We live in an ever-changing world. Many of us are overstimulated, burnt out, struggling to make ends meet, or facing other hardships. Simply put, a lot of people are just trying to get by.
There are a lot of competing factors coming together to cause a significant impact on every facet of life. War, gas prices, supply chain issues, indictments, the rise and fall of COVID cases, natural disasters, crime, mental health, the list could go on forever. Americans – and people across the globe – are feeling the impacts of current events. It might even be hurting your organization’s bottom line.
Resonate recently published an updated COVID-19 and Emerging Trends Report. Give it a read for more insights on consumer behavior. We know that customer loyalty has always been hard to earn. But now, it might feel close to impossible to achieve.
Here are our three main takeaways from the report:
- Concerns over the economy continue to grow, which is why price is the leading reason consumers are leaving brands they were once loyal to. In fact, 27% believe the US economy will never be back to pre-pandemic normality.
- Americans continue to make career changes at record-breaking rates, with the top reason deemed as compensation. Nearly 30% of Resonate survey participants say they’re struggling to pay for necessities.
- Over 80% of participants state they have been unable to receive a product they regularly buy on time due to unavailability or shipping delays.
So, how can you effectively meet your target audiences where they are while respecting the current climate we’re experiencing? How can you acknowledge what we’re all feeling and thinking while producing new business? Like many things in life (and business!), there isn’t a one-size-fits-all, cookie cutter solution. But to combat all the uncertainties and stressors, we’re sharing three tips to enhance brand perception, connect with your customers, and market your goods or services while still “reading the room.”
Personalization and Segmentation
We get it. You don’t want to spend time sending personalized messages to your contacts. The good news? You don’t have to. Marketing automation tools, like HubSpot, can do the work for you. By building strategic, automated workflows and generating personalization tokens in your content, your customers will feel like the message was sent directly to them – from you! Gone are the days of manual work for this personalization. While we’re on the topic, make sure to segment your contact lists. Seriously! Dividing your contacts into smaller groups based on a common trait can go a long way when delivering tailored content.
Acknowledge the Situation
We’re all human. And humans crave connection and belonging. Don’t force it, but you can likely find ways to acknowledge the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2022. Meeting your customers where they are matters, especially with the younger crowd. Millennial and Gen Z customers are demanding authenticity and transparency from the brands they support.
Consider your Customer Journey
The customer journey starts the moment someone first walks through your door, visits your site, views your social media account, or sees your billboard. From there, it is your job to steward them through the customer journey. You can think of the steps like this: awareness, consideration, decision, retention, and advocacy. Do you have touchpoints during every step? What do they look like? Can you further personalize and/or automate them?
We get it. You’re likely doing everything in your power to connect with potential customers, and if you’re doing it manually, you’re even more exhausted. To enhance your reach and place your message in front of the people that matter most to you, give us a ring at 865-637-9869 or get in touch online. It would be our sincere privilege to work alongside you. Here’s to brighter days ahead – together!
