Marketers : Consumers Don ’ t Trust Your Ads !”, “ It ’ s Time to Move from Campaigns to Customer Context Marketing ” and “ CEOs Don ’ t Trust Marketing – What ’ s next ?” are just but a few headlines from several online articles that pop up , in the contextual search for the weight laid on the trust spectrum placed on marketing activities over time .
There ’ s an indication as well , that trust wanes even further with regards to digital media , no matter how finely tuned or intricately crafted the ads may be . What then do customers want and what sort of marketing appeals to the “ marketorate ”?
Founder and former CEO of Syms Corporation Sy Syms , during his tenure of excellence so aptly put it that “ An educated customer is our best customer ”. This indeed is the magic key that unlocks the architecture around which marketing needs to be built – around Customer Education .
Proactive customer education as a marketing tool provides a solid and credible way to capture the hearts and minds of potential and existing customers . Man ’ s greatest need is the need to feel appreciated , and customer education is an indicator of a preemptive approach by brands , to go beyond the superficial ; that need to push ‘ sales ’ or numbers , and to provide something substantial for the customer benefit .
Customer empowerment in turn empowers the very organizations whose products and services they partake of . Customer education therefore needs to take on the format of having the customers to whom the information or marketing blitz is directed , be more knowledgeable as a result of the interaction . The customer ’ s reaction needs to be one of thoughtful acknowledgement . When creatives and the marketing team are therefore crafting campaigns , there needs to be the proverbial ‘ empty customer seat ’ in the room , representing the voice of the customer and literally sitting there to emulate walking in the customer ’ s shoes .
In addition to answering the usual ‘ will the customer be so taken by this messaging and buy the product ?’ a further question needs to take precedent ; and an answer needs to be provided to address
‘‘ Customer engagement with brands runs on trust . To create communication that inspires customer trust , and that doesn ’ t have the target audience chalk it down to ‘ those marketing gimmicks once again ’ the customer needs to feel that the information is responding to a need that they have , and has been put out to have them gain from it , at whichever base level they respond to it .’’ the customer education angle by answering - “ will the customer be educated , informed or inspired by this message , enough to elicit more curiosity about the brand and be more endeared to it ?”
Customer engagement with brands runs on trust . To create communication that inspires customer trust , and that doesn ’ t have the target audience chalk it down to ‘ those marketing gimmicks once again ’ the customer needs to feel that the information is responding to a need that they have , and has been put out to have them gain from it , at whichever base level they respond to it .
In the customer ’ mind , there ’ s a big difference between marketing to them and educating them . And the more the customer macro environment changes - with the political , environmental , social , technological , economic and legal factors ( PESTEL analysis 2009 ) all loudly claiming attention – the more customers become perceptive and discerning enough to appreciate the difference .
Marketing as the driver for business development upon which demand creation is hinged , is charged with the responsibility of bringing customer feet and hands through the door and at the till . Much effort is therefore placed on vivid descriptions of what the products and services ‘ bring to the table ’ rather than how the product or service will resolve a current or potential pain point .
The golden rule about “ Knowing Your Customer ” in order to effectively serve them and exceed their expectations , not only applies in the customer experience arena , but forms an intimate part of the marketing blueprint in the cause and course to craft sticky messages that enthrall customers , and spur them into action directly and
52 MAL 15 / 16 ISSUE