideration, I settled on consumer behavior. And so the story begins …

As many of you know, I’m a mom with young kids – twins in fact. Like many moms, I make frequent (and often dreaded) trips to my local grocery store. The other day, I realized with great angst that it was “Garbage Day” and then realized, with even more angst, that my darling husband was conveniently out-of-town, as is so oft the case in my life. Why does this matter? Well, I’ll tell you. Here in beautiful Kansas City, MO, we have rules about garbage. Denizens of our fair city are permitted two and only two bags of garbage at the curb on a weekly basis. If you’re a garbage-generator (like me) there is a remedy – you can purchase little tags for $1 each and affix them to your “extra” bags and you’re good as gold. The only problem – there are only two nearby places a person can purchase these golden garbage tickets. One is my neighborhood grocery store.

So, at 6:30 pm I dragged my reluctant and tired progeny to the grocery store so as to purchase these golden garbage tickets. Whilst there, I conveniently purchased about $80 worth of ‘necessities,’ without which, I’m certain, my family could have not survived. The beauty of running in for just one thing – and you ALL know what I’m talking about here. So, I finally get in line, stand there waiting my turn, cajoling my children into continued good behavior (no easy trick at this hour) and, voila, it’s our turn. To my utter chagrin and NOT until after I’ve unloaded my $80 worth of necessities do I see a little sign that says “You cannot purchase stickers anywhere but at customer service counter.”

You have GOT to be kidding me. I came to this store just for stickers, bought $80 worth of other crap, stood on this long line with a bunch of other cranky people and NOW you tell me that I can’t buy the ONE THING I came here for in this line? No way! So I say to the young checker “You’re not really serious that I can’t buy garbage stickers in this line, right?” She gives me the blank look that goes right along with being a 16-year old working at a boring job and says “Nope, sorry” (clearly empathetic to my plight), and finishes my order. Shaking my head in disgust, I espy the line for the customer service desk, also conveniently the “10 items or less and smoker’s paradise aisle” which is now about 10 people deep. Super. My kids have been patient for all this time but are going to snap like twigs into full on meltdown at any moment. Parents – you know what I’m talking about. I have no choice, however, but to bribe them with even more candy and wait on the very long line for my doggone garbage stickers, positively steaming with disgust at the complete and total lack of knowledge about consumer behavior that this store is exhibiting.

It is finally my turn. As I place my order for stickers, I say to the clerk “I’m sure you didn’t make this rule, but seriously, what is the logic behind having this be the only place a person can purchase garbage stickers?” Funny thing, the store manager (are you hearing this Cosentino’s Price Chopper owners, in Brookside, MO?) was at that very moment walking by and, as he heard me start to ask a question, he paused, as if to offer sage guidance. However, when he heard my question, he quickly darted away, leaving the lowly clerk to answer. Impressive management style, huh? And the clerk graciously told me that they were having trouble with checkers ringing up the stickers properly, so they just quit allowing them to do it at all. Too bad, so sad for me that they can’t invest in training their checkers better – instead, the customers must pay.

Here’s how this whole thing relates to consumer behavior – and thanks for hanging in there with me. Grocery stores – ding*dong … I’m your target audience. I’m a mom with kids. I am in charge of feeding a family. I am the person who spends, on average $800 a month at your store. Are you listening yet? Ergo, I’m a pretty doggone valuable asset to you when it comes to your bottom line – aren’t I? As such, you should pay attention to the things that make me happy. For me, and I’m pretty sure I can speak for legions of moms out there, I want good products, clean stores, adequate parking, helpful staff and – most importantly – don’t make me wait on two separate lines for inconsequential things like garbage stickers. Don’t invent ways to inconvenience your customers – ever. Figure out ways to streamline their experience with you and you’ll have loyal customers for life. The thing about consumers – they like things that make their lives easier, not more difficult. So pay attention to the customers like me, Mr. Grocery Store Manager, because, here’s the thing – I have a choice about where to do my grocery shopping and, next time, I’m going to spend my $800 a month somewhere that values me. And values my time.

Consumer behavior. Whether you’re a grocery store owner or any other kind of business owner, learn this lesson and you won’t go wrong. Figure out what makes your customers’ lives easier and it will, no doubt, keep them coming back. Back it up with great customer service and good products and you’re in tall cotton. But don’t make decisions to save money because you can’t invest the time or energy in training YOUR people right and expect me to pay the price – when the price is my valuable time. It’s just not gonna happen. You see, grocery stores are a dime a dozen (at least they are in this town) and me and my $800 a month, we’re outta here. Thanks for the memories.

Grocery Store Fails When It Comes To Consumer Behavior is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency