Category Archives: Consumer Relations

Building Consumer Trust in an Online Marketplace

So much has changed in the last six months. As public health concerns impact our behaviors, retailers of all kinds are learning to adapt to “the new normal” by moving their businesses online as much as possible. For some, this is an entirely new sales and marketing paradigm, while others have a head start and online retail experience. From creating and maintaining online marketplaces to finding ways to connect with consumers digitally, there’s a lot to learn.

One of our consistent interests at Eidson & Partners is the building and sustaining of consumer trust. Trust is one of the most valuable currencies in marketing as it enables fruitful relationships and turns loyal customers into brand evangelists. But what does trust mean in a world that is (for the time being, at least) mostly digital? Without in-person or in-store experiences, how do retailers who are newly reliant on online marketplaces establish and maintain trust?
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J. Rieger & Co.: A Case Study in COVID-19 Response

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In this time of uncertainty and distress, one Kansas City company is providing a remarkable example of how to produce what their customers need when they need it.

As the looming threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) began to sink in, store shelves were emptied of hand sanitizers and disinfectants by panicked consumers stocking up for the duration of the crisis. The initial rush on disinfecting products left many people, including some of the most vulnerable to illness, unable to find what they needed to keep themselves safe and healthy. Consumers didn’t know where to turn.
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Crafting a Compelling Strategic Narrative

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We’ve been discussing consumer trust and how brands can create and maintain it through consistently prioritizing the consumer experience. Trust is the foundation for long-lasting relationships with a brand’s core audience – but where does this journey begin? In a digital era marked by an abundance of available options, brands stand out by developing a compelling narrative that inspires consumers to choose them over the competition.

A strategic narrative sets a brand apart by connecting with consumers in a unique and indelible way. Stories, after all, have been part of the human experience since long before the development of written language – a way to understand the world, our place in it, our ties to the past, and our hopes for the future.
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What the Iowa Caucuses Can Teach Brands About Earning Consumer Trust

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The run-up to the 2020 Presidential elections is well underway and a wide field of Democratic candidates are competing for the party nomination. After several debates and months on the campaign trail, the first big moment of primary season is fast approaching – the 2020 Iowa caucuses. As the Des Moines Register reported this summer, the candidates’ campaign stops and events in Iowa alone surpassed 1,000 in August and are expected to reach nearly 3,000 by February, when voting will take place.

For me this prompts a question: in today’s digital world, why are candidates flocking to Iowa to make a record number of personal appearances? With massive media budgets and social media staff at their fingertips, the sheer commitment in dollars and man-hours from candidates speaks to one vital goal – building trust.
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Markers of Trust: Finding Great Restaurants

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One of my favorite local restaurants is Story in Prairie Village, Kansas. My wife and I have enjoyed many meals there and admire their consistent quality and first-rate service. In 2013, the head chef and owner of Story, Carl Thorne-Thompsen, was named a James Beard Award semifinalist nominee for Best Chef in the Midwest. This is a very prestigious nomination from the James Beard Foundation, which highlights the best of the best in American food culture by recognizing talented chefs, world-class restaurants, and the media platforms that make a difference through their food coverage.

A few years later, Alice and I found ourselves traveling in Minneapolis and searching for a place to have dinner. The thought occurred that we should look at local listings to see which restaurants had been recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Through this process, we discovered Corner Table. It was a delicious meal and a memorable dining experience. It is currently closed for a “refresh” according to the owners.
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Managing Major Change: How Brands Navigate Pivotal Moments

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Our recent exploration of sustainability initiatives in the fast fashion industry raised one big question: faced with increasing consumer demands, how can brands make big changes without compromising their identity? For the fast fashion space, this is a tricky proposition – after all, their identity is built on providing clothing that is trendy and disposable. When consumers decide they want to support sustainable brands, how can the giants of fast fashion (or any industry) make those necessary shifts?

Incremental change is the safest approach, but when consumers are clamoring for something new, they expect brands to act quickly. The issue of sustainability is particularly time-sensitive, as reports continually surface about the environmental damage caused by industries including fashion. The change process isn’t easy, but consumers are ready to reward the brands that take the lead.
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When Is the Right Time to “Kill” a Product?

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The new product development process can be fascinating, joyful, and inspiring – or sometimes leave you feeling like you’re stuck in the weeds. When it’s just not working, when do you decide to pull the plug? At Eidson & Partners, we’ve helped any number of clients make the decision to kill a project and stop the bleeding. In fact, we think knowing when to move on is one of the most underrated skills in product development.

But how do you know when it’s time to kill a new product? A recent article from McKinsey’s Bias Busters takes on that question and got us thinking about our own approach to those tough decisions.
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When Things Go Wrong, You Have To Own It

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The recent crisis for Boeing (resulting from the 737 Max accidents) has prompted a flurry of think pieces analyzing Boeing’s response, and what sets apart the businesses and brands that manage to retain consumer trust and loyalty in the face a major crisis.

What is the ideal playbook for a response to a crisis of this magnitude? I’d argue Johnson & Johnson established the gold standard all the way back in 1982 when seven people in the Chicago area died after taking cyanide-laced capsules of Extra-Strength Tylenol.
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Brands that Embraced Transparency to Create Success

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Millennials require transparency. A generation that came of age with information at their fingertips, they are reshaping the way brands communicate their values, their product’s benefits, and even their supply chains. From food to politics, healthcare, and employment, millennials’ “Self, Society, and Planet” ethos drives them to understand how their purchasing decisions impact themselves, their communities, and the environment.

This requires brands to communicate in new ways. Either they embrace transparency and authenticity and retain control of their narrative, or they drive consumers to third-party sources of information that may or may not present them in a positive light. Either they communicate directly with consumers on social media or they are talked about without a seat at the table.

These brands have responded proactively to millennial consumers’ desire for transparency and created success as a result:
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How Brands Achieve Transparency & Attract Millennial Consumers

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We recently explored how the millennial generation’s consumer ethos of “self, society, and planet” has impacted other demographics and encouraged brands to become more transparent about their product sourcing and social impact. This shift is perhaps most obvious when it comes to food labeling – after all, this is the generation that saw calorie counts added to fast food menus and prioritizes organic and local ingredients. However, today’s consumers want greater transparency for all products, not just those they literally consume.

In Inc., digital marketing entrepreneur Kenny Kline reports on the Label Insight Transparency ROI study that examines how transparency is vital in building trust with consumers and encouraging brand loyalty.
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