Successful marketing is all about storytelling. Every piece of your marketing, from your logo and tagline to your paid ads and customer emails works together to create the story of your business. And what does every compelling story need at its center? A star character! And when it comes to marketing, that role goes to none other than your target audience.
It seems simple enough, right? Focusing your marketing on your customer is advertising 101! But countless businesses have cast the wrong character as the star of their marketing. And as a result, they’re missing that key emotional connection required to build real, long-term brand awareness.
When you’re the star of your marketing, your customers struggle to relate
Enthralling stories that capture your attention and generate a real emotional connection always have an authentic character at their heart. But time and time again we see businesses build their marketing campaigns around what they do for the customer, not how their customer’s life will change as a result.
What’s the big difference? Business-centric marketing can be unrelatable, salesy, pushy, and bland. But when you make your customer the hero of your brand story, suddenly it becomes tangible, visual, aspirational, and compelling!
Here’s an example of two different ways a business could market itself:
At Widgets Inc, we offer the best widgets, gadgets, and trinkets at a great price.
Or how about this:
When you find the widgets, gadgets, and trinkets you need, at a price you can afford, you have more money left over to save and enjoy. Widgets Inc is here to help you and your family thrive!
Which one is more motivating to you? Which example gives you a tangible idea of what you’ll get when you shop at Widgets Inc? Which version feels more authentic, human, and unique?
That’s the power of customer-centric marketing!
Where to put your customer-centric marketing to work
Here are the top few places you can highlight your customer’s experience in your marketing (and build your emotional connection in the process!):
- On your website. This is the #1 place to put your customer at the center of your brand story. Throughout your website, focus on how your product or service improves your customer’s life, solves their problems, and leads them to success. Paint a picture of how their life will change when they engage with your company, and use descriptive language and action words to bring your story to life.
- On social media. Showcasing user-generated content on your social media profiles is a great way to place the emphasis on your customer and their unique experience. A strategy that leverages user-generated content, testimonials, and experience stories can really solidify your brand connection.
- In emails. Rather than filling your emails with benefits, offers, and sales pitches, use your marketing emails to describe how your company solves problems— and how different your customers’ lives will be without those problems hanging around!
Shifting the focus of your marketing from business-centric language to a customer-centric story isn’t complicated. And you don’t have to overhaul your entire marketing plan! Re-centering your brand story and igniting the language you use is a simple change that can drive powerful results for businesses that are willing to put their customer first— in action and in word!
At MediaSpark, we help businesses just like yours nail their message and their marketing
When you’re ready to attract more (better!) customers, tell a powerful story, and maximize your marketing budget, call MediaSpark. We can’t wait to watch you grow!
