6 tips to create an effective customer centric marketing strategy

Summary

Personalized video is an effective tool for creating a good customer centric marketing strategy. There are some tricks to take in account to do that, such as (obviously) personalization and storytelling.

The pervasiveness of the web has changed users and marketing, and the web is the arena where companies predominantly promote their products and services.

In the fast pace of the internet world, a company’s success is linked to the right time and the right communication tools that the digital world offers.

Some data on video marketing

In 2022, online videos will make up the majority of all consumer internet traffic. The reasons are several: users watch for entertainment, to learn something and to read interesting content.

For those who make use of brand videos, 85% say they like this type of content and are willing to view more of the same content, that’s why 86% of marketing professionals take advantage of this great consumption and use video as a marketing tool (Wyzowl, 2021).

Social networks have replaced, especially among younger users, television because they provide rich and various content. Users tend to stay on YouTube, where they stick around as long as the content is interesting, and this includes recommended videos.

This suggests two things. On the one hand, companies who decide to implement customer centric marketing strategies should create video content for their users. On the other hand, videos are powerful communication tools, but must be strategically used, and in line with the needs of users and the requirements of the digital channels used.

The question is always the same: how to do it?

How to create an effective customer centric marketing strategy

Before you begin creating your first video or build up your next campaign, let’s get deep into the steps that will boost up your videos: from the understanding of the audience to the importance of testing, here are six tips for creating an effective customer centric marketing strategy.

Know your user

A successful marketing strategy must start with research. In fact, digital content must be targeted based on careful analysis of the audience. We need to know the people we want to send the video to.

This means understanding their digital behaviors, if they are already customers and their interests. In doing so, it is easier to understand which tools to use and how to integrate social channels.

Some users want newsletters, others can be reached more easily through social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Choose appropriate timing

Knowing your customers means being able to predict the best time to target them with video content.

Understanding the customer journey can help. Is the customer familiar with your products? For current customers, are they satisfied or could they be losing interest in the brand? Is the customer up for a policy renewal?

For each of these stages, there is a video with specific and strategic content to be implemented, and each video should have a clear purpose. Track how your video performs to understand if the strategy is effective or not.

Pay attention to language

A proper user analysis allows you to know what kind of content and tone and voice you should be using in your video.

The tone of voice is the way you use to communicate with your audience, including the choice of words, communication style and emotional tone. It may change slightly depending on the context, the recipient, or the medium through which the communication is made.

So the third tip is to understand what customers are interested in and the purpose you want to convey, so you can craft a memorable message that enhance your brand recognition and connects you with your audience. In video, it’s not just what is being said, images and colors are also important!

Be trendy

An effective customer centric marketing strategy takes into account not only the customer behavior, but also the trends that concern, for example, the way a social network is used. Monitor the most widespread social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter) to stay up-to-date.

Instagram Stories are short videos that a user uploads that will only be available for 24 hours online. The most competitive brands were the early adopters to Instagram Stories and now everyone else is beginning to take advantage of this new medium for storytelling.

It is not a coincidence that brands that use stories have a strong positive sentiment rating and capable of arousing greater empathy.

Set a video budget

Keep your campaign goals in mind and make sure you’re spending your budget wisely, your finances will often determine the creative paths you can explore.

Consider making short videos for social platforms or rearrange user-generated content. If you have a higher budget, you may think of telling a more captivating story.

Every production, from short informational videos to animation, varies in terms of time and resources required, so there’s no definitive answer when it comes to setting a video budget, but quality and style are also a factor in cost and can impact the actual number of videos you will be able to create.

Trial and error

The Instagram stories example is also useful for explaining the last tip. No one was prepared for social media, just as no one would have thought that a video that was destined to self-destruct in a day would be popular, much less a must have, even five years ago.

This highlights the fact that brands have to be willing to innovate their content, their language and their strategy, in line with the evolution of technology. The willingness to experiment (even if it leads to failure sometimes) is the basis of a truly winning customer centric marketing strategy.

Bonus point

The first goal to pursue when designing a video marketing campaign, and of course a customer centric marketing strategy, is not to be repetitive.

Video content must be super relevant, but that’s not enough. Brands must know how to distinguish themselves from the competition and to be able to provide customers a unique experience. Do not repeat the same thing in the same way that others do.

There are two points to keep in mind.

Don’t forget about the power of emotionality. Each video must tell a story. And this story must be at the center of communication. A message that is too “product-centric” may push the user away. Make it personal, make it memorable and tell a story that guides them from beginning to end.

The second is personalization. A story that speaks directly to the user, that makes him feel like part of the story, even the hero is a story that keeps them interested. Being able to enjoy ad hoc content is certainly not a foregone experience. In this way, the company can open a channel of preferential communication and make the customer feel part of a trusting relationship. Now you can create an effective customer centric marketing strategy.

Customers like personalization. Being able to receive content customized for their interests and needs builds trust. And the closer you can be to the customer when they are making choices–helping the user understand that the company is not in front of him, but by his side–is exactly where you want to be.

It’s time to get started!

Just to recap, the growth of video consumption represents a unique opportunity for brands and media agencies. As consumers continue to prefer video over other forms of content, they expect brands of all types to connect with them through this medium.

This means video marketing strategy is a must-have skill and you need to take full advantage of this pervasive marketing tool to reach the greatest amount of users and stay competitive.

Leverage these 6+1 tips to show your audience information in a new and highly creative way. Grab a camera, get inspired and maximize your results. It’s time to make video a fundamental part of your marketing strategy!