1.) Nobody Talks on the Phone Anymore
For the past 5 years the purpose of a phone has shifted. It’s now used for texting, driving-directions, menu-lookups, and social networking more than it is for traditional conversations.
SMS usage is bigger than ever. Pay attention to this shift as consumers manage their text message inboxes more intimately. The need to personalize content and ensure time-appropriateness will only grow.
2.) Consumers Only Deal with Brands they Believe In and Trust
Companies of all sizes and industries are getting the hint. Some are setting themselves apart as leaders in social responsibility and championing a cause.
Many of these companies have brought in specialists to drive innovation in ethical decisions, cause-based marketing, and charitable donations in order to deepen connections with social conscious consumers. Trader Joes, Ethos Water, Newman’s Own, Stonyfield, Patagonia, and Herman Miller are just a few examples.
In order to continue to effectively communicate with your consumers, why not reassure them that they are making a good purchase not only for themselves but also for betterment of the world. Our client Toms Shoes has done a great job so far giving over 600,000 pairs of shoes to those in need.
3.) High Prices At The Pump Mean Readjusting the Game Plan
With gas prices predicted to surpass $4.00 a gallon this summer, things will only get worse.
The way around this is to send your digital communications in sync with normal commuting times to take advantage of consumers who are already on the go.
Every Friday Homemade Pizza Kitchen sends me an email just before 5 PM and it’s the most perfectly timed marketing message I receive. Similarly, Culver’s sends their “Happy Birthday” email coupons to consumers at 6 AM on their Birthday giving them the entire day to think about taking advantage of it.
Offers should also be strong enough to drive people to a restaurant. A supersize-your-soda coupon may not do the trick, but buy-one-get-one offers may make the difference. When customers have a diminished sense of purchasing power it’s important to give a little more to show you truly appreciate your customers and make them feel good.
4.) “Mobile Campaigns” Alone Are Not Enough
According to Bill Tancer, the GM of Global Research at Experian, “leading brands are no longer seeking SMS for campaigns—they are seeking ways to build mobile communities, create loyalty programs and facilitate geo-specific shopping alerts.”
This makes plenty of sense. A campaign should be treated as only a method to grow your database of opted-in customers and one of the many tools to help accomplish your business goals. More and more businesses are approaching Signal because they want to integrate their loyalty program with mobile engagement, or grow a product fan base.
Because Signal was built with a holistic vision to “grow, learn, and communicate effectively” with consumers, our customers can focus on building mobile communities through empathetic marketing.
As Tancer said “successful marketers in this space will consider SMS as a holistic means to an end, incorporating an overall strategy that includes location specific offers and social media integration.”
He couldn’t have put it better.
5.) Targeting Is Mandatory
According to a study by Forrester Research nearly $144 million will be wasted on emails that get lost in inbox clutter due to a lack of relevancy by 2014.
Email marketing fails when companies ignore the expectations of their customers and take advantage of the cheap medium by sending too many untargeted messages.
While it’s unclear what the tipping point is, there certainly is a threshold that if you send too many irrelevant marketing messages will result in an opt-out. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been sent a deal for a laser facial treatment from a daily deal site.
If you pay attention to customer feedback, and segment your messages, you can start winning at email today. Offer up a quick survey asking your customers what types of products they are interested in, their sex, age and anything else relevant to your business’ success. The next time you send a message ensure it’s going to a segment group that’s appropriate and watch the improvement.
