A love affair called Marketing!
Stages of the Platonic Romance between Brand & Customer
Someone recently asked me: “What are the different stages of (Inbound) Marketing?” I thought of how to tell her about it and concepts like AIDA, ACCD came to my mind. (AIDA stands for Awareness — Interest — Desire — Acquisition; ACCD for Attract — Convert — Close — Delight). Well that’s how it has always appeared in books, blogs, etc.
I shut my mind immediately. Because for me, that’s what it has never stood for. Thankfully, I have never had to give an examination where I would have had to cram up all these acronyms to be acknowledged “A Successful Marketer who Passed his Exams”. For me, a customer has always been someone who deserves to be wooed. What I consider as the process of wooing him/her is what the world calls (inbound) marketing. Let’s say they are synonymous for me. This is exactly what I told her. And a bit more:
If you are interested in a tiny bit more of detail, here it is:
How to make this Platonic Romance happen?
In marketing, it’s always about having the customer like you enough to have a relationship with you. It’s just that it’s strategic in nature and the romance, slightly more intellectual (especially in B2B) or slightly more emotional (especially in B2C).
Stage 1: Make yourself Attractive & Noticeable
Start from scratch — when the customer doesn’t know you. Let them take notice of you — by being present wherever they are. Facebook? Inbox? LinkedIn? Events? (Even in washrooms if required. Seriously!) Ensure they get to know something more about you than just your name. At least, “what you stand for.”
Stage 2: Make them Feel Good about you
Once they have noticed you, you need to make them feel good about you: in your case, you could contribute to them by providing them valuable information, for example. You could write them letters — emailers, blogs, etc. Also, you have a task at hand — make them used to you, otherwise someone else might become their favourite. This stage is very critical — can be called a make it or break it stage. Be so compelling in your communication that they want to hear more from you. So much so that when they wish to know more, they call you up (land up on your webpage / blogs / etc) themselves. I hope you have already ensured they can find your credentials easily — through CTAs on your blogs, landing pages, etc. Well, this time, ask them to leave their credentials as well — so you can get back to them / deliver them with what they need.
Stage 3: They are beginning to like You!
Now that they have started to really like and trust you, they would even be ready to buy you a dinner, in short pay for your company (services). Ensure the whole affair goes well. The whole transaction — in your case, the real sale— should be smooth and impressive.
Stage 4: Congrats! You are in a relationship!
So you already have a good relationship with your customers. but now you need to ensure there’s loyalty in the relationship. The whole affair can’t last without loyalty and we are not interested in playing short term games here. For that, you need to ensure they are used to you, and continue to drive more and more energy from you. (in short, continue to be affectionate enough to buy you dinner — forever.) For the same, you will have to spend some effort to engage with them — even if you it’s a long distance relationship. In our world, long distance still works, trust me (It’s platonic, remember?) In this digital world, you have endless means of staying in touch. Employ them. And once in a while whenever you can, keep meeting them — in their office, at events they are going to. You could share what’s going on in your life — innovations you are doing; deliver them with smart content digitally; call them or email them to congratulate them on their success; for example. In case of ongoing services, you could ensure you are always there for them — to listen to them and sort their grievances.
That’s how it works. Yes, Marketing is simple.
Good luck with your romance! Be chivalrous!
