In my previous blog piece I talked about a formula for success, beginning with the basic need to understand your target audience.
The key benefit of this is engagement – the ability to engage in a positive conversation that will ultimately generate a desired result.
But engagement isn’t just about getting your creative right, it’s also about adopting an appropriate communication strategy – using the right media as well as having a good appreciation of any timing considerations.
Today we’re incredibly lucky because we have so many businesses and organisations that regularly deal with us on a one to one basis. And, thanks to technology we have a much better understanding of how we like to interact and carry out business with others – irrespective of whether we’re acting as a consumer or within a business capacity.
There is however a problem with this greater understanding, and that’s very much to do with meeting enhanced expectations.
This problem has recently been brought home to me – as my home is possibly about to become part of a conservation area.
As it’s about something obviously very precious to me I believe I should have every reason to expect that the procedures taken by those proposing the plan will be handled in the most sensitive manner.
Wrong. Unlike planning permissions, it seems that there’s no obligation to contact directly those homeowners affected either during any consultation period, or more importantly prior to them.
Like many others I was left unaware of the first round of the consultation and subsequently, during a rather strained phone conversation with the official responsible for the proposals, I was told that they were better than other councils in notifying the public!
There’s an important lesson that needs to be learnt here.
If you want to have a full and profitable relationship with a target audience don’t think that just because you’re better than others in your market sector you’re doing a good job.
Today, as consumers we compare the way people deal with us irrespective of market sectors – charities, financial organisations, car companies, online retailers, whatever – even councils, are all being compared against each other.
Therefore it is imperative to make sure that you’re meeting at least the minimum expectations of your audience, and frankly you should be striving to exceed them.
Steve Walpole tutors on the IDM’s Absolute Essentials of Direct & Digital Marketing.