Marketing to empowered customers
It’s no secret that the way we do business will change over time. In fact, if you’re not changing, you’re likely doing something wrong. However, a shift that has had significant impact on marketing and sales strategies is change in the customers you reach out to. There has been a shift from passive customers who rely heavily on sales people to provide information to empowered customers who are well-connected, seek instant gratification, and enjoy a wide variety of options.
There are a number of factors that have contributed to this customer revolution:
Mobile: Your customers don’t just have information at their fingertips anymore, they hold it in the palm of their hand, their back pocket, their bag. And they have it with them 24/7. Mobile has changed the way people shop because they aren’t confined to brick and mortar as a linear purchasing experience. They see what they want and then they can, in real time, search for a great deal elsewhere with their smart phone.
Social media: Whether good or bad, social media gives customers a platform to talk about your brand. What they say can either drive sales or drive a business to the ground if not handled in the right way. The other danger is that there is so much going on on social media platforms that if you aren’t in the right place to connect with your audience, you run the risk of getting left out of the conversation entirely.
DIY/Maker culture: Technology has allowed this culture to go mainstream. It speaks to the ability to have any information you need at your fingertips. Your customers aren’t limited to the knowledge they currently have, they can seek out new things regularly. It also fosters a more collaborative approach to knowledge building.
Online communities: This term is quite broad, and could be looked at as social, however, we are looking specifically at communities that are gathered for influencers. They share information, opinions, and take to heart other community member reviews of products and services because they are like-minded. Again, another collaborative approach to customer empowerment.
The power has shifted from the seller to the buyer. If this shift has happened, are you really in control of your marketing and communications strategy? Here are five ways you can market effectively to your empowered customers.
Build trust. Trust is more important than ever with this shift. It is all about building relationships with your customers so that they will look at you as being part of their community. You can build trust by ensuring your brand foundation is in order and by providing a consistent experience for all customers.
Provide resources. If your empowered customers are going to check multiple resources anyhow, why not provide a higher level of transparency to show that you care about their desire for choice. It also shows you are knowledgeable in your industry if you know your direct competitors. You may not be the lowest price, but that isn’t always the purchase decision driver. You have to show quality of product and quality of experience.
Develop a multi-channel strategy. It’s not enough to just have a storefront, or just have a website or social media. If your customers are gathering information from multiple sources and channels, then you should integrate your strategy accordingly. Creating an integrated strategy using multiple channels (ie. Website, experiential events, influencer campaign, social media, etc.) will give your customers the chance to see you in multiple places and mimics their purchase behaviour. Also, it just provides convenience.
Create a loyalty program. Empowered customers want to feel appreciated and valued. If you can master this, service and quality often win out over price.
Incorporate location/product-based contesting. You can take back a little control over where and how by creating opportunities that are appealing to your customers. It also gives them a chance to interact with your brand in a unique way as well as, in some cases, try out what you are offering.
They may be the ones driving the buying process, rather than being sold on things, but you can counteract any negative side effects of the customer shift by appealing to their changing needs. If you properly tap into your empowered customers, it can help to propel your brand to higher exposure and new opportunities you may not have considered in the past.