Negosentro.com | Making Marketing Personal and Digital at the Same Time | The average person sees thousands of advertisements each day, both online and offline. As a result, most people have learned how to tune them out. Think about it, when was the last time you paid attention to a billboard or even a commercial? Everyone uses the “Skip Ad” button on YouTube, and no one wants to feel like they’re being forced to learn more about a product or service.
And yet, marketing is still more important than ever. Because there are so many advertisements out there, it’s imperative for businesses to break through the noise and allow their genuine voice to be heard, especially when it comes to social media platforms.
That’s what consumers want. They don’t want generalized advertisements and marketing campaigns and they certainly don’t want to interact with companies that feel out of touch or tone-deaf to the current societal climate (2019’s Peloton commercial, anyone?).
So, what can you do to make sure your brand is speaking to the right audience, listening to their response, and forming lasting loyal relationships with your customers? How can you take your social media efforts (and beyond) to a more personal level?
Building Your Brand
One of the best things you can do before you develop or tweak your marketing strategy is to focus as much attention as possible on your brand. If your business doesn’t have a brand strategy, you’re missing out. Your brand identity should include things like:
- A logo
- Color scheme
- Typography
- History of the company
- A consistent message
- Personality
- Key values
Your brand not only creates a first impression, but it unapologetically tells people who you are from the very start. Companies that drift back and forth come across as not having a real identity. That’s more of a turn-off than you might think.
If you stand firm in what your brand represents, an interested audience is more likely to come to you. A personal brand for your business builds credibility, creates connections, and opens opportunities. Knowing who you are will help you to make more conversational and personal choices with your business as you move forward and try to connect with your audience. So, make sure you remain consistent on all of your social media platforms and don’t be afraid to share what your business truly represents.
Reading the Room
In order to make marketing personal, you have to have an understanding of who your audience is. Target marketing has always been important. But, going beyond that to “conversational marketing” is even more essential for 2020. What does that mean, exactly?
Conversational marketing is, in essence, a bit more laid back. Think about having a personal conversation with all of your customers and followers. While that may not be possible, your marketing efforts should feel that way. It’s about common sense listening. It’s about understanding what your customers really want and responding to their feedback.
Social media is a great way to do that because you can directly respond to people, and hold those conversations that are so desperately needed. Need a few examples?
- Initiating a conversation on Facebook by posting a question
- Responding on all platforms to as many questions as possible
- Responding publicly if someone has a complaint that can be easily fixed
- Holding Livestream videos where you can directly answer questions
- Posting behind-the-scenes videos of your daily work life
Carefully select the tone and words you use within your conversational marketing. It’s important to be intuitive when “reading the room” and understanding how your customers might respond. But, by understanding the things that are important to them, you can connect with your audience more easily and turn potential followers into lifelong loyal fans.
If you’re not sure how to fully identify who your audience is or what they’re looking for, ask them. Surveys are a great way to get more information. Or, run a case study to identify problems, how they can be solved, and what the resolution might be. There’s no shame in seeking out information, and your audience will actually appreciate it.
Make Personalization Consistent
There are, of course, other forms of marketing besides social media. While you might think more traditional advertising techniques can’t be as personal, that just isn’t true. Granted, you’re not going to be able to put up a billboard that forms a relationship with your target audience, but there are still ways to stay connected. This might include tactics like using email marketing for those who opt-in — which is an important stipulation, as unsolicited emails to potential customers could be what actually drives them away. But, if you do things the right way with people who are already interested in your brand, what’s more personal than an email? It’s like a little package your audience can open. Just make sure you’re personalizing your email content and not tossing a generic ad their way. Email marketing can be used to:
- Communicate relevant information
- Offer coupons/discount codes
- Invite subscribers to an event
You don’t want to come across as spam to anyone, either, and most people receive emails from at least several businesses a day. So, use your creative branding skills to make your message seem more personal, and you’ll reduce your risk of ending up in the digital trash can.
Growing your offline marketing is also important in fighting digital fatigue, and you have to be willing to get creative to make it personal. One way to do that is with event marketing. It’s a great way to physically connect with people, promote your business, and learn more about your target audience all at once. Whether you choose to sponsor an event, host one, or have a booth set up at an existing event, it will allow you to actually talk with potential customers and allow them to see that there are faces behind your business.
With so much noise in the digital marketing world, it can be hard to stand out. But, one of the best ways to do it is to focus less on your advertising message, and more on connecting with your audience. By making your business more human-like and forming trusting relationships with customers, you’ll continue to grow and find success.
