ZMOT: The seven golden rules for capturing the customer

ZMOT? Yes, you read right. ZMOT extension. But don't worry, not a swear word, not even in Klingon it is.

The ZMOT (Zero Moment of Truth), or the zero moment of truth, is the right key to engage our customer in the product purchasing process.

Today, the consumer decision-making process has changed dramatically. What you have to focus on to be a good marketer is the path that leads to the purchase decision.

That's why winning the customer at the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) is a necessary requirement to sell your product successfully.

In this article you will find the 7 golden rules that Google teaches us to conquer the consumer!

Moments of Truth: What are they?

The so-called "Moments of Truth" are defined as the possibilities of interaction between the customer and the product-company that lead to the purchase.

The Moment of Truth was first mentioned in 1981 when the CEO of Scandinavian Airlines suggested to his customer care team to build the relationship with customers based on their actual needs by providing them with all the information requested.

Obviously, in 2021 there is no longer a single moment of truth, but the attention we must pay to these touchpoints remains very high.

The traditional buying process

The first model of the purchasing process is based on three moments:

• STIMULUS
• FMOT - FIRST MOMENT OF TRUTH
• SMOT- SECOND MOMENT OF TRUTH

Stimulus

The stimulus basically occurs when the consumer receives the stimulus from a marketing campaign by bringing out a need that can be of an emotional informational type, etc.

FMOT – Shelf

The first moment of truth indicates the time span ranging from 3 to 7 seconds when the consumer is in front of the shelf and makes the purchase decision.

The concept was first introduced in 2005 by the Procter & Gambel company.

Today the First Moment of Truth is no longer based only on shelf observation but can occur in other cases:

• A customer views the products through the online shop
• A potential customer visits a company's website or social media for the first time
• A customer compares product prices

It is essentially a moment of crisis for the consumer who, not knowing how to choose, will seek help from other network users.

SMOT – Experience

After the purchase, the consumer experiences the second moment of truth which occurs through the consumption of the good.

It is the moment of product experience, which will determine whether or not the consumer is satisfied with the purchase and whether (and how!) he wants to share his experience.

The new purchasing process: what changes with the ZMOT?

The new purchasing decision-making process is divided into the following phases:

• STIMULUS  
• ZMOT extension  
• FMOT extension  
• SMOT

In essence, the zero moment of truth is added.

ZMOT- Zero Moment of Truth: Let's define it

ZMOT, as we said, is the acronym of Zero Moment Of Truth term used for the first time by Google in 2011.

I recommend you to watch the video below:

The Zero Moment of Truth is the moment in which the consumer, following the stimulus, accesses the Internet to search for information and opinions on the product that interests him.

In this moment the customer builds his beliefs and opinions about a product and begins the purchasing process.

To ensure victory in the Zero Moment Of Truth it is essential to ensure a good user experience for the customer .

Where does the Zero Moment of Truth come from?

We meet the zmot ON LINE. It usually starts with a search engine (Google etc) or through social media.

The consumer is interested in all the interactions that other users have made regarding the product of interest (blogs, reviews, comments, shares, likes, stars, etc.).

When is the Zero Moment of Truth born?

The ZMOT is always present in the purchasing process.

Today we are constantly connected and the information process that the consumer experiences takes place constantly in real time.

We are even witnessing an overlapping of the various moments of truth: in the same handful of minutes a consumer who is in a shop, therefore 'physically' projected into the first moment of truth, can still pass through the Zero moment thanks to web consultation via his smartphone.

The Moments of Truth are therefore meeting.

How was the ZMOT born?

The ZMOT is a relational and emotional process, it is much more than a comparison of information. Consumers are keen to understand how the product can improve their lives once purchased and consumed.

For this reason, in the ZMOT the conversation is never one-way, but friends, strangers and experts find themselves competing on the same level.

Google's 7 Golden Rules to conquer the consumer during the ZMOT

At this point, it's crucial for a marketer to monitor the zero moment of truth. Observing online consumer behavior to provide them with interesting content, plan a targeted strategy, attract potential customers: this is the challenge of Inbound Marketing.

Below are the 7 golden rules drawn up by GOOGLE to conquer the consumer during the ZMOT:

• Choose a person dedicated to the study of the ZMOT : assign a person from your company to take care of the zero phase of the sales process.

• Discover your zero moments : study how consumers search for your product, their true interest and how they talk about you. When you start typing your product name into search engines, what does the auto-complete tell you? Does your website or ad appear in the top three positions of the SERP for these searches? Does your company appear in the reviews and comments of sites dedicated to the realities of your sector?

• Answer the questions that potential customers ask you, provide comprehensive information.

• Make ZMOT online friendly : offer the right content at the right time, in the right place.

• Be quick in data analysis.

• Use videos : remember that a picture is worth a thousand words.

• Don't be afraid of negative comments, take action . A negative comment can give authenticity, and help improve our customer's experience. If you provoke an emotion in consumers, something is sure to happen: don't treat them as mere indicators to be manipulated.

Timing is everything. It is important that your company is quick to provide the right answers to information seekers. Otherwise, the risk of being overtaken by your competitors and losing potential customers is truly concrete , today more than ever.

The basic idea is simple: you have to be there at the right time . But will it be easy to apply?