Today, business success depends on how well you grow your fan base: the loyal customers who care about your organization and who talk you up to others. Fans should be treated like individuals and made to feel special in many ways.
Marketing today generally is not fan-centric. People are viewed as members of "the herd" with little recognition of their uniqueness in programs that marketers develop.
Here are five actions for marketers to take to make their organization fan friendly:
Mass markets don't exist. No two people are alike, except in what I would call the lowest common denominator (LCD) demographic and psychographic sense.
Marketing programs based on LCD factors don't yield high economic returns; they are hit and miss. They hit some people who exhibit the common attributes of the masses, but they miss many more that choose to buy for different personal reasons.
Marketers need to focus on what makes people different from one another to attract their attention and entice them to buy.
Floggers push stuff at people as opposed to providing them with the unique value they seek. Floggers are supply-side obsessed; not driven by an understanding of what motivates individuals to buy.
No one appreciates getting products shoved down their throat with little regard for their personal space. Intrusive advertising with nothing but price to talk about insults people who are looking for much more. If you want to push anything, push value.
Experiences, not material goods, produce long-term happiness. The effect of a vacation with family is long lasting; the delight with a new car or flat-screen TV fades in short order.
Happiness breeds purchase decisions. The implication for marketers is significant: invest in producing mind-blowing experiences for your fans. Be more concerned with how your marketing offer makes them feel rather than promoting the cool things the technology does. Design personal value packages that speak to what the individual wants, desires, covets and dreams about.
Marketers believe that growth comes largely from acquiring new customers and huge investments are made in trying to convince people to change suppliers.
"Leave your present company and come over to us and we will give you a 46" LED TV" propositions are commonplace.
These programs have two serious downfalls. First, someone who moves to a company for a free TV will definitely go elsewhere for a better offer. Second, the loyal existing fan who doesn't qualify for the free TV will be furious and start looking for another supplier.
If you want to give away something, give it to your fans. Invest in them and they will return the favour many times over.
The disproportionate few customers that account for a generous portion of your sales deserve to be engaged regularly.
This is not formal market research; it's an informal conversation where you look for opportunities to serve them better and to create more value for them.
Engage = actively listen + take notes + ask questions + listen + take more notes.
Marketers should have fan engagement on their calendars as their #1 commitment and let other tasks take a back seat.
Same-old marketing doesn't cut it in a "me" world where people are looking for personal gratification. Successful marketers find ways to grab a fan and hold on tight!
