My Two Scents

January is prediction time, and Futurenow predicts that “scent” optimization is in. Basically, that’s designing marketing materials so that they carry a strong scent of information. The target sniffs, says “Hmm, there’s something worth finding out here” and follows the trail all the way to conversion.

There’s some validity to the idea of “scent” optimization, perhaps. But it strikes me as a weaker idea than “engagement.” Scent works fine for customers who know what they’re looking for. But if you’re dealing with more complex products in the consumer or corporate domain, you need to focus on how to engage customers: to learn what’s important to them, to educate them in ways that increase their confidence, and efficiently identify those who are ready for the sales conversation.

My 2010 prediction: we’ll develop customer communities that provide resources, discussion, and customer engagement.