CLAIRE HUGHES JOHNSON: What I would say to all of you is we are at that kind of disruptive point right now, where I don’t recommend trying every technology. And some of it will be a complete time suck for all of you. But the most important thing you can do right now is understand where consumers are.
SUSAN SOBBOTT: We were a little bit cautious in getting into some ‘a the spaces that are really critical spaces for every company to be in today. For example, like servicing your customers. Customers just expect the they can be serviced online, and certainly they expect that if they register a complaint in any of the myriad of places where they can do so, someone is gonna see it, and actually respond to it.
SUSAN LYNE: People wait until there’s a crisis of sorts, and by then, um, you’re absolutely not ready. A few detractors, a few people who are unhappy with what you do, can have a massive impact.
CHRIS MAGUIRE: It’s very important to you know, have a handle on the fires when they happen, but I also think it’s important, um, to focus more on the positive things people say. Uh, you know, there’s an old internet adage which is, “Don’t feed the troll.”
CHRIS MAGUIRE: Which is when somebody is complaining loudly all the time, if you give them attention, they will just keep complaining. When you get a good review, we suggest that you share it with everyone.
CLAIRE HUGHES JOHNSON: I do think we have a challenge, which is there is a very big education curve, and a ramp. And it is harder for small businesses, um, and it’s not anybody’s fault. There’s a lot of hearing about this and that, and not knowing what’s the quality thing that I really need to do right now. It goes back to … to thinking about what is it worth learning for you as a small business.
SUSAN SOBBOTT: Business owners are taking chances and experimenting. But have lots of opportunity to do even more.
SUSAN LYNE: Think about trying to reach out to influencers. Focus on people who actually influence consumers in your area. When you aggregate those, it’s a force.
SUSAN SOBBOTT: Many, many more purchases will be made using a mobile device. And even if the … the purchase is not consummated on the mobile device, the mobile device will be used in almost every purchase, in researching either price point or other choices.
CHRIS MAGUIRE: What I hope is coming next is a … a bigger focus on content, uh, from the businesses themselves. If you look at the people who are doing well, in Facebook and on Twitter, they have really great blogs. I really hope that people focus on, you know, better storytelling.
SUSAN LYNE: There is gonna be more merging of content and commerce. I think there’s a … a new emerging consumer who expects us to bring those two streams a whole lot closer. I would really think about how you can link to a lot of different places that will give your location or the will drive people to your stores.
CLAIRE HUGHES JOHNSON: Um, more personalization and targeting is gonna be available to businesses and marketers. There will be a lot more video. There already is, across the web. Uh, so you can buy and advertise on video, and it used to be TV and it used to be too expensive. Frankly, 80 percent of people’s screen time will be digital. Meaning connected to the web.
(END OF TAPE)