How to Capture Micro-Moments

By Zachary Clark, Director of Business Development
08/30/2015

I follow this great blog from Google called, “Think With Google.” It’s something relatively new that they started about a year or so ago, and it’s focused on trends and analytics within certain topics and industries. For example, this report on trends in Travel and Tourism, but Think with Google covers almost every industry from financial services, healthcare, education, and so much more.

I personally love it because I’m a data-head and I’m all about the numbers and analytics, but Think With Google also helps with trends in the many industries that we work in here at Cowley, and that’s why you should love it too. When it comes to whatever industry you eat, sleep, and breathe, you have to know what the trends are, especially in the age of Search Engines.

But, enough of a promo for Think With Google (and no I’m not a paid sponsor). Lately, they’ve been talking about something called Micro-Moments, or the instances when a customer is doing research about the product or service they’re about to buy. Mostly, micro-moments in a Google sense means when the consumer is searching online, usually from a mobile device, but we can extrapolate a micro-moment to be any time a customer is researching, even if that’s through word of mouth or referrals.

Life is full of these micro-moments. Think about it for yourself when you’re shopping personally, maybe it’s for a new big screen TV for football season starting up. You’re obviously not going to buy the first thing you see. You’re going to compare models, do a little research online of customer reviews, and maybe even ask Tony from down the street what TV he has and how he likes it. All of those things that you’re doing are micro-moments.

As a brand or a company, in this case Samsung, LG, Vizio, etc., they need to be able to capture those micro-moments so you can be convinced to buy their product. They have to have favorable reviews online, they have to build a good standing with their current customer base, and they have to make sure that their information is found easily and that it’s helpful. If these companies aren’t doing all of those things, then they can lose a customer in just one moment, or in this case, a micro-moment. 

How to Capture Micro-Moments for Yourself

Now, bring this concept back to your own business. Regardless of what industry you’re in (B2B, B2C, Healthcare, Non-Profit, etc.), you have to be there for your prospective customers when they’re looking, or better known as, being Top of Mind. You also have to know the stages of the buying cycle that the consumer follows and be prepared to have content available that is relevant and, more importantly, helpful. Because if you’re not there, your competition is.

Here are a few simple ways you can start capturing those valuable micro-moments:

Blogging

Blogging is the easiest way to be there for a prospective customer. Producing relative, interesting, and helpful information and having that readily available will help build your status as a thought leader and someone consumers can trust as a go-to for information. If you’re already on board the blogging train, that’s great! But, now you can get smarter about it. Build customer profiles and personas, and start producing content that is relative to them at each stage of the buying cycle. Also, you can study industry trends (through things like Think With Google) and plan ahead what content goes out when so it coincides with when consumers will be looking. 

Newsletters

You not only have to be there for prospective customers, but also your current ones as well. A newsletter is a simple way to stay in front of them, and it doesn’t have to be every day. Once or twice a month will be a great start and you can always go out more frequently as your customers demand for it. A newsletter will help you stay top of mind when a current customer needs something, or they’re referring a friend.

Referral Programs

Word of Mouth marketing will continue to be one of the most effective forms of advertising until the end of eternity. I don’t care what anyone says, referrals are your best thing for keeping customers long into the sunset because that consumer trusts you because whoever sent them trusts you. Word of mouth is a powerful thing and there are ways to be proactive and nurture it. You can start a referral program and offer discounts, gift cards, lunches, Edible Arrangements, or whatever works for your customer base. Either way, you should reward the people who are your biggest fans and take the time to send more business your way.

Hand Written Cards

In the B2B market especially, hand written cards are a great way to stay in touch and also say “thank you” to someone. We’d all love if the work from customers or clients was continual, but often times due to the nature of various industries, work is cyclical and not always predictable. So, it’s important we stay in touch and always be there to be, again, top of mind. Sure, you could send an email, but a hand written card is a lost vehicle of communication and because it’s so rare, customers will overly appreciate it.

 

Regardless of the industry you’re in, it’s important that you think about micro-moments and how to capture them. All of your customers will at some point be doing research about what product they should buy or what service that they should use. We’d all be lying to ourselves if we didn’t say we wanted those consumers to pick ours, but in order for them to do so, we have to be there in those instances when it’s most important.

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