IDENTITY and VOICE
Communicating the Right Brand
The "Customer"
In our review we have uncovered our client's persona. We know that they are not confined to one demographic model. They all use our product or service - but probably for different reasons. They will have different "motives" and therefore need different messages and incentives to buy. Let's illustrate this with an example.
Unfamiliar with scrapbooking? Join the club. However, we can realize that scrapbookers have niches. There will be artists and craftspeople; social driven scrapbookers; beginners and experienced. There will also be people that enjoy teaching the skillsets and others that are trying to make money at scrapbooking. You can see that you are best served by developing different voices for each "persona".
While we need a general voice and identity, it is easy to see how creating a few different messages specifically tailored to the client persona improves reception. Remember that prospects want to hear about "them" and not "us".
Review your marketing plan for "client-centric" appeal. Is it about your company or your customer?
Your "Plan"
Let's recap your steps thus far. You will have:
- Identified your general and specific goals
- Reviewed your past techniques that work and don't work
- Identified client personas
You now want to establish the correct voice for your client personas and have metrics in place to confirm accuracy of your methods.
Your "voice" will include using specific messages and specific media to target your customers. You can use general messaging to supplement your marketing as well. The effective voice will target a specific demographic or "persona". The media you choose will be important for cost effectiveness and results. We are looking for the Return on Investment (ROI). Your media choice will target a particular persona - rather than wasting resources on media that your target is not attuned to.
Once attuned to your clients differing needs use this information to educate - and not sell. Become their preferred resource for answers and solutions. As a trusted resource, you will become their provider of products and services. If not a customer, your helpfulness will encourage them to offer referrals - and at least consider your company in the future.
Your company as trusted resource will open up another very important tool in your marketing arsenal. You will have a responsive ear for requesting feedback. Feedback is essential to both creating a successful voice and accurately measuring results.
Does Your Plan Have Ears?
A good marketing plan is attuned for feedback. Improving sales numbers are not the only barameter -although satisfying. Set up a system that monitors old and new clients, along with feeedback from non-customers. Don't dismiss criticisms quickly. They are uncomfortable, but important.
Setting Up Ears
Feedback and metric tools
Surveys
Use surveys and questionaires with existing clients to uncover effective voices and preferred media receptiveness. Keep them focused and simple to minimize intrusiveness and improve response. Consider offering a reward for participation. Use a media that is sympathetic to the core target. If you don't know of the preferred media - that's a question for your questionaire. You will also create questionaires for past customers and prospective customers that fit within the target personas.
Voluntary feedback
Another media format will be web based social media. Are you using a blog? Do you have easy access to your "comments" sections on your web site? Do you and/or your staff monitor social sites for mention of your company? The answer needs to be yes. Or it should be included in your new plan. And don't forget to monitor your competitors and others in your industry or with similar demographic targets. Read more about Social media and blogs.
Sales Team Feedback
Your sales team may not be the perfect resource for tracking lead generation. We've seen prospects identify a non-existent media source as having triggered their response. And the salesman will echo that reference. Your sales team may also have "preferred" sources when recording the lead generation source - when they have forgotten to ask the question - How did you hear about us? Find a way to get objective statistics.
Encoding
Have a means for accuratly identifying referral sources. When you produce advertising - regardless of format - include some type of identifier to record results. Your special offer coupons should have unique numbers based on source. Include a special code word or price in your media to identify the correct source of the lead. Do not depend on the prospect or your sales staff to accurately recall the media source.
If you need help with any portion of your marketing plan, please contact us directly or use our contact form above.
