I’ve always had an affinity for Steinbeck and his poignant lines riddled throughout classics like Of Mice and Men, East of Eden, Grapes of Wrath and too many to list in this entry. From the poetic rolling hills dotting Central California that he so often wrote about came boundless wisdom and a keen examination of humanity as I’ve not found in many writers. And while I could use many, many words to describe the affection and admiration for Steinbeck’s writings and sense of literary style, this is a blog about marketing…
There is a great myth in the American business narrative about what qualifies as good communication and competent marketing. During my time working with small business clients I hear people say over and over again that they just ‘need a facebook page’ or to set up a social media platform; and I’ll be the last person in the World to tell them their wrong (and if so I am surely out of a job). However, social media will do absolutely NOTHING for a businesses if they are unwilling to incorporate a little Steinbeck in their marketing plan.
The ultimate goal of marketing is to make a connection with audiences in a manner that ultimately leads to a purchase or conversion, and in this digital age of constant communication, brands are hoping to initiate a conversation between their customers. To get there, brands must be willing to respond to complaints, questions and comments by audiences in real time, and curate content that interests audiences beyond typical promotions or new product launches. One of the most interesting forms of this is through native advertising, where large brands attempt to weave their content into platforms that everyday users enjoy like Buzzfeed, Reddit and even the New York Times recently.
I believe that Audiences also want REAL identities, not the lobotomized, polite voices that our kindergarden teachers would smile and nod at. Consumers today, while faced with a plethora of options unparalleled in economic history, are also marked by strong brand loyalties that make marketers hunger for. And this doesn’t happen by accident. The brands with personalities win the hearts and wallets of consumers.
Chick Fil A is a sterling example of this. While they’re closed on Sundays (right when a chicken sandwich craving sets in it always seems), I am constantly drawn to them for their quirky billboards and consistently jovial employees that greet me at every location I’ve ever been to. The cow-themed protagonist of their advertising campaigns never fails to elicit a subtle chuckle whenever I pass them on the road. While Chick Fil A’s persuasive bovine might not appeal to everyone, it DOES make a lot of people enjoy eating fast food from a company that has a sense of humor. Nonetheless, they give you a sense of who they are, what they value and why they do what they do, an ever important aim in marketing. People want to buy from and follow companies they trust, respect and feel that they can relate to, and this can’t happen when you’re a sterilized version of yourself.
But anyway, back to listening. I think Steinbecks’ words hold great precedence in an era where communication professionals feel the tides of the terabytes of content and information pelting them every day as they try and connect with audiences whose attention wavers somewhere between cat videos and #BlackLivesMatter. Marketers can learn a lot from the individuals they are trying to communicate with, and that’s not always through surveys or case studies (although these are of tremendous help). Sometimes it means reading tweets by key influencers in your industry or complaints against a competitor that is doing something very similar to what you’re doing and can take note from. After all, people are most honest when they’re complaining or frustrated with a product or service.
Recognized for outstanding customer service, Squarespace is a company that gets this. They field thousands of requests from customers, assisting them with website issues, product concerns or recommendations for improvements. As a past Squarespace user, I would direct my questions to their Twitter profile, and they responded so quickly and personally that I never fretted about website issues because I knew I wouldn’t have to wait for 30 minutes to get through to a customer service rep. And because of thousands of these stories, they are able to tell audiences with confidence that they are a website builder that enables people to build beautiful websites with all the support that comes from building a website.
Learn who your customer is, and give them a reason to listen to you.
Introvert @ Marketing 