I’ve been very transfixed by the recent Best Buy Twelpforce commercials. Without going into too much detail, I’ll simply say that they advertised Best Buy’s new Twelpforce, now available to talk to via twitter. Not once did they mention the URL Bestbuy.com. The only real call to action directed consumers to twitter.com/twelpforce.

The message of that commercial was very clear. “Talk to us.” The message of all Best Buys commercial prior to this has been quite different. “Buy from us.”

We’ve reached a point where if your approach towards addressing consumers consists of simply asking for the sale, it’s never going to succeed. It’s over. You must invest in the relationship, earning the right to ask for something. Best Buy might agree.

This is a watershed moment that represents a huge shift in the way companies are thinking about marketing. It’s one thing to use social media technology as a way to engage consumers on a grand, yet personal, scale. You need to be where they are. It’s quite another to pay millions of dollars to advertise your presence on these social networks. It’s a paradigm shift.

This made me think of something from Rob Walker’s Buying In. Most of today’s major appliances are comparable in terms of quality. So what are people really buying? It used to be that the brand could serve as a differentiating factor (and to a large extent it still does). The shift that we’ll soon see is away form the buying on brand. Consumers will start buying based on level of service and comfort.

If everything is the same how, do you differentiate yourself? By being able to answer yes to these questions: Do I know you? Can I trust you?

Incorporating social media technology and customer service into a marketing strategy isn’t exactly new. It doesn’t have to be Twitter either, but you need to find a way of reaching people where they congregate.

I think with this new tactic, Best Buy is saying, “You’re not just buying a product from us, you’re buying our level of service. Service you’ve come to both know and trust.” Is customer service the new marketing? It’s now certainly a larger part of the conversation.

A progression of what consumers are evaluating when making purchases:
Old – the product
New – the brand
Newer – the connection

I know, I know, the connection? Let’s not get too emotional here. If the product or service is crap, then the brand or connection won’t matter. But if everything is the same, how do you differentiate yourself? There’s that question again. Find the answer or fade away.

In a world where distinction is becoming harder and harder to substantiate, and traditional advertising fails, you either:

A.    Fundamentally rethink the consumer/company relationship and embrace the idea of interconnection in the marketplace; or
B.    Inevitably fade into obscurity, clinging to a failed practice effective only on an aging generation, if it still affects anyone at all; or
C.    Cling to some middle ground. But if They Live taught us anything, it’s that the white lines in the middle of the road is the worst place to drive.

Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t a column where I say every brand needs a Twitter mouthpiece or that everyone in their CS dept needs to have a presence. No, far from it. How you chose to engage your audience is up to you. Just remember that interaction should equal conversation. It’s ‘Talk to us’ not ‘Buy from us.’

Hopefully, you’ll rethink your approach and realize that Customer Service is a media channel. Companies like Zappos have been using this channel for marketing for some time with the goal of creating sustainable conversations. Rethink the idea of meaningful interaction. Rethink what is means to ask for the sale.

Rant Section:

You’re stranded in the valley of the lost. The only way out is with new ideas. The kind that only comes from altered perceptions. Virtually anything you can think of can be fulfilled through technology. Limit yourself only by the depths of your human spirit.

Back to regularly scheduled brain drain.

Companies embracing a new way of customer engagement should think more about personality and less about the idea of brand.

Recently, George Parker remarked that Apples has a persona, while run of the mill products, like cornflakes, simply have brands. This line really caught my attention and I found myself rereading and rereading. The ability to display a consistent personality is the first step toward successfully engaging consumers using social networking technology. Decide who you are. Start being who you want to be. I’m not, however, about to jump into the debate of brand vs. personality (yet!).

Naming conventions don’t really matter beyond having the ability to easily identify a concept to someone else. Brand, Personality, Persona, Brand Personality… it doesn’t really matter what you call it. What does matter is the ability of this ‘brand personality’ to interact with and influence consumers.

In the new marketing landscape, where value-based interaction is the key to influencing consumer behavior, a company must move beyond the idea of developing their brand. The key to success is developing a personality that is both consistent and easily recognizable throughout all social media interactions (and really all meaningful interactions).

The Recap:

What are we selling?
Old – the product
New – the brand
Newer – the connection

What is the message?

Old – Buy from us
New – Buy from us, because it’s us.
Newer – Talk to us