Let’s give them something to talk about

Why is all of your marketing about "item and price?"

During a recent workout at the gym, the song by Bonnie Raite, “Let’s give them something to talk about” began to play. That is when I had the “ah-ha” moment from a couple of recent transactions with businesses.

Whether I am making a purchase as a business owner or an individual, I allow them to easily get my email address so they can begin to market to me and my business. I do so because I continually want to study what businesses do to interact with their existing, and now a new, customer.

For many, asking, “Can I have your email address?”, is no more professional than the person who simply says, “Can I help you?”
The person interacting with the customer, whether by phone or in person needs to give the customer a reason why that customer would want to hear from your business. Even with a customer ordering online, having a box that defaults to a check mark, stating, “Yes, I would to know about special deals, prices, and new products” and other similar statements are weak.

Regardless of these poor reasons for me to give a business my contact information, I do because I want to learn more about marketing from the many businesses reading this column.

Generally, the emails begin to show up rather quickly. Most often, the next day. Many of the businesses send emails more frequently than a person or business would likely be making a purchase from the business sending the emails.

The big disappointment is the overwhelming of emails are a barrage of announcements of “item and price” advertising. The emails include a photo of the item and a limited time offer of a discounted price.
This is where the business is experiencing a self-inflicted wound and creating the problem they so dislike. The customer is being told to watch for these emails to decide what and when they are going to make a purchase. Research has shown the bigger the discount a business gives the less likely the customer will return or contact the business for future purchases.

The reason? The type of person who decides where they are going to do business based on price is demonstrating they are a “price shopper” and their loyalty is to a better price instead of the better business.
What if the business were to do something different with that valuable contact information? Let’s suggest the business turns their efforts to content marketing.

Content marketing occurs when the business decides their first effort in “talking” with their customer is to tell the customer about the new products they have. Content marketing can give ideas of how to use the products the business sells. Content marketing can also share news of general interest to their customers. As an example, an art exhibit using a medium the business sells in a new methodology would give the customer, be it a business or individual, some fresh creative ideas.

The Bonnie Raite song? The title is repeated multiple times through the song and is a simple, “let’s give them something to talk about”.
That should be the purpose of your customer sharing their email address and their expectation of hearing from your business. That email is giving the customer something to think about; something to talk about; and something to act on. Is it going to be an effort to develop a “price shopper”? Or will it be an invitation to do business with your business that is unique?

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