Posts Tagged ‘marketing strategy’

3 Key Marketing Strategies For High LTV: Get Attention, Making Meaning, Listen

// June 1st, 2009 // Comments // Interactive Marketing, Social Media Marketing

In today’s world consumers are looking for more than just the best deal and the newest widget.   For small companies trying to get noticed and build a brand, you really have to work much harder than you ever have before.  Why?  Because there is so much noise and barriers that you must break through just to get the attention of your potential customers.  Once you get people’s attention then you must be able to keep their interest and maintain their loyalty, which can only be achieved by standing for something important that the customer values i.e. you mean something to them.   Then, to build a lasting customer relationship you have to listen, listen, listen to them.

1.  Get Attention by Standing Out

Getting noticed is the first step and this takes some creativity and strategic thinking.  But, this could also be a very fun process when you think way outside the box.  Now, I could go into a big narrative about how to get noticed but I won’t.  I’d rather you watch one great video from a well known marketing thought leader, Seth Godin.  If you’ve seen this it’s worth watching again and reflecting on it.  Or, you can jump down to the second key strategy on meaning.



2.  Connect With Customers By Making Meaning

Many iconic brands have risen to the top of their markets because they have derived a strong connection with their customer community.  Take for instance Apple, Nike, Lance Armstrong; these brands all have strong meaning with in their respective spaces.  Yes, Lance has become a brand and I think his brand stands for determination and a strong-willed spirit.  Apple to me stands for innovation and creation, if you want to be on the cutting edge you need to have an Apple product.  Nike to me means high performance with an edge, if I want to be the best I put on my Nike gear and get out there to rip things up and I’ll also look good while I’m doing it.

Now, what I just described is my own personal reflection of what these brands mean to me.   Do you think this what Apple & Nike want their brands perceived as?  I’m sure they want the brand to connect on a human emotional level that’s exactly why they hire people like Lance Armstrong to represent their brand.  People like Lance carry a strong connection to deep-rooted human feelings and this means something to people.

Here Tim Leberecht of Frog Design puts into perspective how to make meaning.



3. Listen To Customers Who Are Buying

As soon as you make the sale it’s time to find out how it happened.  What made the customer buy?  How can you improve the product/service they just purchased?  Give the customer time and allow them to tell you what sucks?  What do they really wish the product had?  What would make them leave to go to the competition?  Every chance you get take the opportunity to ask and discover but, really listen to what the customer says.  You might even consider a rating system that can help you prioritize what is the most important benefit people want out of your product or service and do it.

Guy really puts it into perspective here.  Enjoy!