Following are four considerations to ensure your marketing will reach even higher levels of success in 2020.
Know Thy Audiences. Building product brands have more than one purchaser or specifier. So, rather than developing universally-targeted content, consider instead what makes each audience segment unique. Make an effort to understand their unique pain points – what solutions each audience is looking for – and what media and tools they prefer to use for communicating. Only then, can brands develop messaging that will reflect each segment.
A common way to accomplish this is to develop (or refresh existing) buyer personas – creating representative “characters” that align with a specific buyer type. Personas help to ensure that each segment receives messaging and information that is focused upon their unique needs… which is particularly critical in cases where several decision-makers are involved.
It is clear that a project manager, architect and interior designer might all have a stake in choosing a particular building product for a construction project. However, each of them likely will approach the decision from a different perspective. Personas allow your brand to connect with these distinct audiences on a deeper level. And create an emotional connection that will endure over sales life cycles and contact changes.
Approach Them Where They Are. Not everyone is moving through the buying journey at the same pace or looking for the same information at the same time. While some prospects are in the “discovery and information gathering” phase, others already know what they’re looking for and are ready to hear why your product or solution best fits the bill. In the case of your existing customers, they already know your brand but might be seeking additional products or services.
Take the time to consider what your audiences already know. What more they wish to learn. And how they want to learn about it. Identify where they are in the sales funnel – awareness, consideration, intent, trial. Or retention and loyalty. Then focus your messaging and content delivery accordingly. For example, when prospects are in the awareness or consideration stage, it makes sense to connect with them through their pain points – letting them know you understand their challenges and reassure them that your brand knows how to solve those opportunities, which helps you to build credibility and engender trust.
As prospects move further through the funnel, you can shift gears and share how your specific product/offering can meet their particular needs. When your sensitivity is authentic, prospects will feel like you “get them” – which goes a long way in building affinity for your brand – and will increase the chance of conversions.
Set Your Brand Apart. To be effective, your messaging should clearly differentiate how your offerings are better than the buyer’s current solution – and your competitors’ offerings. Will your product help prospects save time or money? Reduce risk? Help them gain market share? Achieve better margins or higher ROI? Clearly state what makes your brand stand out from the commoditized offerings in the channel. And, validate those claims with social proof such as customer testimonials, case studies and relevant stats.
First and foremost, you want your messaging to be relatable. Use the language and terms that your prospects and customers use on a daily basis, avoiding industry jargon. And, make sure you deliver your messages consistently over time across all of your communications channels. New Years is the ideal time to revisit your messaging.
Keep in mind that too many messages can become confusing for prospects and customers. They get jumbled up, and it becomes challenging to keep them all straight. It’s likely that there will be some overlap in what your different target audiences care about. Focus on the commonalities, and then look for different ways to communicate them.
Confirm Relevancy – and Adapt as Needed. There are a number of ways to see if your messaging is resonating with your core audiences. For example, you can look at “open” and “click-through” rates for your email campaigns. Are they consistent? Or have your results been sliding? Pay attention to your website analytics. Are visitors staying on your site and exploring it? Are your bounce rates increasing? If so, the end-of-the-year is an opportunity for a messaging refresh.
Over the course of 12 months, priorities shift, market factors change and new challenges arise. Make sure you’re in touch with your prospects’ and customers’ current needs and what they’re looking for right now.
Even subtle changes in your messaging strategy will demonstrate that you’re paying attention and will help to build a more authentic connection with your prospects and customers.
Make Your Messaging Count
In preparation for 2020, make a resolution to re-evaluate your brand’s messaging to make sure it’s still hitting the mark. Keeping your messaging fresh and relevant will go a long way in helping to ensure your building products brand is satisfying your stakeholders’ needs – now, and in the New Year.
