A Fresh Perspective On Whether Marketing Can Be Selfless

At its core, marketing is the art of being persuasive. I’ve written prior articles about the psychological and emotional appeals marketers make to customers in order to build trust, impart valuable information, and gain credibility. 

 A recent provocation asks marketers to consider just how far they can go to privilege the needs of their customers. In other words, how can brands empower customers through interactive marketing and crowdsourcing to best meet their needs? 

On the most superficial level, privileging your customer might be as simple as reframing your messaging. For instance, a headline or ad link that is descriptive is far less likely to attract interest than an ad that overtly and concretely explains the value to your customer. Another way to galvanize your customer is to invite them to choose their own marketing adventure. The San Francisco 49ers did precisely that when they offered options for an end-of-season gift to their most valued fans, ticket-holders, and supporters. Granted, this fan audience was engaged to begin with. However, by opening up several possible rewards to them, the 49ers prevented the misstep of assuming that all customers are the same or that any reward should be one-size-fits-all – and, in doing so, building a deeper sense of loyalty. Another helpful tip is to enable customers to interact with one another by building online communities, forums, and engaging Q&As wherever your customers communicate with you, including on review sites like Google My Business and in social media comments. 

Offering your customer the driver’s seat is a bold move that is certainly not without risks – however, if you have cultivated trust and believe in actively engaging with customers, giving them more agency can pay off dramatically. If you’re looking for ways to extend your content strategy offerings, check out ASTRALCOM’s deep expertise.