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It’s no secret that customers buy into brands predominantly for emotional reasons, there are rarely many purchases that come from completely logical reasoning. With so many brands out there competing in the same market, the main thing that distinguishes them is customer perception. If you think about all of the best selling brands in the world you will be able to deduct clear similarities in strategy, who focus on the strong emotional drives to encourage sales. A brand that lacks any emotional connection to the consumers is nothing more than a label that has no relevance to its target market.
Emotions allow for the conversations around your brand to flourish in astonishing ways. Think about it… How many branded videos have you seen go viral because it touches on a fundamental human insight? People are social creatures, but we will only talk about the things we care about. So, if you’re not already appealing to your customers through emotional appeals, are you missing out on this effective strategy?
As a brand, social media can be one of your best tools to gather data about your customers, analysing how they interact with your brand, as well as researching what other content and brands they interact with, and why. Your social media marketing strategy should have two main objectives: product marketing and creating connections with your customer base. This means the content you share via your social media profiles should be under two categories. The first would be classed as ‘functional content’ which would provide information about your products and services, as well answer any questions your customers would have.
The second would be emotional content that would be created specifically to mould a connection between customer and brand, and this would your most valuable content. Perhaps, because functional content, as well as replies, can now be easily automated (and your customers know this), and your customers want to connect with humans, not robots! Previous research has shown that almost 20% of online purchases have been the result of surfing the social media sites. You want to ensure that your current customers are advocates for your brand, in order to entice new customers to make a purchase for you. Customers are inclined to take in public opinion, from reviews and interactions, before committing to a purchase- and your social media accounts are the best, and quickest, a way of sourcing the information they need.
Your emotional appeal should not only be present in your advertising campaigns but trickle down to the way you interact with your customers on social media and even down to the presentation and functions of your eCommerce site. It is therefore effective to have an eCommerce site that has a regular blog integrated into the website. By providing content on your eCommerce site, you are fulfilling your customer’s needs for both information and entertainment, whilst building up your connection to your target audience. If you look at the best eCommerce sites on the world wide web, you will begin to see clear similarities in their websites. Easy navigation around the site, as well as live chat- that allows for real-life interaction between brand and consumer. In addition to personalised accounts and suggestions based on the products you have previously bought, personalised elements on your eCommerce site can allow for a strong connection between your brand and your customers.
Whilst many brands believe the marketing is the most important aspect, and it is very essential. If you are directing your customers to an eCommerce site that doesn’t meet their expectations you will surely lose their interest and respect. As they say, first impressions really do count! People will decide very quickly if they like your website or not, and therefore it is essential to ensure your eCommerce site is attractive and appealing; otherwise, you could lose this potential sale to one of your competitors!
Passion for the brand is at the heart of building a great brand, and for this, you will need a team that is truly committed to achieving success. Not only in the running of your business but the companies that create your eCommerce site and market your brand. And whilst other website builders may create your site and wish you luck, the team at Media Lounge want to ensure you see a great return on investment. Therefore, we work with you to come up with a long-term online strategy, to ensure your online presence is continually present and relevant to your customers.
So if you’re looking for a company to build or re-design your eCommerce site, that truly understands what your customers want and need from your website, get in touch today.