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When I started working as a people and places marketer, I learned as much as I could about my clients and created materials that would present them in the best way possible. In other words, we relayed how educated and experienced that person was, and we said it loud and clear. How successful the business was financially and how it dominated market share.
But now the very floor I built my career and business on has been renovated. Nowadays, the public is less interested in hearing about what makes a company better than its competitors. Their ears and eyes are becoming more attuned to what companies can do to make their lives better.
In other words, instead of a professional culture of “me, me, me,” we are now in a culture of “you, you, you.” Instead of saying, “Look how great our internal operations are,” the corporate voice is telling the buying public, “We know you. We understand your needs. You are important to us. You are important to us.” This has led to some interesting developments in the way we operate our business.
Related: The secret behind the most successful PR campaigns
The era of customer-centric markets
Customer-centricity is a perspective that focuses on creating a positive experience for consumers through all stages of the consumer interaction. It’s a mindset, but it’s also a business strategy that informs organizational decision-making by deeply understanding customer needs and designing deliverables that meet those needs.
Although this model is not particularly new, the way it is implemented in the market is very modern and popular, permeating everything that businesses do. In your advertising, offer solutions to market problems rather than toot your own horn. Your website copy engages your customers where they are, rather than touting your strengths. In your sales materials, talk about the audience, not the presenter.
Placing the customer at the center of all types of business transactions has become SOP for the purpose of enhancing brand reputation and, of course, revenue potential, and as the Deloitte white paper states, “Customer-centric companies are of companies are 60% more profitable than other companies.” Companies don’t focus on customers. ”
Related: 4 Reasons Why Your PR Campaigns Don’t Lead to Sales — and How to Fix It
Example of customer-oriented PR
Here are some ways my own business is embracing and taking advantage of this new normal.
Example 1: restaurant. Traditionally, restaurants have always promoted themselves by sharing their menus, posting photos of their ambience, and sending out invitations to special events. With everything now so easily found online, the client pivoted to providing a more immersive culinary experience for would-be diners. That means bringing food to diners rather than the other way around. For example, the award-winning restaurant chef is actively promoted on TV and in podcast segments, where he openly shares his “family secret recipes” with his audience. The sleek new food truck can accommodate events on the customer’s premises, and private parties are also offered at the customer’s chosen location.
We also created punch cards for them. We have a rewards program that says, “Visit five times and receive a free appetizer or dessert on your next visit.” People like to be recognized for their repeat patronage and appreciated for their loyalty.
Example #2: Cosmetics company. Instead of allocating this year’s marketing budget primarily to photoshoots that spotlight product lines in magazines and digital ads, this client embraced the idea of spotlighting one face at a time. Her latest PR campaign begins with an email invitation to take an online girlfriend survey to win a free makeover. The survey is highly individualized and covers things like your skin type, skin tone, daily facial routine, and preferred color palette. Based on the answers, an appointment is set up at a local salon that the company works with, where the customer receives a free consultation.
No unsympathetic supermodels, no expensive glossy brochures, no product pushers promising unattainable results. The crux here is to truly personalize the customer experience, which is important to today’s savvy, time-pressed consumers.
Example #3: Pet store. Every pet owner needs to buy food and supplies on a regular basis, right? So they either frequent your store or they don’t – usually due to location and price considerations. It is based on. But what if you offered them more than just the products they bought? What if you offered them a “veterinarian for a day” event scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.? , but the visitor did not pay. Each took up to 10 minutes to ask a veterinarian questions, check on their pet, and seek advice on any concerns they had about the animal.
The goodwill this event generated cannot be overstated. Yes, sales increased and you gained a whole new repeat customer, but the important thing to note is that there is no direct sales pitch here. Rather, the essence of the campaign was to identify customer pain points and provide a means to alleviate them.
Related: How to respond to customer concerns
Guidelines for customer-centric campaigns
What do all these projects have in common?
- It all started with in-depth market research focused on knowing each company’s customer base. You can’t simply assume you know what your customers value. You need to conduct research, collect first-hand opinions, research and really listen to the market on social platforms, and then monitor the results of your efforts.
- They put people before profits. Impactful, customer-centric campaigns don’t show off your superiority or excellence, they show your customers that you genuinely care. We are allowed to be the best and are encouraged to excel, but in today’s climate, forming meaningful and lasting bonds is valued more highly than purely transactional relationships. Masu.
- The goal was to improve the customer experience at every touchpoint. The more you make each interaction customer-centered, whether it’s a visit to your website, an offer of a free download, or an unexpectedly pleasant surprise when you come to work, the more you stand out in the customer’s memory. , will move people’s hearts. their consumption habits.
lastly
I always have the time and space to communicate my clients’ tremendous credentials, accomplishments, and impact. People always want to feel safe entrusting their work to a reliable facility.
Nevertheless, it is undeniable that today’s standard practice is focused on impressing customers rather than trying to impress them. i will try. Design a customer-centric campaign (or hire a professional) and see where it takes you. I’m sure you’ll be able to travel further than ever before!
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