Manufacturing buzz

“Google’s not in business to give you the truth, it’s in business to give what you think is relevant,” Michael Fertik, ReputationDefender founder, via

This post is due, in part, to the majestic Byron Hurd. Oh, and Jack Baruth, Zerin Dube, Derek Kreindler, and the rest of the S:S:L crew. And Suzanne Denbow. We were sitting at the Detroit Auto Show, specifically at the Mazda display, leeching wireless Internet like a commune of gypsy World of Warcraft gamers.

Hurd’s majesty is because of a comment he made after a particularly painful encounter with a fellow media badge holder. It went something like: “To an auto manufacturer, it doesn’t really matter if they invite him or Dan Neil. They know that Google doesn’t care when someone is searching for an opinion.”

And until reputation-based search becomes reality, he’s right.

I don’t need to remind everyone that the brilliance of the web is that everyone can have a say. Anti-Adidas zealots likely share server space with Neo-Nazis and Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute pages. Given a little luck, some writing skill, and a bit of promotion, and you may end up like dooce, TMZ, or The Huffington Post; examples that “regular” people can earn an audience and reputation to rival large web portals.

But here’s the problem with reputation-based search: how do you decide who has a worthy reputation? A multi-million dollar advertising contract? Millions of blog subscribers? Nearly a year ago, I wrote:

“Every time someone types F-o-r-d onto a web page and someone else types F-o-r-d into a Google search box, there’s a chance the former will influence the latter — whether or not it’s in reference to a review, a deal on an oil change, or whatever.

“And who is to say my review of a car should be read any more than an owner’s review of a car? Or a recall notice? Or the latest financing deal? Believing that the web will point people to your content because you’re a professional is pretty arrogant, and possibly career-curtailing.”

If you’re making something and trying to get the word out, where do you start? Advertising and creating buzz for a product in the Internet age has become a double-edged sword: do you stick with established players, like the New York Times, and its loyal-yet-dwindling audience? Or do you spend less and fly a wide-eyed blogger to an event, hoping to capture a very strong positive opinion for a specific audience?

I say neither. Keep the corporate credit card sheathed.

Start with your current customers, or people who would enjoy your product. You know, early adopters. I see travel, food, product, and automotive reviews starting with a comprehensive customer feedback system in place of expensive junkets.

It’s starting. Toyota, during the Canadian launch of the new 4Runner SUV, invited members of Internet forums for the event. (Toyota was hardly the first, but the practice is becoming widespread. Just ask Ferrari, who first invited only their very best customers to drive the new 599xx supercar. Journalists? What journalists?)

And who better to cater to than current owners? Each manufacturer (especially car makers but this applies to nearly any consumer item) that has a database of buyers is uniquely prepared for moulding their online reputation around current — and satisfied — owners.

How? Well, thanks to the Internet, these owners now have a say. Whether its online at a manufacturer website or on their personal blog, current customers have already voted with their hard-earned cash. Give them a positive experience, and they’ll spend money again. And again.

Do a search for Zappos or Jet Blue. Read how well they treat their customers. They’ve created a feedback loop that benefits both current customers, future products, and their bottom line. The large majority of that feedback exists on the company website, not in the comments section of a popular blog or letters section of a large newspaper.

I’m increasingly of the opinion that while critical opinion is necessary — especially with a big purchase like a car — manufacturers are wasting time and money by catering to writers with large or focused audiences but little pull in terms of who actually purchases the items.

Want an example? I reviewed the Chevrolet Camaro and was completely flamed by members of a Camaro-focused Internet forum. Critically I was — and still am — correct in my assessment…but who really cares? Despite my Google pagerank, journalistic integrity, and, say, Twitter reach, I was completely outgunned by the cousin lovin’ Camaro faithful.

The media is currently infatuated with the Toyota recall, but you know what? If Toyota puts their customers first, I’m of the opinion it’ll all blow over. To test this, I called a local dealership (no, I don’t own a Toyota), explained that I was out of town, I heard about a recall, and was wondering if my vehicle was safe to drive home.

It was obviously a very small sample size of one, but the service manager’s response was calm, engaging, and honest. He explained the problem occurred in a small number of vehicles, that the company would likely have replacement parts ready in time for when I “got home,” and gave me clear instructions on what to do if the accelerator did stick.

If every current Toyota customer is treated like I was, they’ll be O.K.

Manufacturers and marketers, use the power of your customers. Market to them first. Make them happy. Let them try out new products before members of the press, have them contribute to a company-hosted Internet forum, and engage in discussing both faults and ways to improve. Be open.

There are studies that show it’s far less expensive to keep current customers than to get new ones. It’s absolutely true. For the first time, companies can create their own forums to cultivate feedback. Done correctly, and that feedback will rival anything a large media company attains in terms of traffic. Better still, in time Google results will skew toward your site.

We’re in a strange place now, at least as far as automotive writing goes, where hack bloggers and hack mainstream reporters are rubbing shoulders at the same event. Everyone is fighting to create buzz, upstage “the other guy,” and remain relevant. It was never so apparent as when Hurd spoke the quote above.

I say to the people in charge of creating buzz for your products: forget catering to people who are at your event because of the Air Miles accumulation, bragging rights, fine-food buffet tendencies, or love of swag. Despite being some of the best, don’t invite journalists just because they’re cool, have won a Pulitzer, or represent an alt-lifestyle.

Make the real writers work for a story — as the best ones always do. But don’t make your customers work to tell you their story.