Your Customers are Changing, Are You?
There have been so many changes in the marketplace these days that require all business owners to rethink the strategies
they have been using in days gone past. With new technologies, new focuses, new marketing and busy lives…. How we communicate and what we communicate becomes increasingly more important this coming year.
First, today’s consumers have changed… they are busy, they are educated and they have access to information at the click of a button on their smart phones. This changes how we must talk to our customers, what we offer them and how we respond to their request. When our customer’s behaviors change, we have to adjust our business model to accommodate the new demands of the new customer.
Second, today’s customers are overwhelmed with information. I call it information overload… Marketing messages are coming at them from every angle billboards, direct mail, email, telemarketing, newsletters, advertisements and email. This changes how we craft our messages and the tactics we select.
Third, today’s customers are shopper savvy… and their loyalties are spread thin across many providers vs. a single source. Now armed with smart phones, today’s customers can click a button and find comparative data that creates a competitive environment. Here are some easy tips that you can incorporate into your business now.
- Offer short and concise messages in your marketing. Don’t make your customers work too hard to understand what you are offering; what value it brings to them and what you want them to do next.
- Add new marketing tactics to your portfolio that intrigues your customer and engages them. A combination of interaction digitally and traditionally.
- Combine the two forms of media (digital and traditional) to create a customer experience.
- Personalize your marketing to your customer over and above adding their name. Know their buying behavior, know their preferences and include a personalized message in your marketing. This will help your message be heard over a bunch of noise.
- Add real value to what you are offering and know your competitors. If customers can easily compare pricing and offers, make sure you have policies in place to match competitors pricing
The landscape is changing and to bring more clients to your doors, you have to be aware of all of these trends and adjusting your strategies accordingly to remain competitive.
