NARRATOR – This story begins, similar to millions of other love stories, across the world. It was a bright sunny morning, birds were chirping, trees were swaying, and a fleeting breeze was mischievously trying to get the strewn, dried leaves to fly. A handsome young man, dressed in a long overcoat, bumped into a gorgeous young woman. A chance meeting, a strangers’ collision, books fell down and sparks flew in the air as two pairs of twinkling eyes met. As the woman got down on her knees to gather her books and bag, the man heard violins begin to play in the background. He knew that he had fallen for her, hook, line and sinker. Her smile said she knew too. And then, the conversation began…
Mr Brand: (Unable to contain his excitement) Hello there, it is beyond marvellous to make your acquaintance! What brings you to the most colourful part of the town?
Ms Audience: (Taken aback by the overtly friendly man) Well, hello yourself! I am actually here on some official business. I would like to disagree a bit because I’ve seen more colour two blocks away at the artists’ hub.
Mr Brand: (Trying his best to disagree politely) Oh pish posh! I would certainly like to say that this neighbourhood is better, we’ve recently updated it with new colour and exterior design. (Calling out to a bystander) Hey, Mr Influencer, tell this lady how good looking and utterly amazing this neighbourhood is. (Arms crossed against his chest, now) Do you know the best part? It’s only in this neighbourhood that you get to smell the real sunflowers. It’s beautiful for me, I have been a key member in actioning the planning and a look at my competitors tells me that my neighbourhood is cleaner, better and helps out more.
Ms Audience: (At this point, she’s lost all interest in the conversation and is wondering what was it that she found interesting in him in the first place. Desperate for a way out) Alright, it was good to know you. (Fidgeting with her purse string to hide her anger and discomfort) I’m, umm…running a bit late, I should leave, now. (Brushes past him, in a mock hurry)
NARRATOR – Wind picked up in the wake of the young woman’s departure. Our hero was left wondering where he went wrong, in spite of so many efforts, he failed miserably to impress her. He thought that he’d never ever be on her mind. In a twist of fate, unknown to him, she did talk about it to her best friend. She went on to tell her how she crossed paths with a handsome man, who tried to read her mind before she could say anything, pompously listed down benefits for her, instead of allowing her to have a word in. And most importantly, didn’t even let her inform him that she was allergic to sunflowers! Such a handsome man, but so taken with his own expenses and trying to do right by them. If only our hero had been a man of lesser words, this love story would have gone down without a hitch, in the pages of history.
While completely fictitious, this story is derived from the many pitfalls that a brand comes upon in the modern-day struggles of Return On Investment (ROI).
This marketing romance doesn’t always catch on, like a house on fire, that’s mainly due to the fact that brands focus on ‘I’ instead of the ‘R’ in the concept of ROI. This brings us to the next segment,
How To Make Audience Fall For You?
Here, we don’t do the talking, instead we present to you a few prompts, that will help you strike up a conversation, which will further help the romance bloom. Without further ado, here you go
PROMPT #1 – LISTEN BEFORE YOU SPEAK
It helps greatly to be a wallflower and study your customers, their expectations, likes dislikes, preferences and most importantly, their wants and needs.
PROMPT #2 – COMMUNICATE ON A TWO-WAY STREET
Understanding that your customers are humans is the starting point here, go on to talk to them and ask the right questions that will allow them to answer completely.
PROMPT #3 – INCLUSIVITY ABOVE ALL
No two humans are alike, shouldn’t that be applied to your customers as well? Identify the different pain points and try to address them accordingly.
PROMPT #4 – BECOME A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON
When the customer is put first, they feel like they are heard and valued. Ensuring the consistency of these feelings will help you become a friend first and brand second.
PROMPT #5 – BE REAL, BE YOU
While you ensure the trust factor, also remember to pay close attention to being authentic and not getting lost in the crowd.
There you have it! Happy marketing to you, or should we say, Mr Brand, go get your Ms Audience!