I love technology and the latest
gadgets/apps...but I also know I'm in the minority when compared to the general
business population. So when you're communicating with your customers, what
level of sophistication are you using?
Define your customer
For purpose of discussion, let's agree your customer is any business
professional whom you are communicating with and you want to take a desired
action. An action may be to open your email, answer the phone, complete a
survey, register for a business event, or maybe even buy something from you.
So now you have a customer (or prospect) and a defined goal (action).
Have you profiled your customer? Hopefully you have dozens or hundreds of
customers and prospects so no, I don't mean profiling each one...but I do mean
you should have an average profile of an average customer.
Customer Profiling
Questions (to ask yourself)
What keeps them up at night? Are they male or female? Average age,
family profile (pets, kids, etc.), cars and/or trucks, vacation(s). When and
how do they read their email? Desktop computer, smart phone, tablet, or a
combination of all three? If they are in meetings/events during business hours,
then they likely are reading email in off hours. How engaged is your average
customer in social media? If yes, determine which ones and when they use them?
Who are their trusted sources for information and how do they consume/share it?
The point being your average customer profile should outline
everything you would include if introducing this person to your
parents/family...and then they Google’d your customer to check your story.
Then, and only then, can you even start to think about a communication plan
asking them to take your desired action.
Your communication plan should match language, colours, and images
that appeal most to your average customer. Humour may not be as appropriate as
the team in your office may think. Appeal and speak to their needs, wants and
desires. Bonus Tip: you will likely
have to have a few "average profiles" and customized communication
plans for each.
Why bother with all
this extra work?
Modern research has shown that if you communicate the wrong message
on the wrong medium at the wrong time not only will you not get the action you
are seeking...but you will turn that customer off your product/brand/service
indefinitely because you didn't take the time to learn about them in the first
place.
Until next time,
Steve
