It’s the New Year (and I am into the 5th day of my 30 day writing challenge), a time where people do away with old, negative habits and trends and resolve to apply the positive to their personal lives. But who says you can’t do the same professionally?
Marketers certainly have their fair share of bad habits, and now is the perfect opportunity to correct them! So say it with me:
“I, as a responsible marketer, hereby resolve to…”
… Listen to My Customers More Closely
Yes, we all ask for customer feedback. But how many of us actually pay attention? Sadly, many internal marketing teams and executives sort through the feedback we get and selectively engage those that a) won’t get us into trouble (positive feedback, etc), or b) are easy to fix or solve. Everything else is either relegated to “cranky customer” status or “random fluke” and ignored.
If we as marketers are to service both the customer and the company, we have to face problems head-on. And that includes engaging difficult and temperamental customers through social media channels and trying to work out a solution. There’s no better advocate for your business than a customer who’s had their negative experience turned into a positive.
… Be a Better Team Player
Marketers were never meant to work in isolation, and yet that is what many of us end up doing. We craft compelling messages and extensive campaigns without communicating with other stakeholders in the company, like sales or product management. If ever we do, it’s after the fact. This makes our marketing ineffective and misleads the customer.
Close inter-department cooperation is the best thing you can do to make your marketing campaign a success. Yes, it involves other people, and yes, it leads to more stress as you coordinate efforts; but the results will speak for themselves. Plus, you’ll be seen as a team player and be better appreciated within the company.
… Give my Customers More Space
We all love our products, and we want to get our customers to love them, too. There’s no harm in that. But every so often we get carried away and contact them too frequently or too intrusively. This is a huge turn-off to our customers, and might cost us the relationship.
Don’t smother customers with frequent messages. Contact them just often enough to remind them that you’re there, or only when you’ve got something really important to say.
… Tell the Truth (Or as Close As Possible)
Sales people aren’t the only ones susceptible to exaggeration. Oftentimes, we marketers make inaccurate or overblown claims in our marketing materials because we either want to catch attention and stand out from competitors, or because we don’t know enough about the product to know better.
If it’s the former case, find other ways to stand out other than making false claims. Not only could you lose the customer’s trust, you might also become liable for false advertising. Concentrate on the execution of your message instead, or find another way to present the ad that is still unique but entirely truthful.
If it’s the latter case, make sure your ad is technically accurate before sending it out. Sound out the engineering, product, or sales team and have them review your ad prior to publication. If your customer complains about these inaccurate claims, it’s those departments who are going to catch the flak first (you’ll be a close second).
Do you have any more marketing resolutions? Share them below!
