Demand Data Builds Consumer Trust, Loyalty and Advocacy
Proper brand development and implementation secures buyer loyalty and promotes brand advocacy. Let’s examine some specific examples of how to properly develop a company brand in relation to strengthening consumer trust, loyalty and advocacy…
Use truthful advertising
The advertising industry has often been criticized for making inaccurate or exaggerated product claims. Because this is the age of the empowered consumer, and information can be accessed instantaneously, honesty and brand authenticity are utterly essential. For today’s buyer, authenticity is the equivalent of truth. What with our present economic situation, topped with widespread skepticism in the wake of political misconducts and corporate corruption, the general public is exhibiting intolerance for fraudulence and deceit. If a product or service is imperfect or has a potential drawback, it is much more appropriate and beneficial to use skillful tact to share this with the public. Instead of faking it and getting caught, use sincere, heartfelt, and genuine advertising to market your business; because buyers’ negative opinions can be brutal, and word-of-mouth (WOM) travels much faster these days.
Make contact
A key step to building and implementing a brand is establishing and maintaining a personal contact with the buyer. “Personal contact” translates as people talking to people. (This does not necessarily mean going door-to-door or making personal calls. However, when done correctly that approach probably won’t hurt.) These days, the approach that can hurt is the more aloof, automated messaging and answering systems that have become so common. Especially during a recession, people are more critical about when, where, and what they buy. Instead of relying solely upon automated methods, businesses using emotional advertising and creating emotional ties- making buyers feel special with personal contact- are unquestionably strengthening seller/buyer relationships and consumer loyalty. Companies should take the stance, when it comes time to close a sale, that there is no substitute for personal contact- whether that be WOM, a phone call, a handshake, paying a visit, social bookmarking, etc. Each new prospect or returning customer should be considered a potential brand advocate. From a business standpoint, customers should be thought of as an asset- like gold. And even if they are not “right,” they should always be treated “just right.”
Guided Innovation
Trying to understand and meet buyers’ needs does not have to be like trying to find the fountain of youth. Better understanding the general public will help business owners, advertisers, and marketers to find ways to relate to their target audiences. What do we know about people today? We know they desire honesty in the corporate arena and integrity in the government. They want healthier, more wholesome, less-processed foods. They want to return to the basics, make life simpler, and spend more time with family. By merging brand strategies with consumer insights, it becomes much easier to provide desired products and services. It’s also easier to create advertising and branding messages that the consumer will be interested in- because what is being said will be profoundly relevant to them. Simply knowing the consumer can facilitate a company’s ability to launch the right ad messages at the precise time, and use the right media in the precise place, to phenomenally increase sales. This is called guided innovation, and it is crucial to the success of marketing efforts of the future. 1.) Relate to the consumer. 2.) Stay true to the brand. 3.) Combine those basic elements to develop consumer-desired products and services.
Pinpoint the W’s: Who is going to buy what, when, and where
Finding the answers to the W’s has plagued marketers, advertisers, and business owners alike. This is one of the most beneficial ways having access to real-time data can benefit these decision makers. Making educated guesses and assumptions based upon data that’s a week old or more is not the most efficient way to run a business. Having immediate access to why consumers go to a particular location and choose one promotion or brand over another allows marketers to provide consumers with the exact products, promotions and services they desire at that moment. The companies who are leaders in pinpointing the W’s will be forerunners in their industry, have greater market share, and own more space in their category.
