Marketing Programs Are Like Dating

Now that you have listened to the sage wisdom of my colleagues, Mike and Sara, and conducted a multitude of online research studies to find out what your customers want, you have to deliver! The process is similar to dating - listen to everything your love interest has to say during the first few dates, learn their likes and dislikes and apply appropriately to create a healthy and lasting relationship.

Sounds simple enough, right? If only. As with dating, there are several key steps to a successful marketing program:

Listen to your customers

This means listening to your research. You took the time and spent the resources conducting this important first step, don’t let the effort be in vain. If the research offers pearls of wisdom you had not expected, it’s probably right which means you were less right. Harsh I know, but sometimes we’re too close to our products and/or services leading us to believe we know what our customers want without bothering to ask. Other times we ask and then ignore what they tell us because we don’t agree which is a lot like preparing a marriage for divorce. (And if you’re unaware, divorce is a costly proposition.)

Develop a Plan

Good research is the foundation for all good marketing plans. Don’t overlook it. Seize all of the valuable insights possible and turn that insight into a plan of action. Your plan can take on many forms: Word doc, PowerPoint, smoke signal - whatever works for you and your organization. The point is to take the learnings and figure out how to deliver on what your customers want in their blissful future.

Take Action

Once you have a solid plan in place, based on the needs and wants of your customers, it’s time to kick it in to high gear and commence delivery. Research and planning has taken some time so there’s no time to waste now. It’s also too late to realize your fear of commitment. Those of you thinking you can plan the wedding, dream house, two kids, one dog, and then skip out on the alter will have a lot of ER PR on your hands.

Testing, Testing - 1,2,3

We are human. We are not perfect, which means we need to constantly be testing new angles. Double check your work, see if your plan is delivering on your customers expectations. Progression is necessary in relationships. Your customers will appreciate the effort to eventually get it right and forgive error when it’s not perfection at first sight.

Measure Your Success

Listen. Check. Plan. Check. Act. Check. Now what? Test, my friend. How do you know if all the effort was worthwhile? Measurement, of course. Measurement is the key to any success. This will allow you to provide concrete evidence to customers, bosses and jealous exes. Hold on though, measurement isn’t the happy ending to this love story.

Rinse and Repeat

Customers, as significant others, have ever-changing minds, goals and budgets. To stay on top of your game, it’s imperative to touch base with your customers on a regular basis. Research and planning are not going to forever hold their peace, rather they are ongoing and need to be renewed. Embrace this opportunity to explore new ways to keep the romance alive.