Brands are constantly looking for ways to build a connection with their consumers, but often struggle to figure out the right way to do so. Frequently brands will go for the one way approach ‘ here’s my message and now I’ll pray and hope you like it ‘ probably not the best way to build a lasting relationship. Sometimes there’s a promise of more, but in the end, we quickly revert back to shouting brand messages to the masses with no opportunity for a connection.
As marketers, we don’t have to be perfect, but we do have to spend more time getting to know our consumers. We have to ask more questions rather than just talk about ourselves. We need to listen more to our consumers ‘ What makes them tick? What would they like from the brand? The expectation is that you manage the relationship between your brand and the consumer as any other relationship in your life ‘ don’t make it complicated just extend your hand and genuinely share and listen.
Building Connections Thru Content Marketing
Content marketing won’t be the silver bullet but incorporating strategies into your marketing plan will help to build the bridge between brand and consumers over time. The ‘content’? developed should be focused on the interests and hobbies you and your consumers share in common ‘ you appreciate and value their input and they look to you for information and expertise only your brand could provide. The scenario I just described is mutually beneficial, two-way communication. The premise of two way communication is shared interests and mutually valued and appreciated perspectives – not complicated but does take commitment
Case Study: At AMP Agency, we followed the ‘mutually beneficial’? approach with a taboo category, sexual wellness. LifeStyles condoms needed to understand and get to know their consumers more, so we began using online surveys as a tool to uncover their interests, attitudes and beliefs. The surveys produced learnings that highlighted the areas mutually beneficial to the consumer and the brand. These insights were curated into various forms of content from articles and blogs, to facebook posts, infographics and inspired the messaging in our online advertising campaign. The ‘mutually beneficial strategy’? speaks for itself:
- Consumers wanted to learn more (paid Media click-thru rates increased)
- They sought out more information (organic search traffic posted double digit gains)
- They were inspired to share (Facebook and Twitter engagement skyrocketed)
The Best Relationships
We all know relationships can be tough, but the good ones last and they get better over time. Start now. Be open to content marketing and the unique strategies you can use to build a relationship with your consumers. As seen in the LifeStyles case study, consumer surveys are a great way to uncover insights about your audience that can be transformed into relevant content pieces. In the end, you’ll be amazed how much they share when you are willing to listen, buy at the register and help you market the brand ‘ now that’s a good relationship.
