Last week I spoke at Signal P&G, an event put on by P&G and Federated Media that brought a variety of tech thinkers (from Google, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc.) to the birth place of brand management to talk about the future of marketing.
Margo Georgiadis from Google shared an insight that struck me in particular: “mobile is the new end cap“.
It reminded me of a concept I’d once heard from another Googler, Jim Lecinski, about the “Zero Moment of Truth” (available as an ebook). A.G. Lafley from P&G famously coined the “First Moment of Truth” as the 3-7 seconds when a shopper choses an item from the store shelf.
Many brands try to stand out at the First Moment of Truth by shouting louder. The Point-of-Sale toolkit is about interrupting people’s attention as they walk by the shelf: shelf talkers, banner signage, floor graphics, tear pads, decal clings, info boxes, etc.
The concept of the Zero Moment of Truth comes earlier, when consumers decide their opinion of brands before they ever step into a store. While in the store, mobile devices continues to drive purchase decisions. This isn’t just for large ticket items, but for everyday products too.
Influencing the Zero Moment of Truth requires a different mindset. It’s not about shouting. It’s about engagement. As consumers search, read reviews, or ask their networks, the brands that rise to the top are the ones that will succeed. Shouting at the shelf won’t necessarily change their mind.
I like this observation in the “Zero Moment of Truth” ebook from former OfficeMax CMO, Bob Thacker:
“Engagement with the customer today isn’t just pouring a message down on their head and hoping they get wet.
It really is understanding that you must be present in a conversation when they want to have it, not when you want to.
Pre-shopping before buying has become a huge, huge part of customer behavior. In the past, it was pretty much confined to big-ticket items like cars, or expensive electronics or homes. Now people engage in discovery before shopping on very small things.
It’s crossed all categories of shopping behavior. It’s just the way people buy today.”
(Marketoonist Monday: I’m giving away a signed print of this week’s cartoon. Just share an insightful comment to this week’s post. I’ll pick one comment at 5:00 PST on Monday. Thanks!)