I wrote a blog back in August 2015 comparing online dating and online marketing which resonated with a lot of people and I can’t help but notice more and more examples of businesses making metaphorical dating faux pas!
You can read hundreds of articles and speak with thought leaders who will all tell you that you need to up your marketing game and really put yourself ‘out there’ in order to increase your online visibility and generate leads (or dates). But it’s occurred to me that, just like in the dating circle, businesses and brands are guilty of putting themselves a little too much ‘out there’, with no apparent strategy behind their actions.
Stay front of mind but leave the ball in their court
Think of a possible business lead as someone you’ve had a first date with, you wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) feel the need to keep contacting them if they haven’t replied to your last three messages. Maybe it’s just not meant to be, or maybe the timing is wrong. They’re probably just not that into you. OK, the meeting may have gone really well but they might not be in a position at the moment to take it to the next step and convert into a customer. Keeping ‘front of mind’ (which you would do in the dating world by occasionally bumping into them looking fantastic or posting the odd pic of yourself having lots of fun without them) is important but if you continually bombard them with emails and invites to ‘catch up’, you could actually be pushing customers away rather than attracting them.
Plan your wingman strategy
We’re all about quality over quantity, so swap your scattergun approach and start planning how you are going to attract customers (or potential partners) in a way that will give you the highest conversion rate. Easier said than done? Even better than having a trusty ‘wingman’, a content calendar with your planned activity written down in a clear and precise way will make this task ten times easier. This document should be ever-evolving to ensure that you are giving yourself the best opportunities to reach out to new customers in an organic way. So instead of contacting your date multiple times with vague and annoying messages, you can construct some content they might actually find useful, giving them a clear call-to-action (should they choose to act upon it).
Don’t try to be all things to all men/women
As humans, we all have FOMO (fear of missing out) which is one of the reasons why the scattergun approach is so popular. You have to keep in mind that you aren’t ‘all things to all men’ (and why would you want to be?!) To find your ideal customers/partners, you need to target the right people in the right place at the right time with valuable content that shows ‘what’s in it for them’. Making your offer clear on the first date and following it up with a cleverly constructed message afterwards is imperative. Giving mixed messages is the worst, so don’t fall into the trap of trying to sell every aspect of your business in that first email. Building long lasting business relationships takes time, so you shouldn’t be surprised if your rushed ‘Netflix n Chill’ (if you don’t know what this phrase means, Google it but don’t blame me for the content of the search results!) business tactic hasn’t been working for you.
Cleverly created content will leave your customer intrigued and wanting more but at the same time, it should give them enough information to make an informed decision as to whether your offer is the right fit for their business.
Do you think you’re giving your customers mixed messages or even accidentally turning them off? Drop me an email and we’ll help streamline your scattergun marketing approach.
