The Art of Communicating With Your Customers
Nobody likes to be talked to, or deceived, so when you advertise, aim to communicate.
When most consumers hear the term “advertising,” some think scam, while yet and still others think “art,” like me). Brands advertising their products to customers is both a necessary evil (for some customers), and a necessary business practice (for brands). It is no secret that “word of mouth” is the most successful form of advertising in a brand’s marketing arsenal. Reason being, for one, people like others to try new things (vs trying it for themselves only to discover that the brand promise was a farce), and additionally, because people hear from others whom they trust that a brand’s promise did or did not deliver (hence the reason why influencer marketing is often very effective).
Contrary to those with disdain for advertising, since people need things to survive, brands communicating that they offer products which solve their problems is a mutually beneficial activity. Note, I used the word “with” not “to.” No one wants to be talked to, we want to be talked with, and communicated with (all, forgive the sentence ending with a preposition).
However, as with anything if one party is benefiting more than the other, it’s not so fun. People can easily feel taken advantage of if they feel that the advertising is deceptive and tricks you into buying in any way.
In 2022, SurveyMonkey Audience polled over 1,200 people in the U.S. about their opinions and experience with social media advertising, to the below results.
- Nearly 3 out of every 4 users (74%) think there are too many ads. The number grows to 78% for adults 35+ years old.
- 44% of users find the ads irrelevant to their wants and needs. For those 35 and older, the number balloons to 51%.
So, we invite all brands, no matter the size of your organization, to do the advance work (e.g. research, even as simple as asking them on social media) to figure out what your customers want and then communicate with them that you heard them and deliver.
To communicate is to commune and share information, news or events. When you commune with another, there is a shared experience. Use the opportunity in which you capture your intended audience prospect’s attention to let them know who you are, what you offer, why you’re unique, what you do what you do, that you are listening to them, and why you are a superior choice for their resources.
Remember, let your communication be a mutually beneficial moment of communing, in which you simply share that you have something that benefits the end user, no tricks, no deception, just communicating. And, you can even have a little fun, like Kentucky Fried Chicken did in the below Mother’s Day ad.
Olivia F. Scott is an NYU Adjunct Marketing Professor, Assistant Professor of Advertising at Loyola University, and Founder of Omerge Alliances Marketing Consultancy.
