I’m sorry to tell you this, but your customer determines if your brand can be part of their world. Not you.
She makes a choice to let you come in, and be part of her everyday experiences. Without her permission, the door is not opened. Marketers try hard to encourage reaching new customers. They wonder, is the category really of interest to them? Does your brand offer something useful and valuable to make this connection? Is your brand part of your customer’s world? Does your product have a meaningful place or is it merely another transaction without consequence?
The difference matters.
Is Your Brand Part of Your Customer’s World?
Two examples from my universe:
CARS: My car is not a part of my world. I am not that interested in cars and although the marketing effort to reach me is strong, persistent and endless, I just don’t care that much about the category.
I used to care more when my kids were little, and my Volvo was my safety shield protecting my most valuable riders. Today, I’m not that interested in the stories being told by the automotive industry. At one point in my life, safety and status mattered, and I did care how driving a certain brand made me feel. It just doesn’t matter much to me anymore. More car ads about mileage, design or zoom factors are kind of – meh, which is Yiddish for a big shrug of the shoulders.
In fact, I have recently considered that using Uber might be cheaper than owning a car. Use a car just when you need it – just like my New York City friends do. What an idea.
INDOOR COOKING TOPS & GRILLS: On the other hand, my oven top grill by Jenn-Air is a part of my world. When the oven and grill needed replacing, after 25 years, I didn’t even check to see what other brands and options are available. I just wanted to stay within the Jenn-Air franchise. Their story resonates with me. There is a powerful bond between my love of cooking and this particular brand of appliance.
The indoor grill may be my favorite ‘thing’ I own. Jenn-Air is like a family member, who joins me each night as I prepare dinner. I nourish my family with this appliance. The emotional bond is seared in my heart.
The difference matters
I share stories about cooking on my indoor grill, post images to social media and talk about to friends who share my cooking passion. But I never discuss my car and rarely share any type of story in any social media. My Jenn-Air is part of my world and connected to a frequent emotional experience.
Would it be worth it for a car company to target me? Can they make me part of their world by running different ads or telling me a new story? Perhaps, but I’m not interested enough to be engaged in a conversation. Unless they put a Jenn-Air grill in the car, I may not even pay attention. It would take an amazing new functionality that solves a problem to peak my interest.
As marketers, the lesson is clear. Sometimes fishing, where the fish are, is a profound yet simple idea. Target those who align with your world view and who may just need some information to get closer to your community of interest.
I’m hooked on an easier path to finding new customers. Unless you are offering something disruptive and extraordinary, it is a lot easier to keep fishing in the same pond.
Are you looking for some new ways to bring new customers into your community? Let’s fish together.
