Marketing is not only about identifying your customer, but understanding them: what they want, when they want it, how they want it and why. It’s surprising then, how many marketers don’t spend enough time trying to truly understand their customers and prospects – researching and identifying what makes them tick, what ticks them off, and what drives their buying decisions.
With the advent of inbound marketing, understanding what compels your customer is even more crucial. In order to bring prospects in, rather than going out to get their attention, marketers must be more on the mark than ever. Content has got to appeal to the senses and sensibilities of key audiences. So how, then, does one “pick the brain” of customers and prospects to increase marketing campaign efficiency? Here are our 4 top tips:
- Understand the Human Attention Span – did you know that at 8 seconds, a goldfish has a longer attention span than humans? It’s true – and it’s crucial to understand when creating content. If you only have eight seconds to not only make – but keep – an impression, you’ve got to be good. There’s no room for lengthy diatribes, useless statistics or cats. Okay, maybe cats.
- Capture the Subconscious Mind – Many decisions are made from a consumer’s subconscious mind. For example, a strong desire to own something the more rare it becomes (Scarcity) can create a sense of urgency through themes like “limited time!” and “Act Now!” messaging. Our conscious mind often chooses or does what we think is right, or what others will view as “good,” vs what we really want. Appealing to the subconscious mind means tapping into a consumers’ most inner self: the feelings they really have and the actions they truly want to take. This isn’t easy to uncover, but it can be identified by thinking carefully about the emotions and feelings your marketing will create. Attributes such as font design, non-verbal cues and images can stir emotions that drive a decision beyond what the conscious mind is absorbing. Even an understanding of the emotions that colors illicit can play into a marketer’s strategy here.
- Take Peer Pressure Into Consideration – The concept of Social Proof – the theory that people will adopt the beliefs or decisions of a group that they admire and trust – goes a long way in marketing effectiveness. The concept is focused on the social adaptability of humans and our desire to belong. We believe the busier a place is, the more popular it must be. We have to try it. We often follow the crowd even when we’re not sure why they are where they are. Social Proof can be a powerful tool in a marketer’s arsenal when they use influencers (bloggers, celebrities, media, etc.) to recommend or write favorably about a brand. Whether the buzz is coming from friends, colleagues, a crowd, or celebrities (who we know in the back of our minds really never use the product), the desire to belong is a strong one.
- FUD and Mystery! Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt can go a long way in getting people to take a certain action. It causes prospects to stop and think of the consequences of either doing something – or not doing something. Typically, the FUD factor is used to convince a prospect not to use a competitor’s product, but it can also apply to getting them to take action to buy yours. “Missing out” or the feeling of “if you don’t do this, this could happen” can still be very powerful. Just be careful that in this day and age of social media, your FUD factors can’t be completely disputed and dismissed.
So as we enter the spooky season of ghosts, goblins, and skeletons, remember that one thing that shouldn’t be scary is “picking the brain” of your target audience.
The post When It Comes To Marketing, “Picking The Brain” Is Not So Scary appeared first on Wilde Agency.
