Motivate Your Ideal Customers to Choose You

Posted: 07/20/16

By Richard Rutigliano, PriMedia Inc.

Just as no two companies are the same, no two marketing plans should be the same. It is essential to identify your company’s unique opportunities and focus on those without being overly wedded to what you’ve done in the past. Bold change is sometimes the best choice.

To maximize your company’s potential, formulate a clear picture of current circumstances and a well considered vision of future directions and objectives. Know who your best buyers and prospects are and what choices you would like them to make. Your ideal marketing and advertising plan will have the simple objective of motivating those particular customers and prospects to make those specific choices. When you keep your eyes on the prize and work with creative people who understand the mechanics of connection and motivation, you give your company the best chance to succeed.

Begin by taking inventory. What are your objectives? What are your best paths for growth? Can you build on the website you are using today, or do you need to start over? Are your logo and overall aesthetic suitable for any new directions you are taking? Do you have an effective message? What is your financial position? What can you afford to spend over the next few years to grow the business? 

Answer these questions the best you can, and then begin to work with your marketing agency. The perfect time to convene with the agency team is when you have a general sense of what you want to accomplish but have not nailed down all the specifics. That way, the agency team can suggest ideas that help you see what is possible. You might find that you can connect with potential buyers in ways you had not imagined and pursue objectives that you had feared were unattainable.

Keeping in mind that every company is different, here are a few universally useful strategies that have a place in almost any company’s efforts to connect and motivate.

• Offer extreme convenience. Everyone appreciates convenience. Consider the best ways for customers or clients to interact with you online and upgrade your website with appropriate resources and self-service options.
  
  
• Use video: A good video that reflects a company’s brand identity and value proposition is a great tool for motivating customers to sign up. Video can also provide great support for specific products and services.
  
  
• Sharpen your aesthetics and language: Looking great is always a good idea. Publish attractive websites and engaging materials with a compelling logo and tagline. As your budget allows, beautify everything that customers and prospects see that represents you.
  
  
• Support smartphones: Today, smartphones are so prevalent and convenient that many users are spending less time on their desktops and laptops, even at home. Make sure your websites use responsive design or have mobile versions.
  
  
• Manage leads. Give your sales team modern tools to manage and convert the leads you generate.
  
  
• Maximize reviews. Positive feedback from customers or clients creates confidence. Get customer voices into your websites and other marketing materials.
  
  
• Be patient and persistent. Formulate a plan that includes multiple impressions and touch points and extends for several years. 

For communications that connect and marketing that motivates, give me a call at 800-796-3342 or email me at rrutigliano@primediany.com.