As a writer and marketer, I put myself in the seats of the audience I am writing for. It ensures that I stay focused on customer needs and create a desire for a product or service because it is exactly what they are looking for. By identifying with their pain, and demonstrating that the pain can indeed be taken away, they’re right to feel confident about making a purchase.
Where it goes wrong however, is when the reality doesn’t live up to expectations. That’s why I’m a huge advocate of joined up communication between sales and marketing. If sales people do what the marketing communications promise, then everyone is happy.
And it shouldn’t just be the sales people – every person in a business should be part of the marketing vision, from administration to despatch, from quality control to HR. The most successful businesses are those that understand the importance of good customer service and share in the responsibility for its delivery.
A challenge for you
Take a look at the content on your website and on your other marketing collateral. Does your company do what it claims to do or is there a gap between the words your customers are reading and reality? Be honest with yourself, because if there is disparity, the first ones to notice will be your customers. Yet they may not tell you if they can’t find what they are looking for, or their first conversation with you leads to disappointment, they may simply go elsewhere, and you’ll never know where you are going wrong.
Of course your marketing content has to be right too – is it meeting the needs of your audience and answering the questions they have before they are able to make a purchase? What you think is important may not be important to your buyers, and their top priorities may not, in your eyes, seem that relevant.
Find out what is hurting your customers right now, demonstrate that you understand their issues and are there to help. It’s a simple formula for success that will work – so long as their entire experience of interacting with your company meets their expectations.
Have a happy and successful 2019 – it’s there for the taking!