3 minute read

Stress is at an all-time high. New channels and platforms for communication emerge every day. Privacy terms and algorithms change daily. People are losing their trust in media and big business. More and more people are contributing to the “noise” than ever before. Are you feeling overwhelmed? That’s totally understandable.

It’s tempting to throw up your hands and employ a “one size fits all” approach to your marketing and advertising. But this has never been a good strategy. Frankly, it’s a poor use of resources and just plain lazy. Bottom line, you’re in the relationship business and with any good relationship, it’s important to get know and understand other people – in this case your audience. Here are three simple practices that can improve your relationships with stakeholders and boost your marketing efforts:

Be intentional. Start by asking “Who do we want to connect with and why? Why should they give us their time, attention and money? What value are we offering? How are we making their lives better?” It may seem trivial, but answering these questions helps focus your message in a way that’s meaningful. It helps to be very clear about the value you bring; with only a few seconds to make an impression, you have to make them count.

Get your audiences’ point of view. Given the evolution of marketing in recent years, it’s highly likely that you have entire audience segments who don’t even use the platforms where you’re spending time and money. Like most businesses, you have multiple types of customers and stakeholders, and it’s important to understand each and every one of them. Why? Because doing so will inform where you need to be, when you need to be there and how you can meet your unique customers’ needs. Data is great, but it’s not a substitute for a good old-fashioned conversation. Make it a regular practice to engage with your various audiences – through surveys, focus groups, meet-ups – and find out what you can about them. They will tell you exactly where to find them as well as what they need and want from you. Plus, you’ll get bonus points for actually asking!

Demonstrate value. By using the above insights to create intelligent campaigns, you can demonstrate that you understand your audiences and reinforce the value you bring to them. Whether you are entertaining, educating or informing them – make your audience feel like it’s worth their time and energy to pay attention. This can go a long way in building long-term relationships where customers don’t feel like they’re constantly being “marketed to.”

Any successful business knows that investing time in people is just as important as investing money in marketing. One without the other drastically reduces the impact of your efforts. These simple practices can make a big difference in your marketing approach and your bottom line.

Want to explore how you can better tailor your company’s marketing strategy?
We’d love to help. Contact Adam Hoover and let’s get the conversation started.