Personalized Marketing: Are You Talking to Me?

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The competition for consumers’ time is more critical than ever as they continue to be bombarded with the “noise” of messaging and advertisements in nearly every facet of life. According to Forbes, the average person is exposed to 4,000 10,000 advertisements each day.  Without a strong, compelling message your brand is likely to get overlooked regardless of how life-changing it may be.

Think of your typical day and the amount of noise you encounter whether that be from emails, online ads, social media, commercials, and so on. Likely you along with many of your buyers have started to block much of the unnecessary noise. Many now use DVRs to avoid commercials or have tightened privacy on their social media pages to avoid unwanted ads.

Due to the overwhelming number of messages each day, it is critical that brands start becoming more personalized in their approach. Personalized marketing is not going away any time soon in fact, it is one of the top marketing trends for 2020. Research shows that more than 63% of consumers are highly annoyed with the way brands interact with them and blast irrelevant information.

What’s a personalized message?

The idea of what makes something personalized has changed. A recent survey by Pure360 suggests brands still rely only on basic personalization. Many companies continue to take the lazy approach by simply substituting the consumer’s name into the salutation of an email, while others get overzealous and appear creepy.

We’ve all received those emails that address us by name but have no idea who we are or what we care about. Take, for instance, a male who receives an email, addressing them by name, that then continues to discuss problems during menstruation and how a new sanitary product could change their life. This not only makes the company appear lazy and uneducated but could also damage the brand while wasting both resources and money.

Research shows that 81% of consumers want brands to get to know them and know when to approach them and how. This goes beyond dropping in names, cities or titles to truly engaging with consumers. While this may seem daunting, many marketers have large databases that contain numerous data points across all consumer segments. Unfortunately, many do not take advantage of this data.

Making it personal

The best personalization efforts are when consumers see a brand’s content or messaging in a natural and timely manner. Using the buyer’s or consumer’s past history engagements paired with current activities is one of the best ways to engage an audience. Fortunately, marketers have tools and technology that make delivering dynamic content a reality.

Take for example the future purchasing recommendations that Amazon makes based on what the consumer has previously purchased or viewed. These personalizations are typically more helpful and appreciated. In addition, grocery stores will often send coupons based upon your recent purchases. Lastly, we’ve all been victim of perusing one site and then looking at our Facebook page and seeing ads invade our feed. Brands must be careful with retargeting ads and these type of personalizations, which is why having a clear understanding of the consumer’s history and current activities is critical.

On a good note, it doesn’t even have to be this hard. In 2014, as soda consumption was steadily declining, Coca-Cola came out with its “Share a Coke” campaign. This simple, but extremely effective campaign personalized bottles by printing first names on them Share a Coke with Bethany, Share a Coke with Jeremy, etc. The campaign appealed to consumers because they saw their own name on a big brand. The campaign helped the company grow sales for the first time in 10 years.

Time to get personal

So if you haven’t yet, you better start getting more personal with your buyers or your competitors will. Below are some key considerations for diving into personalized messaging.

  • Segment your audience. Hopefully you have already done this but as you know not all of your consumers have the same needs nor do they have them at the same time. This is really step 1 before you can begin personalization.
  • Create content that matters. Not all content is created equal. Consider implementing dynamic content where your buyer can see the right content at the right time.
  • Give your business a face. Your company should have a human identity is it fun, professional, goofy? Your company must have an identity that buyers can connect with whether you’re selling B2C or B2B.
  • Make better recommendations. Don’t recommend a vacuum cleaner to someone who just purchased hardwood floors. Know your audience and tell them about products or solutions that they actually could use and need.
  • Test and measure. You won’t always guess right. Some campaigns will have double-digit conversions while others will fall flat. The good news is most technologies allow you to do A/B testing and will even determine the winner for you before you blast an entire segment with a poorly designed campaign.

There’s no better way to get started than to get started, monitor your results, repeat what works and ditch the rest. Trust me if you don’t do it, your consumers will start identifying and connecting with your competitors, who may already be delivering personalized marketing.

Smart Business Advice from Bill & Ted

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Attention Bill & Ted fans! The news that Bill S. Preston, Esquire and Ted “Theodore” Logan will once again be gracing movie screens with a new film, Bill & Ted Face the Music, has certainly been met with tremendous excitement. Not the least of which is that much of the original cast is coming back.

Now, you can see why Alex Winter (Bill) would, since if I didn’t put it in here you’d probably have to look up who played him. But John Wick, I mean Keanu Reeves, coming back as Ted? Who woulda thunk it?

Yet as fun as it was to watch the dopey duo from San Dimas, California gallivant through time, space and the afterlife, underneath it all there was actually an important lesson that everyone in the business world should take time to remember:

No wait, that’s not it. This is it:

Except for that last part again.

All kidding aside, though, “Be excellent to each other” is tremendous advice. And it applies in so many ways – to the client/agency relationship, to the boss/employee relationship, and even your relationships with your peers.

What does it look like to follow the advice Bill & Ted so eloquently offered? It can be something as simple as saying “please” when you assign a task/give a deadline, or phrasing it in the form of a question (can you get that to me by the end of the day?) as well as “thank you” when it’s done. Even if whatever just got completed is in someone’s job description or your scope of work. A little appreciation, like a little hot sauce, can really go a long way.

Going along with saying “thank you” is remembering to tell someone they did a good job when that is the case. I’ve worked in places (not here at Amendola Communications, thankfully!) where the “good job” was more or less implied because if you didn’t do a good job (or someone perceived it wasn’t a good job) you absolutely would hear “This is (insert expletive here)!!!!” But that’s not the best approach to take.

Instead, say “I really like this” or “That’s great” or something else along those lines providing it’s true. If you like the work of your agency, co-workers, subordinates, bosses, etc. tell them so. Nothing gets people excited – and more willing to go the extra mile the next time – than to feel their hard work is appreciated. If you’re willing to tell someone what they did wrong, you should be willing to tell them when they did something right.

And no, this isn’t that Millennial thing where they require constant praise because they got participation trophies when they were children and it ruined them – a theory I don’t buy into at all based on the Millennials I know and work with. Don’t offer up false praise or else all praise is meaningless. But if you like what someone is doing, or what someone has done, be sure to share that information with them.

Another example of being excellent to each other is being respectful and realistic about deadlines. Some people like to assign short deadlines whether they need to or not because they want to check things off the list. Don’t be one of those.

If you don’t need something until Friday, give your agency or co-workers until Friday to get it done. If you do that consistently they may just surprise you and get it done early anyway. They’ll also be more willing to drop everything when you actually do have an unavoidable short deadline. But if they discover you’re asking for things on Tuesday and not even looking at them until Friday the anger and resentment is sure to build.

And, of course, there’s the whole talking behind people’s back thing. You don’t have to love everyone you come across to be decent to them. Remember that in a lot of cases you don’t really know their story, and what made them the way they are. You just see the stuff they let out in business, or in public.

If you have a real issue with someone (versus a minor, petty annoyance which we can all have from time to time and just have to learn to get over), try to talk to that person about it rather than mumbling about it to others. Maybe that person is unaware of particular habits or quirks and will benefit from the conversation. Or maybe they’ll be unreceptive, but at least you will have tried.

Always, though, keep in mind it’s not just that person. It’s also you and how you react to the person. Then think through which of those you can control and then do something about it. You may find things a bit less irritating, and find yourself able to be a little more excellent to that person.

These may all seem like little things. And they are to an extent. Yet it’s often the little things that make the biggest difference.

The world has always been a harsh place, and in the last few years it’s grown even harsher. The anonymity of the Internet has made it easier for people to be nasty to one another, and the speed and breadth of social media has enabled that meanness to be spread farther and faster than ever before.

Still, you have a choice. You can join the clatter of nasty, or you can follow the advice of Bill & Ted and be excellent to each other.

If we all just try to be a little better, and a little nicer, we can make the world – both the business world and the general world – a much better place.

So what did I miss? What other suggestions do you have that will help us all be excellent to each other? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

5 Ways to Convince Your Clients Clients to Do PR

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One of the most enduring challenges many of my clients face is getting their clients on board with a public relations program.

It happens to healthcare vendors all the time.

The sales team inks a major deal with a large health system or a long-time hospital customer reports transformative results with your solution.

These exciting developments course through your company and the promotional machinery is set into motion. Press releases and media alerts are drafted. A steady cadence of pitches for bylines, case studies, and interviews are knitted together into a cohesive, multi-pronged strategy that aligns with concurrent plans developed by marketing, social media, web development, sales and internal communications.

Suddenly, a single e-mail or phone call brings the entire endeavor to a screeching halt. Your customer doesn’t do PR with vendors.

I’ve been burned by that stove a couple of times. What follows isn’t a sure-fire recipe for folding an end-user into your client’s PR program. No such recipe exists. However, with a bit of foresight and planning, you can reduce the chances of a hard no.’

1. Do Your Homework. A big part of PR is relationship building. A quick huddle with your client’s PR department and agency is great for setting boundaries about what they will or won’t participate in. It also helps to have a granular understanding of how that client approaches public relations. For example, many organizations have firm policies against promoting the vendors they use in day-to-day operations. This might imperil the chances of a press release, but could open opportunities for other kinds of content, such as speaking engagements, vendor-neutral interviews and carefully curated thought leadership.

2. Set the Table. Successful end user public relations actually start with the sales team and account managers who onboard new clients. Do your contracts include language about PR participation? Most clients would understandably balk at being required to participate in a full-fledged PR campaign, but many contracts have a line or two mandating that a press release be distributed within 60 to 90 days of signing the contract. Sales teams are also great for understanding the best way to approach a client with a public relations strategy.

3. Sell Their Story. Positive media coverage can be used by the health system to promote this new capability among existing patients and the broader community. As an industry, healthcare is unique in the level of fellowship and collaboration it inspires. Healthcare providers have a passion for sharing new ways to meet complex challenges. Creating a client-centered strategy that focuses on the organization’s journey and perspectives could open more doors than a strategy that blatantly promotes the vendor.

4. Be Strategic, Not Tactical. Any client who is participating in your PR efforts should have a voice in the actual strategy and tactics. This thinking goes beyond press release approval. It includes how and when they will be positioned and prepared for media interviews, speaking engagements, or other opportunities. Establishing a regular cadence and open line of communication with your client’s marketing and PR team ensures that you both make the most of your public relations efforts.

5. Start Small. It’s tempting to be aggressive with new client public relations because the opportunities seem endless. But broad programs are easy to reject. Too much time, too many resources. There’s nothing wrong with creating an ambitious program but reveal as much as you need to at the time. Start with small but measurable wins to build up a relationship.

Your company’s clients are a critical and bountiful resource for your PR and marketing program. They offer third-party validation for the efficacy of your solution within the industry. They act as vendor-neutral sources for editors and reporters in the trade and business press. They provide real-world solidity to the larger trends and narratives impacting healthcare in the United States.

Though your clients may understand the value they could bring to your PR strategy, that doesn’t mean they will go along with it. Communication with your clients about PR initiatives not only clears up misunderstandings but also helps establish with your client boundaries and a level of comfort about deliverables being created with their name and reputation affixed to it

But I have a staff why do I need a PR or marketing agency?

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We all have strengths and whether we admit it or not, we all have weaknesses. For one, I can’t seem to make a grilled cheese sandwich without burning at least one side. Lucky for me, there are people that not only cook grilled cheese to perfection, but they’ve done so well they’ve opened entire businesses to support this one simple menu item.

Outsourcing we all do it, nearly every day. I, for one, often “outsource” my cooking whether it be to family members or to nearby restaurants.

According to Dictionary.com, outsourcing is a verb meaning to purchase (goods) or subcontract (services) from an outside supplier or source. Unfortunately, the word “outsourcing” often sparks a negative connotation. In reality, it’s simply working with others to provide goods or services to enable one to focus on their own strengths.

The Benefits of an Agency

In 2017, the entire outsourcing market was worth $89 billion and has only grown since with both large and small companies outsourcing various components of their business. Frequently, companies choose to outsource all or pieces of their marketing and public relations efforts.

Some reasons companies may choose a marketing and PR agency include:

  1. It can be difficult to find the best talent, at a reasonable price. Hiring an agency that specializes in your field can afford you multiple experts at a lower cost.
  2. Faster Turnaround. With domain knowledge and available tools, a team of experts can produce results faster.
  3. Tools and Technology. An agency has access to the latest marketing and public relations tools and technology required to execute flawless campaigns with robust reporting.
  4. Staying Focused. This is especially true of smaller companies or high-growth companies. If information technology is your specialty, let your teams focus on internal development and support while outsourcing tasks that supplement your company objectives while allowing your team to stay focused on their initiatives.
  5. Last, but not least it is often more financially viable to outsource all or pieces of marketing and public relations rather than staff an entire team. Depending on a company’s size and growth trajectory, an internal marketing and PR team may consist of 1-2 or as many as 20+ internal employees.

Leaders must remember that it’s not an “all or nothing” scenario. If you have internal teams to handle most of the marketing and PR efforts, but you need the other 20%-40% managed externally, most agencies can fit your specific needs into a customized plan.

How to Decide

Even as a highly regarded marketing and public relations agency, we recognize that outsourcing these critical business needs is not for everyone. In a recent Forbes article, Jodi Amendola of Amendola Communications discusses the four criteria and questions to ask before choosing an “outsourced” marketing and PR agency.

The four most important questions include:

  1. Do you have clearly defined goals that you want your agency to achieve?
  2. Do you have someone that can act as your corporate liaison?
  3. Is your company’s culture accepting of new ideas and concepts?
  4. Are you okay with not being completely in control?

The last two are of particular importance. Whether you have an internal marketing staff already or will be relying solely on an agency, the culture of the company and willingness to accept an outside agency as part of your team is the key to success. The more you accept an agency as part of your team the easier it is for your employees and the agency to align with the business objectives and achieve goals.

In the most successful relationships, companies perceive their marketing and PR firms as an extension of their own teams. As with the existing marketing associates, agencies must also be held accountable for achieving defined goals and measured on their successes.

In summary, every company has its strengths and weaknesses. Josh Kaufmann, a famous business and entrepreneurship author, once said, “For everything we don’t like to do, there’s someone out there who’s really good, wants to do it and will enjoy it.” If you can find one of those, you’re ahead of the game.