After visiting and presenting at the 2019 Digital Marketing World Forum in Brooklyn, New York, we came away with three overarching takeaways. So many ideas, so many possibilities, and so much fun talking with people who speak our language!
So let's dive in:
Digital Generations
We know and understand that each generation represents digital successes and benchmarks and to reach them we need to understand where the lines in the sand can be drawn. We use sand as an example because the lines are slightly vague and not permanent - the digital world is always changing. It's not always age-specific or generational, such as Boomers, Gen Xers, or Millennials; it's even more granular than that, like the iPhone 6 vs. the iPhone 11, or the iPod vs. iPad generations. Each segment has learned to interact with technology at varying levels. How does each target segment receive their news, search the web, or interact with an ad? These are all factors we need to take into consideration as we communicate with our targets.
You can't be everything to everyone, but you can be something to the right ones.
Data helps us create unique and personal customer relationships. For example, we use certain data points to purchase predictability. For example, knowing a potential customer always buys in-store regardless of the online deals you offer, let's us change the message to this segment by offering an in-store coupon to personalize their shopping journey. Knowing information, such as how often they purchase, their anniversary or their birthday helps enhance relationships, and great customers do great business.
Asking for their hand in marriage.
Performance marketing conversions are insightful and help fuel ROI comparisons, but asking someone to convert right after you target them is like asking for their hand in marriage on the first date. Expecting them to convert within a short campaign window can be exhausting. We want to bring them along in the story of the brand by using relationship marketing and a positive customer experience to court them and, of course, eventually convert them.
Lastly, I would encourage each of you to do a few searches on your campaign hashtags and brand mentions. Invest time in social listening and engage your audience with their language. Be where they are and show them you are listening!