Admen claim the brand is the hero. Apple says the product is the hero. In my view, customer relationships are the real hero, and without this you have nothing.
At the risk of raising even more eyebrows, I give the marketing industry’s collective content/value strategy five out of 10.
There’s clear evidence to back up this statement. A poll by marketing automation specialist Marketo recently found almost two-thirds of people surveyed in the US, UK, France, Germany and Australia are irritated by the generic nature of the ads they’re served. In contrast, just over three-quarters are willing to closely consider a brand’s offer if it has used knowledge gleaned from previous interactions; recognising previous behaviours.
Content and context are everything, as is using this to meet and exceed consumer needs. Consumers expect companies (and their associated brand and marketing teams) to create individual relationships and moments of real connection with individuals – actual one-to-one bonds – where both parties benefit. Cue ‘value exchange’. Brands, too, are desperate to ride this bandwagon, but they’re only going to put relationships at the heart of the brand if they realise the true power of CRM.
CRM planning is undergoing a dramatic shift thanks to the advance of technology. A new generation of decision architects is leading the charge for real-time automated content. Expert practitioners can happily squeeze the pips out of every juicy piece of data that drops onto our screens, but it’s incumbent upon businesses to use that information in a more individual way to realise the strategy and achieve great results.
In the near future, it’s likely that each time I drive to the shops, turn on my telly or open the fridge, the technology I’m using will record my actions. Much of this is already happening with the use of telematics, on-demand, smart fridges, connected cars and the like. These devices are changing the touchpoints of CRM beyond recognition, allowing brands to understand me better as an individual and ultimately make my life easier through relevancy, convenience and efficiency.
But brave decisions are needed to reshape the way brands define the role they play in consumers’ lives. CRM remits remain firmly entrenched in the marketing department – a short-sighted approach that overlooks the full potential of customer insight.
Traditionally siloed marketing departments and product teams need to work closer together before they even think about channels, calls to action and new products. When harnessing the real power of consumer data to construct a customer engagement vision you’re likely to span an entire business from marketing, product and analytics to brand, customer services and sales.
Think of engagement as a means to sell, rather than selling as a means to engage. This can only be made possible by providing intelligent, tailored, data-driven communications. CRM must become a service, not just marketing.
The job doesn’t end with the consumer response or indeed an eventual sale. Brands need to consider how they can be more interesting and useful to consumers and, what consumers will get in exchange – remember, nothing is free anymore…
So what’s an agency’s role in this? Well, we can assist by getting clients to stop and think, see the bigger picture, and pin down the data and planning that’s needed to understand and respond to the needs of the consumer. CRM is the key to ongoing contact with the consumer; it’s capable of changing the direction of product roadmaps, brand positioning and even commercial operations.
From an efficiency point of view, good CRM will also prevent you from spending time signing up a customer who’s already on the books, communicating with those who will never engage and using the power of those who do engage. These may sound like simple oversights, but they are incredibly common and costly. Extending relationships, getting someone to spend more with a brand they already like, is always going to be better than forking out on acquisition.
At Amaze One we quite like Nike+. It’s a great example of a content programme created to lengthen a relationship way beyond the initial sale. Likewise, a brand like Bosch might develop themed content around washing excellence. Flymo already sends customers regular gardening tips based on previous purchases and time of year, featuring other products that might be useful.
This works across all sectors and services, from traditional products to more service-oriented businesses such as Northern Rail – providing timely commuter information beyond the actual route of travel, local attractions, personal benefits and rewards for travelling with them as an example.
The days of bulk email broadcasts and lazy display ads should be well and truly over. CRM can no longer be an afterthought, it must be built into product and brand strategies right from the start. Make the data your customers have bestowed on you the hero in their lives. Know why people act like they do, recognise them as individuals and give the consumer the right tools, content and communications demonstrating your understanding of what they want, at the right time, in the right way.
Sarah Hooper is planning and CRM communications director at Amaze One
