The biggest audience isn't always the best

Recently, I was sitting in a packed auditorium, where the keynote speaker began his remarks by saying, “It's scary to come between so many people like this and lunch… but I think there is one or Two things here for everyone. Who knows, maybe this will really resonate with a handful of you. ”

I almost walked out at that moment. I don't have the patience or blood sugar level to listen to some people who probably won't share anything concerning me.

Unfortunately, a lot of brands think the same way with this speaker. They create the widest net possible and end up alienating the audience.

Brands have learned that reaching the largest population possible, with the most sensible messaging, means more impressions for less money. The problem with that is that they forgot how to talk with the people most important to them. It's not about counting impressions; it's about creating one.

I call this serve the customer with the lowest denominator . Here are four ways to ensure that your brand speaks to not just any audience, but to the right audience.

1. Being human

In the old days, shoppers had relationships with merchants. Sellers understand their customers' preferences, concerns, and needs — often better than the customers themselves. They chatted about local happenings. They have shared beneficial products for customers.

Customers, in turn, are loyal not because of a lack of options but because they value the relationship with the person who sells to them. Brands today need to think about their customers in a similar way.

2. To represent something

When I did a quick poll around the office for brands that care about customer issues, my colleagues came up with names like Chipotle, Dove, and Toms. Each side is dedicated to more than just business results: sustainable fast food, realistic beauty standards, even something as big as helping the developing world.

A recent fan favorite is P&G. With its “Like a Girl” campaign, it established a new hashtag, took home the Glass Lion from Cannes, earned an Emmy nomination, and established a whole new way of thinking about girls. and sports.

3. Share what's important

With marketers so focused on capturing and streaming customer data, we've forgotten an important part of customer involvement: sharing. I don't just mean counting actions on social media, but actually sharing something of your own.

Sharing is difficult because it means taking a stand. And that can be against our instincts as marketers because it could mean attracting fewer people. But it's a sacrifice worth making.

4. Engage with the right customers sooner

Interacting with the right customers in the first place will make you a more effective marketer. You will spend less. You will have a clearer understanding of your customers, which will allow you to maintain long-term relationships with those customers. And those customers will voluntarily refer similar leads your way.

Take, for example, the publication you are reading. Content strategists reach a fairly niche audience of marketers and publishers interested in content. But each article that goes live will be shared among our clients and potential customers and each person who reads it is inclined to subscribe to our email newsletter or to say thank you to us. on social media.

These tips are important for every brand, but especially are associated with brands that spend a lot on customer acquisition and/or retention. A brand's job today is very similar to what it did years ago: Identify what's important to you and meaningfully share those things with the people who matter most.