In recent years, we have witnessed a reorientation of the marketing mix. Digitisation is largely responsible for this.
Social media, websites or even the opinions of other consumers one can find online, are all sources of information about a potential client, product or service. In short, customers at the core of the marketing strategy by means of their products and/or services.
This transformation allows for a more constructive and durable commercial relationship with customers. In fact, a good customer is not a customer who signs immediately, but a customer who is loyal to a brand and talks the brand up to his/her environment. A lot of companies wait until the last moment before putting in place a customer strategy. Unfortunately, they are often too late, and their figures have already dropped in the red. A customer life cycle is generally known and studied, but often its stages are not respected. In theory, nobody would want to neglect a customer after binding him/her, but reality does not always mirror the theory.
Setting up a customer support system is always in the interest of a brand. This does not only require a dedicated salesperson. A well-planned mailing system, for example, can accompany the customer during the entire life cycle, making sure customers receive fast responses to eventual requests or questions. This way, the chances of a customer having a negative experience with the brand are considerably reduced. Moreover, significant customer outflow or negative reviews could prompt the brand to reassess and improve its marketing strategy.
Why do certain customers leave, when others are so loyal to a brand? What are the reasons behind loyalty? The answers to these questions could help brands understand their marketing and improve its efficiency. Understanding the needs and expectations of one’s customers is a steppingstone to expanding one’s business.
What is customer marketing concretely?
Firstly, a marketing strategy can be built from databases. There are several types of databases, ranging from event calendars to a list of all the customers potentially interested in a new product. The most important database is called Customer Relationship Management, or more commonly known as CRM. No matter which tool one uses or how one handles them, the golden rule is to stay organised and consistent.
Secondly, there are many human aspects to maintaining a good customer relationship. A customer does not only get in touch with his supplier. During a customer’s life cycle at a company, he/she will be confronted with the after-sales service, customer service, and the marketing or even IT team. To optimise customer satisfaction, everyone’s information can be preciously kept to facilitate information retrieval afterwards.
Both mailings and databases are considered part of target marketing. Postings can have multiple goals, but the campaigns have one characteristic in common: They must draw the reader’s attention. We are all different and have different opinions on what is exciting or not. Therefore, the message might not be appropriate for the entire company database. Wrong targeting could cause a customer exodus, hence the importance of regularly updating one’s database. The choice of addressees is crucial to make a campaign succeed.
One may forget that targeted marketing also overlaps with a lot of other departments and necessitates a minutely organised and well-defined process. Finally, with the customer at the centre of all marketing decisions, it is paramount to give targeted marketing a sweet spot in the corporate marketing strategy.
