All marketers know that disengaged audiences are all too common. They have a lot hitting their inboxes, both physical and electronic, and the brands that fail to capture their immediate attention can fall out of their orbit. But don’t despair, these potential clients aren’t a lost cause! It’s a matter of getting back on their radars with messaging that resonates with them. This article will guide you through best practices on how to re-engage with your audience and get them excited about your latest products/offerings/news.
Living in a world with instant unprecedented access to information has made it possible for consumers to take control over when, where and what types of information they pay attention to. From a marketing perspective, this is a both a “best of times and worst of times,” scenario for products, services and messaging. One wrong image, poorly worded tweet, faulty product review, bad in-store service et al. and your business can see profits drop precipitously maybe even boycotted.
Recent stories of marketing gone wrong highlight the dangers of not being on point with your target audience as well as your existing customers. Popular products and brands have faced severe backlash in the media when an ad or poorly worded promotion turns into a flash protest on the internet. On the flip side, all it takes is one clever campaign and your product or service is the new sensation that everyone is talking about offline and online. Here are some key tactics to keep your brand top of mind in a positive way:
Treat each potential customer as if they the only customer in the world that matters. Ask questions, offer a special invite-only survey with a freemium or discount for participation – just make sure everyone that responds receives something. Stay away from canned or overused language such as “limited” or “while supplies last.” Consumers are savvy and may see this as an insincere tactic to grab their attention.
This means having processes in place to ensure regular data hygiene, tracking promotions, tracking data sources, time stamps, tracking RFM, response channels, and product data. Doing this will help you have a clear idea of what your customer base is responding to or not. For those who want to go the extra mile, setting up a social listening program to understand what folks are saying about your product/service is a good idea. Once you know what your customers are interested in, you can tailor your campaigns using this information.
By now you have been tracking your efforts and have your strategy. With the advent of technology, most customers will expect you to be able to customize your offering to their likes, wants and needs. Having a filled in profile of your customers will allow you to keep up with trends that are personal to the individual customer. Your marketing strategy should be nimble and adaptive. Keep it fresh and relevant to your audience.
Don’t alienate your audience by using an insensitive image or copy. The marketing of products and services are not debate clubs for hot topics. It is best to steer clear of messaging that can bring about an all-out public opinion assault on your company. Try your best to stay neutral and remember there will always be complaints. The key is to keep them at 1% or less of your target audience.
If someone opts out, try to capture why by offering reason codes for opting out so that you can stop any potential further loses for the same reason. It’s ok to think about trying to reactivate the opt-out, however, if you receive push back or are ignored, it’s best to cease contact immediately.
Staying true to your brand while engaging customers is a balancing act that requires being patient, adaptive and perseverant. For more information on how Data Axle can help you re-engage your target audience, contact us.
Heather is the Director of Product Management for the Marketing Genetics database. In this role, Heather leads product management, marketing, go-to-market strategy, account management, and service delivery for Marketing Genetics. Heather has over 15 years of experience in direct marketing service organizations and is passionate about growing businesses as well as services to their fullest potential.