At some point, we’ve all seen an ad or received an email that made us question how it managed to make it through the screening process. In marketing, the reality is a small handful of people are generally responsible for developing the strategy. And that number drops to even fewer when talking about relationship marketing. This can create a bubble where ideas come from a single perspective.
This perspective bubble is a common challenge that must be overcome. The best marketing strategy is built from an understanding of how your brand delivers on a desire or need within your target audience, which requires an ability to understand your audience beyond basic demographic data. In most cases, this means realizing your audience is made up of diverse individuals with varied life experiences who may see your messaging differently based on their background.
Whether you are trying to come up with ideas for a new email campaign, content plan, or the value proposition for your relationship marketing program, having diverse perspectives in the planning phase will help you create more successful campaigns. Here are a few approaches you can take:
Invite others from your team or organization to brainstorm
Everyone brings unique experiences and perspectives to the table and will view the challenge you are trying to solve differently. To make the most of your session:
- Be clear with the program objectives and what you’re hoping to achieve in the session.
- Provide background information ahead of time if participants need to review them before joining the discussion.
- Ask someone to capture all the ideas.
- Hold the session live (in person or digitally) to allow participants to riff off each other’s ideas and ask questions.
- Foster open discussion and debate. Not every idea will make it into the final project, but all ideas should be welcome during the brainstorming session.
Ask consumers what matters to them
If your brand already has a relationship marketing program, you have a host of insights waiting to be discovered. Send a survey to gather input on what they want to hear from you, why they love your brand, and how it fits into their life. The answers should inspire future marketing efforts and offer opportunities for more personalized experiences.
Leverage existing brand or industry research
Reach out to other teams in your organization for any research they have completed. Shopper marketing, consumer insights, or even product teams may be sitting on findings that can be utilized by the marketing team. Industry research is another potential source of information about the varied needs and desires of your audience.
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These resources can provide guidance on what your audience, or similar audiences, are interested in, how they approach purchases within the category, or what information they need to choose your brand.
Integrating one or more of these approaches into your planning process will guide you to create more compelling marketing that resonates with your audience.
Need help with your relationship marketing strategy and execution? Response Media believes in a data-led, strategic approach to relationship marketing. Our team utilizes each of the previously outlined approaches and many more in partnership with our clients to attract new customers and nurture lasting loyalty.