The non-reversible and non-negotiable customer decision making processor
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In May we published the findings of a piece of research where we spoke to over 100 senior in-house marketers and PR bods about their spending priorities in the six months to now. Not a huge sample I grant you, but enough of one to give a sense of how businesses are structuring their promotional strategies.
44% of respondents told us they planned to increase their promotional spend during this period, with greater investment being made in digital content, PR/corporate comms, and thought leadership.
Now we are at the end of that six-month period and edging closer towards 2022, will marketing priorities change in the next six months?
No, I do not believe so. In fact, I think there will be a ramping up of each of these.
Businesses are moving away from the ‘make us famous’ approach to PR because their customer base is looking, nay demanding, something that has more meaning.
Indeed, it is well-documented how customer purchasing decisions are increasingly being influenced by what a business says, does and values.
This is not the reserve of the pandemic; it is a non-reversible and non-negotiable part of their thinking when deliberating which product or service provider they plan to spend their money with.
Businesses of all sizes and across every sector of the economy are beginning to realise, if they have not already, that to win, build, and maintain customer trust and loyalty takes more than a series of well-planned publicity campaigns.
Customer purchasing decisions are increasingly being influenced by what a business says, does and values. This is not the reserve of the pandemic; it is a non-reversible and non-negotiable part of customer thinking.
It must involve communicating in a way that creates and adds value to the customer at every point of engagement.
I do not mean for this to sound like wishy washy bollocks. Rather, what I mean by this is instead of ‘telling’ current and prospects how great you are and why they should be your product or service provider of choice over someone else, do your ‘selling’ through ‘storytelling’.
To win, build, and maintain customer trust and loyalty takes more than a series of well-planned publicity campaigns.
Selling is about putting in place ways by which your target audience can figure out for themselves what sets you apart from your competition.
This is done by sharing experiences that directly recognising and addressing some of the pains points your audience is feeling and suggesting possible ways to help them overcome the challenges and obstacles to growth that they face. And by providing them with a sense of emotional attachment with you as a brand: think blogs and featured articles, podcasts and vlogcasts, media commentaries and infographics.
Remember, it isn’t about you. It is never about you. It is about their needs and wants, and how you can help them. Keep the attention focused on that and park your own ego to one side.
Whatever medium you choose to deliver your digital content, PR/corporate comms, and thought leadership strategy just be sure that the message you are communicating is relevant to the stakeholders you are addressing.
That sense of familiarity breeds confidence in you as a product or service provider and reduces the perceived element of risk if they were to switch from one of your competitors to you.
Thanks for reading.
Paul
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