The best marketing helps people. The old way of marketing focused on pitching, selling a product or service to an audience. It was very much focused on what was being sold and did not necessarily speak to what the customer wanted. The truth is your customers don’t care about you or your products or services. They care about themselves, their own issues and needs. So one of the most powerful ways to get their attention is to create interesting information that your customers are passionate about, so they pay attention.
Here’s the difference:
1) We sell therapeutic shoes. Here they are. Aren’t they lovely. They cost $50 a pair, and are available in red, blue, and brown. Buy before the end of the month and you’ll get 10% off!
2) Here is some information that includes 10 surprising causes of back pain and how to alleviate them. You don’t have to live life limited by lower back problems! Download our free checklist so you can start living a fuller life immediately. One of the points is about wearing the right type of shoes. Should you want ideas for therapeutic shoes, we happen to sell them…
Basically, the first piece of communication is about selling. It is product and price-focused, and is trying as hard as possible to get the customer to buy now. It is great if the customer is ready to buy now, but most of the time, this is not the case. Like most industries, there will be plenty of similar messages from competitors also trying to get the customer to buy their product – and they will most probably be using similar product and price tactics.
The second piece of communication is about helping. It is customer-focused and is trying to educate them about how to get over a problem they have. Which one will instil more trust with customers? Don’t make the mistake in thinking that this type of communication serves no marketing goal. This type of communication is all about achieving your marketing goals but in a way that some people may find counter-intuitive. This type of communication is about gaining the attention of your target audience and making them look forward to being marketed to. In the words of Jeffrey Gitomer, nobody likes to be sold to, but they like to buy.
Helping customers without expectation makes them feel that when the time is right, they will remember how you have helped them, and feel more compelled to choose your product or service over those of others.
They will have already spent time on the information you have sent them, learned more about how to better use your product or service, and therefore be comfortable in sticking with you at the time they want to actually buy.
*Ahmed al-Akber is the managing director of ACK Solutions, a firm that helps companies to improve their marketing and sales results by offering more effective ways attracting customers and significantly better products and services. Ahmed has worked internationally in marketing, sales, and strategic planning at companies such as the Coca-Cola Company, Philip Morris International and Dell. Questions or comments can be sent to Ahmed on [email protected]
