We struggle with communicating value back to the business: Do we show a solid return for every dollar spent? And newer trends—like social media and content marketing—add further layers of complexity to an already difficult topic.
As the first step to success, a brand has to win the confidence of the customer. While constantly chanting customer centricity, marketers usually produce product-centric campaigns. In today’s world of "everything social," savvy customers don’t appreciate being bombarded by product attributes—and they will make it known.
That's why I believe that the 4Ps need to be reworked. My philosophy for successfully marketing a winning brand is based on four key beliefs: Create, Concentrate, Compel, Communicate.
Create Content And Interactions That Center On Your Customer
Your brand’s content has to provide customers with definition around their problems. So dial down the sales pitch and tell a compelling story.
Make sure your story characterizes what your customer is searching for. Deliver insight into the future that affects them: Look at market trends, behavioral patterns and data, and be ready to answer their questions.
To ensure that you don’t lose focus, take a step back and ask: How is this story useful to my customers? Am I helping them recognize how to take their business one step ahead?
Research by The Content Marketing Association states that 82% of consumers like reading content from brands—when it’s relevant. Your content is your offering: When it resonates with them, it results in a measurable increase in awareness for your brand and consequently moves the audience to the top of the marketing funnel.
Concentrate On The Most Valid And Insightful Points
Listen to buzz of the market, internalize what you hear and focus on your customers. You need clever insight.
Translate what the information from the market means to them. In a B2B context, tell them what it means to their business: For example, indicate the implications of adopting a new strategy. The resulting story will be knowledge of real value. Be true to their best interests—so much so that your brand is the beacon, not just a logo representing a product.
Ask: Does this content provide insight, and not just information? Does it help customers understand why it should make a difference to them?
With one billion pieces of content being shared every day on Facebook alone, your content will only stand out if the customer perceives its value to be very high. If it meets those expectations, then you’ll see them return time and again, nimbly progressing along the buying journey.
Communicate To Create Conversation (Not Just To Be Heard)
The saying “It takes two to communicate” has renewed meaning today: communication is meant to create conversations, not just to be a monologue. You can only effectively create engagement if your goal is to have a dialogue.
You will be successful at creating conversations if you go to every place your customer is and understand how they spend their time there. Make sure you’re in an environment they trust: It helps convince them of your authenticity. Reuse your content many times, but always evaluate.
Ask: Is this where my customers are looking for advice on how to accelerate their business? Is this style of communication the best possible for this medium?
Where you meet your audience and how you tell that story is key to your marketing strategy. For example, this article is in a trusted environment that convinces readers of its quality. Given that 58% of consumers trust editorial content (Nielsen), our brand benefits by its association with Forbes. It can speak as a technology leader even if unknown to you.
Compel Your Audience To Act, Participate And Share
Start by illuminating what the future holds, and focus on what the customer needs to learn. Educate, don’t be self-serving. Their need for your product will then be driven by their enthusiasm for innovation.
If you support them from the very beginning of their learning curve, then their faith in you will be implicit, just like a student’s is in a teacher. You will see results because they will engage in interactions, share your content, and start telling your story for you.
Ask: Is your story so strong that customers will want to be the advocate for it?
60% of consumers are more likely to be on the lookout for products when looking at content and 43% have agreed that it has a positive effect on their purchase decisions (CMA). Speaking with authority for your domain and being a thought leader in it will, down the line, convert the need for a solution into a want for your product. Marketing automation makes it possible to know how many of those content consumers convert into customers.
The Bottom Line
By being with the customer every step of the way—walking in their shoes—brands can provide a great overall experience and pave a natural path towards their solutions. If the customer’s experience is unique and memorable at every single touch point, then the brand is well on its way to building a loyal and enduring relationship.
At NetApp, we strive to follow this philosophy. This blog has itself touched more than 3 million readers in its attempt to equip them for a tougher tomorrow. Arm in arm with our partner Forbes, we thank BtoB Magazine for recognizing our efforts.
Let's have a dialogue! Weigh in with a comment below...
By Annalisa Camarillo (@lisaanna73)
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