Marketing Success “Boyles” Down to the Basics

It seems as e-communication evolves and proliferates, becoming more accessible and sophisticated, often marketers react by making their messages more comprehensive and thus complex. Instead, we should look at the growing landscape and plethora of e-media options as an opportunity to get back to the basics.

It’s imperative marketers recognize that customers and prospects get inundated with thousands and thousands of marketing messages each and every day. As such, our brains shift into overload mode and tune out the vast majority of these communications. Customers and prospects are all skeptical because of the sheer volume of marketing to which they are exposed.

So, where do you begin your travels back to the land of the basics? You start by making your messaging more about your audiences (less complicated) and more test-able.

Let’s say your messaging was either Britney Spears or Susan Boyle. Which one is working better in this current state of social media madness? Which is more relevant at this very viral moment in time? In this case, it comes down to the singing. That’s the product. One version is young, highly choreographed, highly image-based, complete with hair extensions, sexy outfits, lots of makeup and tabloid flair. The other is older, unadorned and quite ordinary.

But when they open up their mouths to sing, a very different and curious reaction is created. The fundamental marketing lesson here has to a lot to do with expectations: under promising and over delivering. You’d expect Ms. Spears to be over produced and sound good. You’d expect Ms. Boyle to sound, based upon appearance alone, average – or worse.

The same concept applies to marketing – it “Boyles” down to the messaging and the content you deliver to your audiences. It’s vital in today’s competitive environment to study your target audiences, make meaningful promises and set evocative expectations in your messaging to them — and then deliver on those pledges. That’s how raving fans are born.

So how do you get to the simplicity + relevancy = results equation?

Here’s a list of 7 tips that are sure to make your next e-communication more relevant, simple and ultimately more effective:

1. Start with a plan.
   The plan needs to identify key segments and your unique selling propositions. It needs to define quantifiable objectives, budget-allocated strategies and tactics, test scenarios, and metrics to track and measure. (Compare and contrast Ms. Spears and Ms. Boyle’s approaches. Which one is simpler?)
2. Spend on customer communication.
   Create a formal referral program and ask your customers for ways you can improve. Use their testimonials in your prospect communications. (Think YouTube and its viral power for our two singers)
3. Understand the customer.
   … And his/her buying pr ocess to look for ways to improve and simplify how they can do business with you. (IF Ms. Boyle had a CD out, it would have sold millions already. Digital download of her performance for sale anyone?)
4. Sell your offer.
   Don’t focus on your product’s features and business accomplishments. Write from your customer/prospect’s vantage point, not yours or your company’s. (“I can sing, just listen and then judge.”)
5. Experiment with your e-media portfolio.

Don’t rely solely on one tactic like e-mail. Consider SEO, SEM, social media, microsites and, yes, even traditional media. (The YouTube hysteria has led to all media channels for Ms. Boyle)

1. Measure and track.
   After all, leads and sales are the ultimate goal. Measurement is still a “some of the time” proposition among far too many professionals. (If the goal was a recording contract, the deal is done)
2. Test, test and test some more.
   The only sure way to keep your marketing ROI on the course to higher profits is through a commitment to continual testing. (Will Ms. Boyle be a fast burning star or have lasting impact? It depends on the products – song selections – that she packages and delivers, long-term)

The choices for getting your simplified, relevant messages out to your targeted audiences have greatly expanded over the last few years. Here’s a look at how you can apply basic experimentation and analysis techniques to get to greater results:

E-mail
Test subject lines frequently. Test the opening paragraph, headlines and subheads and the overall message positioning/offers to raise ROI. Segment your subject lines and messaging for your varied audiences.

Web
Hold your visitor’s hand as they travel your site; guide them along with smart navigation, easy functionality, reassuring copy and clear instructions on what to do next. Does your Web conversation convince the reader to take the next step? The proof is in the measurement.

SEO/SEM
Study your Web site’s traffic analytics for paid and non-paid search terms and sources. If you’re just starting in the realm of SEO and SEM, consider starting with paid search and understand keywords that your customers are using, then further optimize your website and add a higher level of organic optimization to your media mix.

Social Media
Not the cure-all everyone thinks it is, Social Media is hard to quantify and requires time and persistence. So, add to your mix, but keep your ROI expectations real.

Microsites
Whether you’re reaching your customers or prospects online or via e-mail (or through traditional media), you may have cause to incorporate a microsite into your mix. While your initial communication should be simple, to the point and feature a highly compelling “offer,” it does not mean you withhold important decision-making details. Rather, a microsite can help you guide your audience gently to taking a desired action. Further, testing microsites – messaging, offers, layout, etc. – is easy and rewarding.

It all comes down to using the correct messaging angle to get your audiences interested; making it very easy for them to respond to you; and gently guide them through the decision making process. Add test scenarios and metrics to measure and you’ve just begun your journey to marketing prosperity.

Grant A. Johnson is the Founder and CMO of Brookfield-Wisconsin Based Johnson Direct LLC. He can be reached at 1-800-710-2750 x 131 or [email protected]