A 'do' - Whole Foods got it right

If you have read through some (or any) of my posts, you can quickly know that I am a firm believer in the need for marketing to create a dialogue. Gone are the days of yelling at consumers, telling them what they want and expecting results. To be successful or even competitive in today's world, brands need to stop yelling and listen to what consumers are saying. And trust me, if you are listening, consumers will not pause in letting you know what they think. Once brands have learned to listen, they will realize that oodles of valuable and deep marketing insights are sitting right in front of their face.

Example: I’m loving what Whole Foods is doing. They are generating a dialogue and of course, most of this conversation is taking place on the current sweetheart of social media, Twitter.

I’ve been following Whole Foods on Twitter for a while and am always intrigued by their posts. Here are some of the most recent ones that showed up on my feed:

#30ways Close the loop! Currently 25% of PET plastics in the US are recycled... let's bring that number up to 100%!

What makes food overly processed? http://tr.im/processed

Almond milk is great for folks with soy allergies or sensitivities. Soy milk is higher in protein (and calories) than almond milk.

#30ways Happy Birthday! We've come a long way since Earth Day started in 1970. Share your plans w/ us! http://tr.im/earthmonth

I like their posts since they are encouraging consumers to participate in their current topic and rewarding them for it – most posts are connected to the company blog where you can win gift certificates for commenting on the questions posed in blog postings.

However, the main reason why I think Whole Foods is doing it right can be seen on their own Twitter page:



They are proving that they are listening to consumers by talking back and answering questions. They majority of tweets by Whole Foods are responses to their Twitter customer base who are asking questions ranging from their local store’s events to concerns over Europe banning farmed salmon.

It’s a true dialogue when I know that if I wanted to tweet @WholeFoods some random question about when organic watermelons are in-season or where to find grass-fed, hormone & antibiotic-free beef, Whole Foods will tweet back the answer.

Now, that’s what I call a conversation.