Online VOC: The Millennium Approach
February 14th, 2008Our Definition:
Voice of the Consumer (VOC) is a method of improving brand retention through the personal recommendations of your consumers.
If you are unfamiliar with the term VOC, you are missing out on an extremely valuable marketing tool. VOC is not a novel concept, but the online method of collecting consumer feedback is a developing trend. For years, large organizations like Proctor & Gamble have solicited customer feedback using mail-outs and telephone surveys. These tactics have helped refine ‘category killers’ such as Pantene and Gillette. Dell, the pioneer of ‘PC’ ecommerce, has even gone one step further by launching a new website called Idea Storm, which utilizes the online VOC approach.
“VOC simultaneously collects consumer feedback while informally promoting your product and brand. Few other marketing methods can do this.”
How to encompass VOC into your business model:
Incorporating VOC into your business process is very easy. It is basically the same as asking your friends for suggestions on how to make your idea more fruitful.
Let us assume a personal experience has motivated the theory of a new product and as the inventor, your presumption of the benefits may be prejudicial towards the actual demand. Your job, as a marketer, is to accurately project sales using available data. VOC will uncover this information.
Locate an industry forum that attracts the kind of customer you picture using your product. Post a ‘newbie’ type question introducing yourself as “a new member” and ask for feedback regarding your concept. Within minutes of posting you should start receiving comments about your product and recommendations for improvement. Collect this data after a few days, and analyze your results.
It shouldn’t be surprising to receive excellent feedback from +20 posters. People visit blogs and forums for two reasons, to read reviews and share opinions. Your reviewers will be blunt and honest. Some will promote the idea and others will criticize every aspect. Either way, it’s great feedback and it’s FREE!
Always feel free to leave questions and comments…
Written by,
Scott Ritchie