Shifting focus from your brand’s story to the consumer’s.
These days it seems like every agency wants to tell your story, to dive into your unique process or share the harrowing tale of how your founding partners met. And while understanding what makes your brand unique is crucial in creating great advertising, you can’t lose sight of who you’re creating those ads for — the consumer.
Time and again we see that consumers are more likely to buy a brand that aligns with their beliefs and values. At an even more basic level, if you can show a consumer why they need your brand, they’ll buy your brand. So, before you launch your next campaign, flip the script with these three tips:
Start with their story. Instead of searching for that unique thing about you — find that unique thing about your consumer. Follow them on social media. Read their favorite blogs. Give their hobbies a try. Do whatever it takes to understand what a week in their lives really feels like. Then show them how your brand can help them do it better.
Talk where they’re listening. Media isn’t one-size-fits-all. Look at the channels and media your target actually uses. Then study how they use those channels: where are they gathering information, where do they make purchases and where are they most receptive to engaging with you. Then build a plan that lets them use those channels in their own way.
Always leave them with more. If your creative has done its job, your consumer is going to want more. So make sure that you always complement your primary channels with secondary channels that deepen the engagement. Simply put, every touch is an opportunity to drive your customer down the purchase funnel.
By following these simple steps and focusing on how you can enable a better story for your consumers, your brand can break through the clutter and truly answer the driving question in every consumer’s mind — what’s in it for me?