Show Some Love

My office keeps a Facebook Page.  We would love for you to "like" us, but more importantly, I recently posted a YouTube video that I would like you to watch, called "The Break Up."   This humorous little skit speaks volumes about marketing and the power that social media can play in your efforts.


It is not my goal in this post is not to talk about how to use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or other social media sites to market your business.  There are plenty of social media wonks out there with blogs and articles on how to effectively utilized these tools.  Dr. Jonathan Slater, a colleague at SUNY Plattsburgh, keeps this Google Bookmark that he continually updates with fresh articles about social media.


The intention of my post today is to help you think about the foundation of your marketing strategy.  Whenever I discuss marketing strategy, I remind people that developing a message is not about sharing what you have; rather it is your ability to communicate what you have for the customer.  As that YouTube video demonstrates, the consumer doesn't want a one way conversation. They want the opportunity to share and be involved in the dialog.   Consumers want the producers to understand their wants and needs.


I can't stress enough the importance of emotion when it comes to purchasing decisions.  We don't buy things because we need that particular item or service; we buy things because of emotions that convince us we want these things.  Those who think low price is the only thing consumers care about are outright wrong.  Don't believe me?  Try to think about every financial transaction you made last month.  Were there other lower cost options?  If you really think about, the answer would be yes (choosing not to buy is a lower cost option); and if I asked you to justify why you purchase the things you do, my guess is there would be some emotional reasons that would be part of your answer.


As you develop your marketing strategy, my suggestion is that you start by thinking about why your customers would love to do business with you.  Come up with all the reasons why you are more special then your competitors.  To help you along, think about the 4 P's of marketing:

• Product/service (perceived quality and friendliness)
• Place (ease of possession)
• Promotion (familiarity/trust)
• Price (value)

Once you come up with some reasons why you are better, work on crafting your emotional message.  What can you do to make your customers feel better about your business?  There is nothing wrong with embellishing, as that as how you can develop a better emotional response; but you also want to be honest and sincere.


Most importantly, you want to monitor feedback and listen to your customers.  Are they understanding your message?  Are they telling you that they want something different?


This is where social media can really add value.  Not too long ago, it would take significant market research efforts to find out what your customers think about your products or services.  Now with Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and YouTube, you have the power to quickly learn what your customers are saying about your business.


The business/consumer relationship, like any lasting relationship, should be based on communication and mutual benefits.  It is much easier to build a bond with someone if you show them you care.  Take that to the next level by showing your customers that you really listen...if you really want to stand out against the competition, use powerful emotional language and show some love.