As marketers, it’s our job to influence purchase decisions. Connecting with consumers with a relevant, customized message at the right time on the road to conversion is crucial. However, when we nudge them towards a purchase, we don’t want to rub them the wrong way. There’s a fine line between influencing and an invading someone’s privacy.
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Why customer relationships should matter to marketers
Consumer behavior dictates marketing strategies. It really is as simple as that. Fortunately for marketers, science shows that people are easily influenced at the subconscious level. With a little work, they can be persuaded at the conscious level if you can speak to their immediate pain points at the appropriate time in the customer’s journey. What companies do after they obtain their customers is even more important than the measures they took to reel them in. According to Rightnow Technologies, 73% of customers leave a brand because they are dissatisfied with customer service.
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How Best Buy took the gloom and doom out of Showrooming
People’s shopping habits have changed dramatically since the inception of the smartphone. Consumers can now ‘shop’ for a specific product in person while viewing the selling price for that item from worldwide vendors on their phones. This relatively new approach to shopping is called showrooming.
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Walk beside me, be my brand
I recently came across a shocking statistic: just 36% of companies have a process in place for tracking the customer journey process. Brands spend way too much money trying to acquire new customers to be so laissez-faire about securing their business.
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People are strange, when you’re a marketer
It’s interesting to reflect on how the price of an individual’s privacy has plummeted over the years. I remember when Facebook first came out and users were reticent to give up their date of birth so they could register to be part of the social site. (I, for one, initially gave them a fictitious birthday. Later I corrected it when I realized it might be nice to have hundreds of ‘friends’ post on my wall and wish me a happy birthday.) Jump forward ten years, and we reflexively grant permissions and quickly click through user agreements without reading them, and without a second thought, to join online communities with our…
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Is the ‘Hook’ harmful?
In his book, Hooked, Nir Eyal explains the Hook Model – a formula he developed to explain why users of particular products feel compelled to keep coming back for more. The model consists of four progressive steps: trigger, action, variable reward and investment. It’s hard to think about the Hook Model without social media coming to mind. For many people, checking their social media accounts, such as Facebook and Instagram, have become as reflexive an activity as turning on the lights upon entering a room. While some experts say this addiction to online interaction is harmless, others refer to it as “digital heroin.” Simon Sinek goes so far as to…
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License to thrill: adventures in email marketing
Venture capitalist Fred Wilson calls email a “secret weapon.” I, for one, wholeheartedly agree. Just today I had an email assail me and aggressively demand $40…or else. In actuality, I opened an email from Ulta and before I knew it, I went to their website and spent $40 I had no intention of parting with when I woke up this morning.
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Can of soup, $5. Celebrity endorsement: priceless.
It’s Sunday night, and I just ordered my groceries for the week through Instacart (if you haven’t tried this grocery delivery service yet, I highly recommend you do). I decided to try a new and unfamiliar brand of soup, just because of the celebrity name on the label. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.
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How do they do that?!
I think the ultimate response from a customer is, “How do they do that?!” How does that company provide such a high-value product (or service) at such a low price? It’s not often I experience this reaction to a brand, but I always highly recommend the brand when I do.
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Ace that Marketing Research exam!
You can do it! Just never let this guide leave your side before December 15th! Make it more fun and study with a buddy! You got this!
