Nearly a decade ago, I started a little business called BzzAgent. The idea was simple: if we provided real consumers with great brand experiences, they would share their authentic opinions with others. And if they did, those brands would see a tremendous amount of value. Because – and I’m not telling you anything new here – as people we value recommendations and opinions from real consumers more than anything a marketer could ever tell us.
As luck would have it, this wasn’t such a shabby idea. Sure, early on we had our fair share of challenges like getting thrown out of a-shall-not-be-named top ad agency’s office (we were deemed, “blasphemous”) to overcoming the perception that engaging real consumers wasn’t “tearing apart the fabric of the very last thread of decency the world had” (from one piece of fan mail). In the end, clients realized they needed authentic consumers more than anything; and consumers realized they loved being marketing with instead of being marketed at.
Enter 2011. We’ve helped more than 2,000 products get launched for more than 300 clients. We’re profitable and growing. Our form of marketing has become sophisticated, incredibly valued and – in a social age – absolutely necessary. And, today, the company is announcing it is being acquired by dunnhumby, a division of Tesco, PLC (yes, the $140 billion supermarket chain / retailer).
We couldn’t be happier about this. I mean, we’re talking serious backflips, caterwauls and jumping jacks. This will allow us to take the BzzAgent platform to the next level in 3 ways:
- Scale: 800,000 awesome (yeah, you guys are awesome) BzzAgents is significant, but dunnhumby has access to over 200 million shoppers worldwide. Our scale for social marketing programs is now unmatched.
- Targeting: Agents provide us up to 250 data points to help us identify the right ones for campaigns. Shortly (with opt in, of course) we’ll begin engaging campaign participants based on actual purchase activity.
- Measurement: Today, we lead in the industry in social marketing measurement via Marketing Mix Modeling and Matched Market Tests. We’ll now have transaction records to track the ROI of BzzCampaigns all the way through in-store purchase.
Look, I could talk all day about how great this is. But the real story is what it takes to get a company from the kernel of an idea all the way through to sale. A few things come to mind:
- Persistence. You gotta keep your dream alive. I can’t tell you how many doors were shut in our face in the first year.
- Passionate People. When we started, we didn’t have super-experienced executives to make the business sing. But we had believers. People who were dedicated. Could see a changed world. Had something to stand up for. You need this to get an idea to come to life.
- Some Scratch, but Not Too Much Too Early. We didn’t have a ton of money to begin with and it helped us really focus on building something that could create value. When the time was right, we capitalized the business with angel investors and venture capitalists, but the fact that we had almost no money early was one reason we’re here today.
- Investors, Not Financiers. This is really important. Pick your investors wisely. You don’t want people with money. You want people who know how to invest, and know how to help businesses grow. All money isn’t created equally.
- Rowboat Paddles. They say running a company is like being in a rowboat in the middle of the ocean. I’d add to that your rowboat is always leaking and you may find yourself in 15 foot swells. You have to live through the bad days along with the good.
- Honesty and Transparency. Companies get crushed by miscommunication and secrets and rumors. Early on we set a path of being insanely open with our staff and the world (see blog posts back in 2004 about this stuff) which squashed all that nasty stuff that breaks apart teams.
- Loyalty. I can’t say enough about this: Loyalty is the currency of great business relationships. A few folks have worked alongside me for many years (and many companies), and while roles change and strategy shifts, I could always rely on these people to remember the dream. You have to inspire loyalty, but you have to give it back.
With all of this, and a great idea, you can build a great company. So, what now? Well, we keep building. I’m not going anywhere – I’ll remain CEO of BzzAgent will be joining dunnhumby’s executive group – and our team is remaining intact. The next stage of BzzAgent is going to be incredibly exciting, and we’re looking forward to applying all of our learnings to making this phase of BzzAgent even more successful than the last one…
Dave Balter
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Congratulations!! You deserve it. I’m proud to say I”m a part of this awesome program. Thank you for the opportunity.
This is so exciting. I can hardly wait. I have enjoyed being a BzzAgent and sure hope we old timers still have a chance to try new products, as in the past. Hope it does not become harder to get campaigns. CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who has worked so hard to keep BzzAgent an organization, I am proud to be a part of.
Congratulations. Has been fun to be part of the gang so far and I hope it continues!
With any great idea, there is a buyer. I am glad you have found the right match, Best of luck and continued success.
Congratulations and I hope to be able to continue getting invites to campaigns. I have not had many in the past 2 years but in the beginning I had alot and really enjoy trying new products and bzzing about them.
Thank you for walking us through this, for sharing your passion and excitement and keeping us in the loop. Don’t leave any of us behind either! Going form 1 of 800,000 to 1 of 2,800,000 I have to wonder how big and beautiful this will be but also in hopes we don’t get lost in the shuffle.
Thanks for letting us know —it is a pleasure to be a BzzAgent and I hope everything just keeps getting better. Congratulations——
CONGRATS! growing and getting better – so happy to be a part of it!
Oh, this is exciting. Hope it will mean new opportunities to help manufacturers shape campaigns, provide our feedback and get to try even more viral campaigns.
Congratulations!! This is great news! Looking forward to the new growth and new campaigns. Love being a part of this and having a voice!
So thrilled for you! Congratulations! Couldnt have happened to a nicer group of people!
Thank you for sharing this! So exciting for you and for what’s to come. I have to be a bit honest about a concern I have in regards to Targeting for campaigns. As a single mom I’m EXTREMELY limited in what I can purchase. Not what I’d like to purchase if I had the money, but do I get groceries or mascara; gas or a coffee maker (or Starbucks daily); vet visit or latest fashion. I answer the Survey questions honestly, but when it comes to what I’ve purchased, I cringe because so many of them I can’t afford and they’re just not in the budget. I hope in some way you can take this into consideration. I hate the thought that I won’t be considered for a campaign for the fact that I don’t have the money to make purchases.
awesome! thats such a cool opportunity, and im glad im with bzzagent through all this. congrats!
This is good news and I’m proud to be a part of your group.
Congratulations! I’m glad to be part of it.
Congrats! I’ve been a Bzzagent pretty much since the beginning and have turned several other people into Agents. Why? Besides getting the cool stuff to try, I really believe in what you’re doing! I know that getting real opinions from real people (“oh the horror”!) may sound a bit out there, but it is necessary as consumers have more choices and demand more from their products. Thanks for all the years of fun I’ve had as a Bzzagent and I look forward to many more!
Congratulations! I am relative new to the BzzAgent Site, and so far I love it. I’ve been able to participate in two campaigns for which I thank you. I hope your new acquisition creates many more campaigns and I’m looking forward to the future with you.
Kareron
rodneynall@hotmail.com
Thanks, for working hard for us , keep those campaigns coming .
This sounds like it’s going to be a wonderful step forward for BzzAgent. Everything sounds great! Hopefully, there will be more chances to sign up for campaigns.
Like Mimi mentioned though, I’m also concerned about the tracking program that goes all the way to purchase. My spouse and I are on a fixed income, and just can’t afford to buy some of the products outright. However,if what you meant was tracking the coupons that come with most campaigns, then that’s an enirely different story.
Sounds like, as one of the older agents, I hooked my wagon to one of the great ones. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to give our honest thoughts and ideas on products sent to us.
I too am happy for your success and feel a small thrill to have been a small part of it over the years.
I know that many of the Bzz products I’ve hawked for you haven’t gone over well with friends & acquaintances, but others have gotten overwhelming receptions!!!
On that note, I hope to have more opportunities coming my way soon…also on a limited budget – ones that don’t cost too much to join…I have two kids & live in a single income household…
Again, congrats on the success!!! I’m happy to have been a part of something so big!
This is wonderful news. I look forward to new and great things ahead and more Bzz Campaigns!!!!!
Congratulations on the Success !! Looking forward to the new campaigns
Way to go !!! I can`t wait to see whats in store for us now
CONGRATS !
Thank’s for all the great things you are doing…..
Great Job
You’re doing awesome. I’m so proud of BzzAgents hard work and perseverance. I know this will be a great endeavor. Thanks for letting me be a part of it!
Congrats! Hope to remain a part of BzzAgent network for a long time to come!
I really love to try all the products free before I purchase them.I have a great time bzzing all my friends whenever I have a new item to try. thank you so much.
I agree with Barbee – I hope we veteran agents are still able to participate. It’s already difficult enough being selected to participate in campaigns! I always seem to be excluded from ones where I feel I could add the most value, and don’t want to have it be even more challenging to be included.
Congratulations on seeing the fruits of your labor validated on a grand scale!
BzzDME
What a wonderful accomplishment! I enjoy being a part of BZZ, and having the opportunity to participate in programs trying quality products, and bzzing to all my friends about them.
Thank you for allowing me to join you in your success.
I love being a Buzzagent, it’s fun and so interesting. Congrats on your success!!
Congrats on your success! and I am enjoying a part of the team.
I too love being part of the BZZ, I get excited when I see new campagins and love talking up the product. So happy for your success.
This is great! Congrats on all of your successees. I’m just glad to be part of the team. Thanks for welcoming me in. Can’t wait to get my first campaign!
Congrats! I’m happy to be part of this team! Can’t wait for new and exciting stuff to happen. It’s so nice to see a company moving forward with good news, especially one that I am a part of. High Five to everybody who made this happen!
Just joined super excited! I can’t wait to learn more! Congrats!
I messed up my account log in.
I am starting to really get into this program. It is different and it is interesting. Thanks
Congratulations on you realizing your dream and the wonderful community you have created.
Thank you for the fun and exciting opportunity you have provided for me.
Congrats. I love this program. I just have one complaint:
I wish I got more campaigns… I try to check back daily and fill all surveys!
I have been a bzzagent for 7 yrs and love it. It’s a wonderful program to be a part of. Lately three of my friends and one daughter (now21) has also joined. Thanks to being a bzzagent I have met lots of wonderful people as well.