Can you believe there are less than three weeks left in the year? As holiday preparations ramp up, businesses usually slow down, making it a great time to do some planning for 2017. You may want to start by reflecting on what worked and what didn’t in 2016. Then, make your list of goals for the coming year. Below you will find two marketing communications goals to consider: focusing on your customer's needs, and making sure your communications are mobile-friendly.
I spent most of November in learning and professional development mode. I took several LinkedIn/Lynda digital marketing classes, took an in-person editing workshop, attended my fifth WordCamp, and obtained Hubspot certifications in Email Marketing, Inbound Marketing, and Content Marketing. I certainly intend to keep on learning in 2017.
Over on the Caffeinated Views blog, I published the last two On Writing interviews for the year. Todd Van Hoosear, a Florida based tech PR pro, says good writers are like magicians, making writing seem effortless. Ami Neiberger-Miller, a communications maven who focuses on nonprofit and association PR, is more prosaic, sticking with the tried and true.
As you start your 2017 planning, and find you or a colleague need message development, writing, or copy editing help, please keep me in mind.
Wishing you a very happy holiday season, and a very successful New Year to come.
Warmly,
Deborah
Reflect on your customer’s needs
If you were to boil down the inbound/content marketing philosophy to one thought it would be to focus on your customer’s needs.
When creating content, ask yourself what your customers (potential and current) need to know and understand. Use customer or supporter frequently asked questions as a starting point. When sending email, ask yourself: What will readers get from this communication? If it doesn’t have a purpose, reconsider sending it. When building or redesigning your website, ask yourself what will make it easier for potential customers (or supporters) to find the information they need to make a decision. Is it simple to find important information (pricing, location, hours, etc.).
Unfortunately, many organizations do not practice customer-centric thinking. Take for example the communication I received after I signed up for an editing workshop in Washington, DC. In the confirmation and reminder emails, the organizers did not include crucial information, including the address of the building where the session was taking place, parking information, and schedule/agenda. Why? They failed to think about the customer. For further detail, read my blog post, Always start with the reader in mind.
How do you make sure you are being customer-focused? Here are some ways:
▪ Examine your sales (or donation) patterns. If they’ve decreased, perhaps you aren’t providing what your customer/supporter needs. ▪ Get customer feedback (not reviews). ▪ Ask a third party to rate your website and communications materials. Are they easy to understand and navigate? Do they provide the necessary information for your potential customers to do make decision?
Potential customers and supporters want to learn more about you and your services or products. Your job is to show them what you do, and make it easy for them to find what they are looking for.
Communications tip: Be mobile-friendly
It turns out that a majority of people (recent data say it’s at least 54%) are reading your email and visiting your website on a mobile device—be it a smartphone or tablet. And yet, not all emails or websites render correctly on mobile. Make it a point to check both your website and your email on various devices. Ask friends to check on their phones/tablets. I recently corrected how my own website renders on mobile by using a plug-in, and my bounce rate dropped by double digits! Becoming mobile-friendly is definitely a must-do for 2017.
Let's work together!
Deborah Brody Marketing Communications services:
▪ Writing and copy editing of marketing/communications materials ▪ Communications and social media consulting ▪ Communications and social media audits ▪ Customized blog training and workshops
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