Tell me. Who gets to the end of a commercial and asks, “How can I learn more?”

Answer: NO ONE!

Exactly! Yet, isn’t it amazing that companies spend millions of dollars creating marketing that assumes this is the way we think?

Why would they do this?

Because, they aren’t really thinking about us, they’re thinking about them. They’re thinking about their product or service. Despite, what they may know intellectually about people and their behavior, these companies and the bright minds making their marketing decisions still often fall prey to the notion that if they tell us about all their product’s awesome features and benefits that of course, we’ll be clamoring to know more.

Newsflash corporate marketing dept: we don’t care about you or your product. We care about ourselves and our needs. So, you need to focus on what we want. If you really want to build a loyal customer base you ought to consider the following:

1. Kindness. Don’t assault us with your message. Just give us what we need. Be generous. If you do this we will be back to ask you for more.

2. Attention. Listen to us! Really listen. Not just to your product’s fans but also to the critics.  Make sure we know you’re being responsive.

3. Connection.  Never forsake an opportunity to build a relationship with us. We’re your evangelists. Here’s what I mean. Do you have an automated customer service line or email address for customers to ask questions or provide feedback? Use these tools (and more) to your advantage. It may be more economical to automate customer service, but there is no better way to engage us and find out what we really think of your product than to speak with us live. At the same time you’ll be able to show us you care (see item 1 and 2 above) and, have us go away talking up your product.

Customers today are too savvy and have too many options for you to market to us as though we’re still living in the “Mad Men” era. This is the currency needed to engage customers today.

 

..This much I know.

-Jeanine

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