Got Your ZMOT?

It’s the new path to purchasing. Google wants to help.
(A Recap of the Integrated Marketing & Communications SIG event on January 24th)
written by Marilyn Canna, CAMA blogger
 

Many marketers might be familiar with the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT), a result of Google’s research on how we purchase now.   At one time, a three-point purchasing model included a message stimulus (ad, etc.) about a product; a customer purchase of that product (first moment of truth); and a customer use and recommendation of that product (second moment of truth).  Not any more.
 

Google found that social media and mobile have inserted a wedge into that model.  After a stimulus, customers search, compare, and share information about a product before purchasing.  That’s the ZMOT. Drew Mitchell, a recent CAMA SIG event speaker, says it will compel your company to have a presence on as many platforms as is feasible, so that customers can discover information or make comparisons whenever and wherever they have the slightest inkling about your products.  Here’s why: 78% of U.S. Internet users go online before purchasing and 32% of U.S. Internet users post online comments as well, even for low-priced items, from mascara to Mac 'n Cheese.
 

Getting someone from Google to present at your first SIG event is not too shabby.  The Integrated Marketing & Communications SIG, chaired by Meg Sweeney, welcomed Mitchell, Google’s local head of industry, to present “Beyond Search! How Google Grows Business through Integrated Marketing,” held January 24 in the Columbia College Library.
 

Since joining Google’s Chicago office in 2006, Mitchell developed key advertising relationships with Fortune 500 clients including ADT, Dell, Sprint and Target.  He currently heads the search engine’s area ad sales vertical, managing clients across home services, personals, careers and recruitment.  No wonder the Q & A portion of the program had several inquiries about working at Google—and not just from the marketing students in the audience.

Mitchell provided some new insights into the purchasing process, e.g., though TV watching is static, never entirely discount it and keep it part of the marketing mix.  Concerning mobile, he said that, if stores don't already counter offer what folks can find out about the product as they’re walking through the door, they soon will.  Sales staff should want to talk to highly informed customers and work with them to match price, service, etc.  Black Friday 2011 saw that 20% of Google searches—100’s of millions--were from mobile users decision-making, not just searching. Mitchell says it’s wise to market across the "four screens" of TV, smart phone, tablet and laptop.

Here’s How to Win ZMOT in 7 Steps:
1. Put someone in charge that has final budget approval across multiple platforms.  Companies say they already do, but there are still too many marketing decision “silos.”
2. Find your zero moments – start by searching your brand on Google, of course.
3. Answer the questions people are asking.
4. Optimize for ZMOT.  With only 21% of Google's top advertisers (so, the top in anyone's ranking) having a mobile-optimized website, which Mitchell says is 'insanely easy to do,” there’s bandwidth for others. But hurry--Google estimates 75% will be optimized by the end of the year.
5. Be first.
6. Don't forget video.
7. Jump in!

Other tidbits:
- NFC (near field communication—allows smart phones and similar devices to talk to one another if near each other) is now being built into almost every smart phone--a promising technology that could send QR codes away.

- Google's Goggles--grabs voice or a visual and immediately lets you search, without QR codes.

- Below the Apple on Mitchell’s laptop cover is a custom bar graph version of the Google logo.
 

The next event for this SIG is planned for April.  Please watch this space or sign up with the SIG now so you won’t miss any notices.  Visit the SIG website for news and activities about each group at http://www.chicagoama.org/chicago-ama-sigs . The page includes a link to join the SIG(s) of your choice.

The Integrated Marketing & Communications SIG is one of nine new special interest groups that CAMA members developed in response to a growing, diverse membership looking for content and thought leadership relevant to their disciplines.   SIG events and activities are open to Chicago AMA members and non-members.