Courting Today’s Consumers

Today’s consumer wants something different

Marketing is not what it used to be.

The world has changed. While every organization is hurdling different challenges, the one reality we are all faced with is that today’s consumer is demanding a relationship, and they are refusing to be easily sold. The implications this has on how today’s organizations operate are many. Marketing in 2021 must be more relationship-oriented than ever before if it is going to be effective. In fact, a recent study found that 90% of U.S. consumers stated marketing personalization is more appealing to them.

Let’s use email marketing as an example. Recent studies found that 59% of businesses reported email marketing as their number one source of ROI. It is a relatively low-effort task, that can be pre-planned and scheduled, and yet can produce remarkable results for your organization. This is evidenced by the 71% of consumers who said they have received, “An offer that clearly shows they do not know who I am.” Taking the time to personalize an email is far more effective than it is difficult when it comes to building the relationship and taking steps towards completing a sale.

What does this mean for today’s business leaders? 2021 is going to require you to get to know your customers in a new way; to know who your customer really is, what they need or want, how they want to be reached and communicated with, and how they are willing to engage with you all before purchase.

While today’s consumer expects more of you, they will be loyal in return. According to 2020 statistics, nearly 70% of a company’s business comes from existing customers. If the COVID-19 pandemic is teaching us anything, it’s that customer loyalty may be the difference between closing your doors and succeeding beyond expectations.

Once you establish a relationship with your consumers…

• They are less likely to delete your email blasts before they open them because they have good reason to assume they want to know what you sent them.
• They are more likely to engage with you on social media platforms because they are happy to be associated with a company that engages them, personally.
• Your brand is more likely to be top-of-mind when they have a need, and when friends need a recommendation.

Yes, this means investing time into database management is more important than ever and it offers a greater reward. The consistency and personalization needed to reach today’s consumers are easily achievable with the technology, software and resources immediately available to you.

Marketing may not be what it used to be, but what you do with that fact in 2021 will be a massive determining factor of whether it has a positive or negative impact on your organization.

~ Alyssa