The instant-gratification generation has been a boon for business and marketers. Consumers are quick to make a decision and make a purchase. This is especially true on mobile. But as it gets easier for consumers to signal their intent via social media, search or browsing a site, their expectations of businesses are only growing.
Because if you can’t deliver the response consumers want and need? Your competitor will. Here’s how to be there in the digital moment and get an edge on the competition.
Let’s Talk a Moment about Micro-Moments
If you thought you couldn’t get any more fleeting than a “moment”, you were wrong. Welcome to the world of micro-moments. This term is used to refer to high-intent actions performed on a mobile device. Basically, they signal a consumer’s intent to go, know, do or buy. These consumers are ready to make a decision and commit to a product or service — and if your business can respond promptly with the answers they need, you’ll be on the fast track to conversion.
Micro-moments are set to disrupt traditional long-term marketing strategies involving sales funnels. 
Consumers have either bypassed or fast-forwarded through the awareness and consideration phases and are ready to take action. If you can serve up what they need during a micro-moment, you’ve probably made a sale.
Let’s take a look at how you can make micro-moments work for you (and your customers).
Optimize For Mobile
Smartphones are hand-held problem-solvers. According to Google, 62% of smartphone users are more likely to take action right away to solve an unexpected problem or task. This will only grow as voice search and digital assistants become more popular.
Users now spend 18% less time on websites. They already know what they want, they just need to see if you can deliver. To ensure that you do, optimize your website or eCommerce store for mobile users. Incorporate responsive customer service features such as chatbots, personalized sales codes and even targeted product and services pages. Provide “how-tos” or infographics to help inform and educate.
You can help lead the way by using AdWords and targeted SEO — guiding users to the most appropriate solution and giving them what they need.
Target Your Solution
Micro-moments are powerful sources of data. They give you insight into the context surrounding a given high-intent moment. You can target your solutions accordingly. Perhaps you’ll offer a solution tailored to a customer’s location. After all, searches including “near me” have skyrocketed, indicating a growing need for localized solutions. Or maybe you’ll add new product features that address common search terms or browsing patterns.
Consider how your products or services meet the requirements of the “go, know, do or buy” paradigm. If customers are looking for a “leadership seminar near me today”, they need to know that you can meet the needs of their “go” question. If they’re searching for an “ebook on branding and identity”, you need to be able to deliver on their “know” question.
Here’s where your value ladder comes in. Micro-moments like these are an opportunity deliver right now, but also to lead customers up your offer ladder. That person looking for a leadership seminar is probably also interested in leadership coaching. The branding and identity Googler may also need help with implementation.
Micro-moments are valuable for capturing that right now need, but they also identify viable leads for your high ticket offer. As entrepreneur Pat Flynn says, give them a “small, quick win”, but don’t stop there.
Be Where The Action Is
Micro-moments don’t just occur on your website, they occur even before a user lands there! According to Google, brands can get ahead by simply being there during the initial (and now highly truncated) “awareness” part of the sales funnel.
Say a consumer is looking for a new car. They might google “best hatchback” or “safest hatchback for families”. If your brand pops up in those initial results, you’re more likely to fall into the final consideration set. So figure out the buying paths for your customers, and make sure that you show up in search results — or via AdWords — during those early stages.
But Google’s not the only driver of intent. Think of how many interactions occur over social media or even on forums. If someone expresses go, know, do or buy intent in your niche — or even about your particular company! — you can get a win with on-the-spot responsiveness.
Instantly answering a question submitted through your site is a big plus for customers who might otherwise bounce. And responding to a Tweet or post with genuinely valuable insight or information can net you a win.
This kind of in-the-moment service delivery shows that you’re able to identify consumers’ pain points and offer a solution. However, there’s a fine line between being responsive and being intrusive, so walk it carefully.
Robots Make Terrible Sales-people
As a company, you’re dealing with real people who have real problems that they want to be solved. “Showing up” to a micro-moment will put you ahead of the competition. But closing that sale is all about trust.
As we touched on above, no one wants a pushy bot pitching their wares. Instant responses are great, but only if they feel genuine and not spammy.
Be human in your responses — especially if you’re using bots to respond to questions or social media posts — and serve up a solution that speaks human. Authenticity breeds trust and trust creates more than one-off customers: it builds ardent fans.
Need help identifying your brand’s micro-moments and how to “show up” when it matters most? Get in touch!
