Your customers are hip to the advertising world. They react to being talked to, not talked at. Getting personal, by understanding the wants and needs of your member base, will help you build loyalty that lasts. Changing your marketing paradigm does not mean a huge overhaul of your strategies. It’s more like incorporating a slight adjustment to your workout that will produce greater results.
According to MarketingProfs, personalization is the key to success, leading to an average increase of 19% in sales. By placing people in the center of your marketing efforts, you can utilize data and technology to help make your brand feel personal and purposeful. Each time you connect with customers, they have the power — to listen, engage and share with friends, or to ignore, unfollow or unsubscribe. It’s up to marketers to make these interactions matter.
For example, you may have many members who are young millennials, which you will be able to identify with a thorough analysis of your data. Young millennials buy, shop and act differently than other groups. The way you connect with this millennial subset will be different than the way you’d connect with other members — like those who have a dual income and a family. Additionally, your own members may have nuances that are even more specific to them. Once you know you have this particular audience, you can begin tailoring messages to them, when they are receptive to hearing it.
You can employ different channels and different times with the same consistent message. Don’t wait for customers to come to you. Go to where they are spending their time — on the radio, in the car, on social media with their phone, while they are working out at your club, and at their desktops, while they are reading news or watching videos.
In addition, when they are opening their mail. You can connect with them by being in the places they are and speaking to them about the things that matter most.
It’s time to eliminate customer experiences that are irrelevant, confusing or unwanted, and build connections that drive real business outcomes. By optimizing every interaction, every time, you’ll keep the members you have and attract new, loyal members you want.
Cheryl Barnett is the vice president of client services at Epsilon. She can be reached at 858.900.3628 or cheryl.barnett@epsilon.com.
