21 Mar Study shows 69% of people reject marketing
Whilst ad-blocking is getting all the headlines at the moment, it is really just a symptom underlying a much bigger problem; people are telling companies they’ve had enough of their marketing. Not just a few people either, but the large majority of people.
A recent study in the UK, by loyalty experts Aimia, reports 69% of people are closing down accounts and subscriptions, and ‘unfriending’ companies because of poorly targeted communications. This includes unfollowing brands on social channels (69%), blocking phone numbers (59%), opting out of email communications (58%) and deleting apps because of too many push notifications (55%).
In case you missed it, all these numbers are over 50%! The majority of the population are actively rejecting marketing tactics from businesses who appear to be completely misunderstanding the needs and wants of their customers. That is incredibly worrying. The marketing community has to make more effort to understand their customers’ behaviour and shape their messages accordingly.
Invest the time, avoid the crime
To truly acquire a deep understanding of their customers, marketers have to spend more time with them than they do with anyone else related to the business. Customers are every business’s lifeblood, yet too many marketers spend more time with their creative agencies worrying about whether the talent should wear a red or blue dress in their latest blockbuster TVC than the nuances of what attracts their customers over their competitors.
We’re not talking about dedicating an hour to see the annual segmentation study, no, no, no, we’re talking about spending time every week observing, talking to and thinking about your customers. Being curious, asking questions, going deeper and deeper into their lives to understand the reasons behind the decisions they make. Only then can you fully expect to connect with your existing customers and have half a chance at attracting new ones.
Stay one step ahead
Marketers need to embrace the unavoidable reality that their customers all have distinct, complex journeys. They need to map out the different touchpoints they have with their business on and offline, and which marketing channels they prefer, in order to serve their needs and preferences. The key here is to unearth the moments in people’s behaviour when their emotions are at a peak and be the brand that understands them so well that you have a solution for them precisely when they need it most. For example, providing inspiration to working Mums who need a lift each morning, having an always-on customer service for that tricky technology question at 2am on a Sunday, providing a mid-week crèche for stressed parents while they shop, showing shipping arrival dates before an online purchase is made, or providing a plethora of screen options for viewers to see their favourite show.
We need to identify all the individual nuances of customer behaviour before we can expect to give them an exchange they truly value. There are plenty of examples out there where marketers have made the extra effort to exceed their customer’s’ expectations and it is those brands that are winning. Make sure you’re one of them.