Let’s Talk

By Rica Estrada

When you think of marketing, don’t think of sales graphs. Think of a table for two. Stripped of all the gimmicks and drama, at the heart of marketing is a heartfelt conversation. People love to talk, to discuss, to engage. They want to be heard as much as they want to listen. They are excited by a compelling story, by a new idea, by an unconventional opinion.

Liken a marketing conversation between two people sharing their respective stories over a cup of coffee or even wine — intimate, sincere and real. The key word is sharing. Marketing is a two-way street. More than just the brand yakking about itself; much of the conversation involves listening to what your audience have to say. If you are to connect with your audience, go beyond the numbers, the features and the benefits of your brand. Get to know them. Interact with them. If you listen to them, they will listen to you. KitKat, the wafer brand has been known to be one of the most interactive brands in the world. They listen to their audience very well and when they found out that majority of their audience demographics are yuppies who have been working relentlessly to make it to the corporate world; they created the Have a Break Movement. They visited offices and performed for employees creating a much needed reprieve from the hustle and bustle of their work life. They’ve also installed no wi-fi hotspots so people who wanted to get away from the online world may do so, if only for a while. In return, their audience has been very participative of KitKat’s marketing activities because they felt they were heard. More importantly, they have since associated KitKat with the comfort of taking breaks. Kitkat, through active listening, has imprinted its brand to the minds of its target audience.

Listening is one thing, but having a compelling story to tell is another. A story well-told is the one that your audience will remember the most. So how do you tell an excellent story? First and foremost, make the content personal. A successful marketing story is a narrative that your audience can relate to. Use situations that are near and dear to their hearts: a mother’s love shown in the simplest of ways, the tales of best friends growing old together, someone’s first love. Connect with them through real-life experiences. Secondly, speak in a language they can and will understand. Stop it with business babble. Don’t try to sound too smart. Talk like a human being. Be simple. Be clear. Be sincere. Lastly, bring it back to the audience. Engage with them — ask them a question, tickle their imagination, change their minds. Remember, it’s about them, not about you.

Originally published at www.nextcollision.com