Harry Beckwith wrote about “Selling the Invisible”. While progressive when written, the tech boom has allowed for greater advancements in customer engagement. It has also created an increased challenge in not only selling the invisible, but standing apart from the noise. In a conversation with Adam Kranitz, Avid’s Senior Manager for Social Strategy and Editor-in-Chief of Avid Blogs, it’s clear Avid has figured out how to do just that. 
Found in 1987 Avid pioneered digital video editing and currently holds 200 patents. Now through the Avid Everywhere strategic vision, Avid is helping content creators and media organizations connect with consumers more powerfully, efficiently, collaboratively, and profitably.
So how does this global leader drive revenue, and foster loyalty? Below are 6 practices that Adam incorporates into Avid’s content strategy and customer experience.
- “Avid’s core content beliefs center on people, purpose, and then technology. Content needs to feel human. It’s about the creative professionals who are using the platform.”
- “We invest in imagery. While we’re selling the invisible, the customer experience is easily seen. The product is in the background. Humans are the focus of the imagery. We also hire a professional photographer to capture customer interaction at events.”
- “We leverage the people closest to the experience. We use social media as the platform tocombine knowledgeable customers with subject matter experts at Avid to connect with the creative community. “
- “Community development is a priority at Avid. Our Director of Online Communities and Customer Advocate, Marianna Montague, has guided our extremely active and well trafficked customer forums for over 8 years. These customer forums are pivotal in upgrade decisions. Customer communities show that their peers have made the investment and also demonstrate momentum in the marketplace. This also creates brand loyalty. We have people who have been customers for 25 years and Marianna ensures all customers have a voice within the company”
- “We measure content effectiveness and understand which content should be used at each stage of the process. For example, tutorial content is good for deciding between companies and products. We also know that our most effective content is produced by the customer.”
- “Avid has a content vision. We plan on developing a virtual newsroom. We don’t want to replace trade journals, but certainly supplement them. AvidBlogs.com already has 323 articles contributed by multiple sources. Partners want visibility, and product teams want awareness and support. Also, once you gain momentum everyone want to get on board. “
It’s through these practices that Avid has become a more customer-centric organization and opened the doors to new markets. It’s also why they’re a leader in customer engagement. I encourage you to check out the phenomenal work they’re doing with their communities as well as how they’re engaging with customers and leveraging imagery on their Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube channel. You can also follow Adam on Twitter @AdamKranitz.