Listen and observe, then talk.
I never want to just contribute to the overwhelm. And since I’m here to untangle your marketing what I can do which might help those of you who also are hoping to add value but not noise; is help you make your marketing more meaningful and bring more connectedness in a noisy, messy & crowded online space.
So here is my marketing tip for today... become a really great listener and a keen observer; then mindfully communicate. Get to know your customers, and then speak to them the way you would speak to your friends.
There you go - so simple right? The best ideas usually are.
So before you get caught up in Facebook ads, writing content or book any advertising just stop for a minute. Make a cuppa and take some time to really think and do some research about your customers as real individual people, not just a faceless group of people “out there” somewhere. Your customers or audience, and mine, are individuals with super complex lives and experiences; they feel deeply and they are motivated by those feelings, good or bad.
This information will help with your brand positioning and staying consistent which will help you immeasurably in the long run. I guarantee that if you take the time to get to know your customer and *then* refine your brand and plan your marketing and communication - you will:
(a) spend less time and money on your marketing
(b) have a more loyal customer base
(c) get more positive feedback, engagement and sales and most importantly
(d) cultivate some really wonderful and meaningful relationships.
“Customers are looking for brands to align with their values. They are calling out complacency and demanding transparency. A purchase now represents your values, a demonstration of shared beliefs between customer and brand.”
Sarah Brown Founder, Pai Skincare
So to connect, just like in a good friendship, you have to tap into your audience so you can get the tone right (ie: your brand; tone of voice, imagery, fonts, timing). Become a super sleuth and start regularly asking them and yourself, some quality questions…
The basics; who what when why and how
What’s on their minds right now?
Who are they following, watching, reading, wearing and who are they hanging out with?
What makes them take notice? or bristle or post on social media?
What are the things they are passionate about, scared of or looking forward to?
Some ways to collect this information might be:
adding some surveys to your own social media stories
Analysing your sales and comparing them with what is going on ie: public holidays, world events etc
looking back through comments on your past activities or Google
picking up the phone and thanking some of your best customers and asking for their thoughts
setting up a Google Form or Survey Monkey survey (short, simple questionnaires are free) and emailing your database asking for feedback, or embed your form on your website
if you have a bricks and mortar store print out hard copies and offer an incentive for anyone who completes your survey
invite your VIP customers to an informal focus group and ask a friend to run it for you
if you are a bigger business outsourcing to a research company will give you a lot of in depth information and will also require budget, time and planning but it can be invaluable especially if you are considering investing in a significant advertising campaign.
So in a nutshell, if you are going to spend the time and money on your marketing, make sure it connects and adds value, rather than just noise.
“The brands that speak to everyone speak to no one. Whether brand differentiation means what the brand stands for, the way the product is made, or the way they engage their audience, consumers are looking for differentiated experiences and brands they can connect to.”
Morgan Brown | VP Growth Marketing, Shopify
Have you struggled with tone or connecting with your customers? Is your brand recognisable, clear and consistent? Do you have a number #1 question about this topic?
