Take a deep breath. Seriously, go for it. We made it—it’s a new year. January is a time to start fresh, rethink old ways, and look towards the future. So, when planning your marketing strategy for 2022, make an effort to stop doing things the same way “because that’s the way it’s always been done.” Get ready to shift the focus of your marketing strategies—especially in 2022.
We say “shift the focus” because these strategies may not be new, but they should take priority in 2022—the year of customer engagement—and beyond. Think about how brands capture, and maintain, a customer’s attention. As Entrepreneur.com says, “Marketing in 2022 is going to require business owners who are willing to take risks, invest in their branding, listen more intently than ever before when engaging with customers online or face failure as competition continues to grow at unprecedented rates.”
To help start this year off on the right foot, we’re offering up some ways you can keep customers engaged with refocused marketing strategies.
1. Walk in the Customers’ Shoes
Rather than looking internally and thinking about how your product or service is perceived, think externally about what the customer is seeing and if what you’re offering meets their needs. In other words, shift your perspective to that of the customer.
Understanding why a customer is interested in your brand can help you refocus your marketing efforts to align with audience expectations, versus what you, as marketers, think your brand should look like. “The future of marketing is about focusing on customer needs, not selling.”
For example, if there are multiple product options for a customer but they’re looking for the lowest price point, offer them a coupon in promotional content. While you may be proud of all of your product features, sharing content that showcases your capabilities to a value-seeking audience may not resonate. Think about your messaging from the customers’ points of view.
2. Don’t Be Afraid to Go Deep
The past couple of years have elicited new emotions and experiences in virtually everyone on the planet. Now isn’t the time for brands to shy away from those feelings. At the end of the day, we’re not just brands and customers, we’re people.
According to Brand Keys,“[In 2022] consumer foundations for brand engagement, product and service purchase, and brand loyalty will be 80 percent emotional and 20 percent rational.” So, in addition to planning marketing strategies around what your product can provide, consider how your product or service makes your audience feel. What is an emotion they may be experiencing before using your product? What is an emotion they should feel after adopting your product? When looking at customers’ buying journeys, think about their emotional journey too.
3. Explore Other Channels
Cross-channel marketing nestles neatly under the umbrella of personalization—which ties to empathy. As an extension of walking in the customers’ shoes, taking advantage of additional marketing channels gives brands the chance to interact with customers how they prefer to be engaged with.
Not only should your brand explore other channels, but you should consider the mix of channels that best appeals to each individual customer. (Hence, personalization.) If Linda from Florida always looks at SMS messages and opens emails, those channels probably work best for her. But Tom from London only responds to push notifications, since he has your mobile app downloaded, so texts and emails will go unnoticed. Understanding your customers’ channel preferences improves the overall customer experience and increases the likelihood of establishing customer loyalty. You’re paying attention to their needs and it shows.
4. Analyze Everything
Ok, maybe not everything, but looking at data is crucial for pivoting your plan when need be. Remember, whatever marketing strategy you implement isn’t written in stone. You can, and should, change directions if you see something isn’t working. That’s the beauty of A/B testing. But, without the data to support whether or not your test is successful, there’s no point to running the test in the first place.
In addition to determining test results, data helps ensure your team is running efficiently, which can impact the bottom line. “Companies are spending less money, so showing return on investment (ROI) will become increasingly important when it comes to justifying budgets and purchases.” Before you implement a new marketing tactic, be sure you have a way to define and measure its success.
Remember, this list shouldn’t be viewed as an á la carte offering. These four tips aren’t mutually exclusive and can be layered on top of one another to deliver an optimized customer experience. But, on the flipside, don’t feel like you need to execute all of these at the same time. Choose a starting point and go from there.
Refocusing 2022 Marketing Strategies
This year is all about empathy. By taking the customers’ perspectives, connecting with your audience on an emotional level, using all available marketing channels, and supporting your strategy with data, your marketing team will have a solid foundation for creating a personalized, empathetic customer experience.
We’ve all been through hard times the past couple of years. Every. Single. One of us. So keep that in mind when developing your marketing strategies. Let’s be more caring and understanding as we begin this new year and carry that same kindness into your marketing messaging. When all is said and done, we’re humans talking to humans.
To learn more about how your brand can implement these strategies in 2022, schedule an Iterable demo today.