Workshop focuses on efficient product promotion
THE Fiji – USA Business Council underwent a virtual workshop on April 9, 2021 whereby one of the discussions was around turning customers into brand ambassadors.
According to a statement from the council Ted Wright a founder of the US marketing firm Fizz Corp. gave a virtual workshop on Word of Mouth Marketing to the council.
“Word of mouth marketing has always existed,” he said.
“We’ve just found a better and more efficient way to do it.
“In our world where many traditional forms of marketing are in decline, we must rely on people to carry our messages forward.
“It’s the oldest form of marketing, and still the most reliable in many cases.”
Mr Wright said Fijian companies interested in North America could turn their enthusiastic retail customers into brand “advocates” by following the A-I-R principle (authentic, interesting, relevant).
He said the trick was getting customers to promote the brand or product in their own social media posts.
One of his clients Kauai Coffee from Hawaii had quickly become a top-selling product campaign according to Mr Wright.
This was through viral campaigns, such as hiring models to dress in traditional hula gear and shop in supermarkets while promoting the brand or having a DJ play music and hand out samples at the top of a popular hiking mountain.
It was stated these campaigns helped the public associate Kauai Coffee with iconic Hawaiian imagery of beach life and mountain scenery.
Mr Wright said would-be customers promoted the campaigns on their own social media because they were so much fun. The council in the statement said the message, in term, was more trusted since it came from actual customers and not the company itself.
Acting president of the Fiji-USA Business Council and founder of Cacao Fiji Arif Khan acknowledged Mr Wright for his insight.
“Ted gave all of us fresh ideas on how we can approach our marketing strategies both for export and for the local market,” he said.
Cacao Fiji, South Pacific Coffee Company, South Sea Salt, Lords Jewellers, Aqua Pacific, Exxon-Mobil, and New World IGA were some of the council members in attendance at the workshop.