Embracing the Shift: Successful Marketing in the Age of the Customer

Around the turn of the decade, society gradually moved into the age of the customer. A few years later and this revolution is in full swing, we see examples of the shift everywhere. The increased availability of information, the ease of availability, and the amount of choice has empowered consumers like never before.

While this change has been marked by the explosion of available information to consumers, that information increase has not been matched in the other direction. The information available to brands about their customers is fragmented.

Most brands cannot pull up a database of their customers and be able to see all of the information they know about them. 

The information is out there, but it is too splintered. Brands are unable to join a customer database with a social one, and so on.

While 90% of marketers believe having a single customer view is important, only 6% have achieved it. Poor data quality, siloed departments, and the ability to link different technologies are all challenges to implementing this holy grail.

So if brands are unable to implement a single customer view right now, what else can they do in the age of the empowered customer?

Getting attention in the age of the customer

The marketer’s dream is to know as much as possible about individual customers, to use that data to better answer their needs. Combining different data sets, including social data, can surface audience insights that are targeted to specific segments of consumers.

To begin with, develop accurate buyer personas that go beyond assumptions. Understand your audience segments to target and provide for them more efficiently.

Brands need to use these personas to become customer-centric. Putting the customer’s experience at the heart of every department, and ensure that the customer is delighted at every opportunity.

Each factor that has contributed to the dawn of the age of the customer is an opportunity to improve the customer experience. The connectedness of today’s customer means that if you can nail this, word of mouth will spread the knowledge.

The rise of ad blockers and the proliferation of choice

Broadcasting at consumers no longer works when they chose when and where to access content. The rise of adblockers, on-demand TV and social sites that personalize the content we receive have all contributed to this.

This has created one of the hallmarks of the age of the customer; it’s harder for brands to get attention. Brands have always produced content. The increase in content marketing is really about creating content that the audience wants to consume and share.

This means really knowing your customers and undertaking research to understand the content they read, the topics they talk about and jumping in at the right time to offer value.

Spread the message organically

Meanwhile, our collective appetite for social media knows no bounds. But the algorithm changes that have reduced organic reach on social networks mean even followers of a brand will only see a tiny proportion of their content.

The rise of streaming services means TV adverts don’t have the impact they once did. Ad-blockers reduce the visibility of banner adverts.

Promotion strategies need to be varied, and multi-platform. One of the most effective ways involves using influencers to spread your message. Messages from these individuals are more trusted and less likely to feel quite so interrupting.