My presentation from Kickass Products. On the subject of how emotional connection (through community management, great customer support, and a fantastic product) can make the difference between success and failure for a company.

1. Evan Hamilton
Head of Community, UserVoice
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2. Wednesday, August 21, 13

3. How to Beat Your
Competitors Forever
and Ever
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4. Success=
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5. Success=
1) Fantastic product
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6. Success=
1) Fantastic product
2) Fantastic support
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7. Success=
1) Fantastic product
2) Fantastic support
3) Emotional connection
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8. Success=
1) Fantastic product
2) Fantastic support
3) Emotional connection
+ luck
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9. BS?
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10. BS?
•Users generate your money, so let’s agree you
need to keep them (happy).
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11. BS?
•Users generate your money, so let’s agree you
need to keep them (happy).
•#1 cause of social media crises is unhappy
customers - Altimeter
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12. BS?
•Users generate your money, so let’s agree you
need to keep them (happy).
•#1 cause of social media crises is unhappy
customers - Altimeter
•Foursquare, SEOmoz, Zappos
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13. BS?
•This study from UserVoice:
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14. 1) Fantastic Product
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15. 1) Fantastic Product
What you’re already doing + community
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16. Data lies
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17. People are wrong
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18. People are wrong
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19. Data + Stories
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20. Data + Stories
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21. Data + Stories
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22. Data + Stories
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23. Feedback Process
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24. Feedback Process
1) Review ideas
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25. Feedback Process
1) Review ideas
2) Discuss ideas
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26. Feedback Process
1) Review ideas
3) ACT
2) Discuss ideas
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27. Feedback Process
1) Review ideas
4) Respond
3) ACT
2) Discuss ideas
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28. 2) Fantastic Support
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29. 2) Fantastic Support
Not really that hard!
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30. 2) Fantastic Support
Not really that hard!
•Make support a priority
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31. 2) Fantastic Support
Not really that hard!
•Make support a priority
•Use great tools (cough cough)
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32. 2) Fantastic Support
Not really that hard!
•Make support a priority
•Hire empathetic support staff
•Use great tools (cough cough)
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33. 2) Fantastic Support
Not really that hard!
•Make support a priority
•Hire empathetic support staff
•Take care of them
•Use great tools (cough cough)
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34. 2) Fantastic Support
Not really that hard!
•Make support a priority
•Hire empathetic support staff
•Take care of them
•Respond quickly
•Use great tools (cough cough)
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35. 2) Fantastic Support
Not really that hard!
•Make support a priority
•Hire empathetic support staff
•Take care of them
•Respond quickly
•Empower support to solve & delight,
not triage & silence
•Use great tools (cough cough)
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36. 2) Fantastic Support
Not really that hard!
•Make support a priority
•Hire empathetic support staff
•Take care of them
•Respond quickly
•Empower support to solve & delight,
not triage & silence
•Don’t hide your contact info!
•Use great tools (cough cough)
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37. 2) Fantastic Support
Resource-intensive? Yes, but not as
much as you think.
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38. 2) Fantastic Support
Resource-intensive? Yes, but not as
much as you think.
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39. 2) Fantastic Support
Resource-intensive? Yes, but not as
much as you think.
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40. 2) Fantastic Support
Resource-intensive? Yes, but not as
much as you think.
40%+ support tickets answered here
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41. 2) Fantastic Support
Resource-intensive? Yes, but not as
much as you think.
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42. 2) Fantastic Support
Resource-intensive? Yes, but not as
much as you think.
Fix It Twice.
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43. 3) Emotional Connection
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44. 3) Emotional Connection
In short: be MORE than a product.
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45. 3) Emotional Connection
Be the local, helpful hardware store
owner, not Home Depot.
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46. Best Practices
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47. Transparency
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48. Transparency
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49. Personal Emotional
Connection (PEC)
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50. Personal Emotional
Connection (PEC)
•“Hi, Dave,” not “Hello,”
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51. Personal Emotional
Connection (PEC)
•“Hi, Dave,” not “Hello,”
•“How are you?” ...then pay attention to
the response!
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52. Personal Emotional
Connection (PEC)
•“Hi, Dave,” not “Hello,”
•Mention kids? Send ‘em a toy.
•“How are you?” ...then pay attention to
the response!
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53. Personal Emotional
Connection (PEC)
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54. Create a Cause
People don’t rally around
losing their money...they rally
around a CAUSE.
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55. Create a Cause
SEO as a serious profession
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56. Create a Cause
Conquering BYOD
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57. Create a Cause
Web Standards & Open Source
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58. Create a Cause
Celebrating & Furthering Exceptional
Support
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59. 3. ??? 4. Profit
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60. 3. ??? 4. Profit
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61. How?
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62. How?
•Find a burgeoning cause that lacks
leadership
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63. How?
•Find a burgeoning cause that lacks
leadership
•Provide REAL value
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64. How?
•Find a burgeoning cause that lacks
leadership
•Provide REAL value
•Connect people to each OTHER
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65. How?
•Find a burgeoning cause that lacks
leadership
•Provide REAL value
•Connect people to each OTHER
•Put THEM first
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66. In Conclusion
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67. In Conclusion
•Data+Stories = Great Product
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68. In Conclusion
•Data+Stories = Great Product
•Make support a priority
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69. In Conclusion
•Data+Stories = Great Product
•Make support a priority
•Put customers first
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70. In Conclusion
•Data+Stories = Great Product
•Make support a priority
•Put customers first
•Be transparent
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71. In Conclusion
•Data+Stories = Great Product
•Make support a priority
•Put customers first
•Be transparent
•Build PEC
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72. In Conclusion
•Data+Stories = Great Product
•Make support a priority
•Put customers first
•Be transparent
•Build PEC
•Champion a cause
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73. In Conclusion
•Data+Stories = Great Product
•Make support a priority
•Put customers first
•Be transparent
•Build PEC
•Champion a cause
•Give a #%*&
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74. Thank you.
@evanhamilton
www.evanhamilton.com
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