Image by: Pietro Montagna
By Michael Sterling
Today’s consumer is hard to please, and even harder to attract. With so many digital inventions popping up every month or so, the rules are consistently changing. We read books, we heed advice, yet customers always have something to complain about. But, thankfully there’s an answer for every problem in business. Here are a few things to think about moving forward:
#1) Be Socially Relatable, Not “Viral”
People want something to talk about, which means they appreciate clever viral ads but if it doesn’t contribute new information or start a dialogue, how will they be able to discuss it in the first place? Your product should have a conversation around it rather than just a poor attempt at making someone laugh for fifteen seconds.
Take a gander at Poo-Pourri’s marketing video. The company made a genius video with a hot lady talking in an obviously fake British accent discussing the problems we all have with going to the bathroom. It’s crude, yet clean and relatable.
When you give your customers a campaign with less thinking and more interacting, you’re giving them less time to overanalyze. This will ultimately make less wiggle room for those pesky complainers.
#2) No Value = Less Interest
If your product isn’t perceived as valuable, you’re blemishing your entire brand. This will eventually give people less leniency to be satisfied with everything else relating to your company. Keep in mind that, according to Lee Resource, for every customer complaint there are 26 other unhappy customers who remain silent.
To collect real value, you must deliver your promises. Period. When a customer clicks on your link, in a sense they’re coming to collect that promise. If you deliver, they’re much more likely to click on the next thing you post. Eventually these will create a positive psychological connection that’s hard to break.
Give something worth gaining, otherwise what’s the point of having it? No one wants something that’s little value.
#3) Millenials Are Smarter Than You Think
If there’s one thing people hate it’s for their intelligence to be insulted. Millenials especially are sick and tired of hearing about how unsocial they are or uninterested they are in today’s events. In fact because of their obsession with today’s gadgets and search engines, they’re a lot smarter than baby boomers were at their age.
According to oracle.com, Millenials are expected to have $2.45 trillion of annual spending power by 2015. That’s a lot of dough, so it’s time to start rethinking your strategy towards them.
You can bet your bottom dollar that Millenials will research your product before purchasing. Not just that, but they’ll also ask their friends on social media and even search reviews online. Special offers and overpriced products aren’t going to work well. They’re probably not the most cynical of them all, but it’s hard to trick them. Keep that in mind the next time you try sugarcoat your marketing strategy.
#4) Make The Purchasing Experience Easy
Once you have a customer ready to purchase, if the experience shows to be more difficult than it is, chances are they’ll give up at the drop of a hat. Most customers today prefer purchasing online so if it’s not easily purchasable online, you might risk losing a loyal consumer.
Things like billing information when filling out the purchase order might turn a lot of people off since it wastes valid time. Utilizing services like Paypal or credit card memorization will always grab the attention of your impatient customers. The simple act of reaching in their pocket to whip out their credit might waste valuable time, and who are you to take that from them?
#5) Get To The Point & Sell Your Product
If you’re spending all your money on tugging at people’s heart strings by making an emotional video that, seemingly, has nothing to do with your product, sure you might get a lot of views or traffic, but they probably won’t buy your product.
Show your consumers what your product can do underneath the storytelling of your marketing campaign. Show its features, its benefits, the unarguable need for them to have this product with them at work, at home, or on the go. Stop wasting time trying to get their attention and sell your product!
When an ad pops up, trust me, people know what you’re trying to do. They’re okay with it – it’s all about selling and most people find out about their new products through online ads. So why try to sugarcoat it? Get to the point.