Think about the best birthdays you’ve had. Someone got you a gift that fit you exactly, in just the color and style you like best. Nobody important forgot to call on your big day to wish you well and you even got a few surprises when someone left a treat bag of chocolate chip cookies on your desk and your best friend dropped by with your favorite coffee drink.
It’s not hard to remember the rotten birthdays. You won’t forget that year when you received several apologetic texts in the days following your birthday and your gifts left you wondering if your family and friends know you at all.
And what does all of this have to do with your marketing strategy? Plenty, it turns out.
The things that make for a great birthday also pump new growth from a marketing strategy. Here are three ways you can apply the thoughtfulness of a fantastic birthday to connecting with audiences:
Timing: Timing is everything with your birthday. If someone wishes you a happy birthday three months after the date, you look at them like they grew an extra nose. It doesn’t work.
But with marketing, the feeling is kind of similar when a company sends content that seems to indicate that they think you’re about to make a purchase from them. But you’re not.
And this applies to other types of timing issues. If your company regularly posts on social media in the morning, but your target audience is young dads that tend to cruise social media late at night after tucking all the kids into bed, you’ve missed it.
Personalization: If you’ve ever received a personalized gift with the wrong initials or a cake with your name misspelled, you know how personalization can go all wrong.
In the same vein, it’s clear when someone has put a lot of thought into your gift, versus pulling a vanilla-scented candle out of their “oops, forgot a gift” closet.
Take time to personalize your content, promotions and communications with your audiences. They should get the impression that each touchpoint with your company has been tailored exactly for them.
Surprise: Whether it’s a roomful of loved ones jumping out from behind your living room furniture or a gift so extravagant you never thought to ask for it, surprises are a fun part of birthdays.
Put a little surprise or two into your marketing strategy. Maybe your normally-serious social posts could infuse a little life with a funny video or a silly poll. Or perhaps you send out a ridiculously awesome discount to loyal customers, just because you appreciate them.
When you aren’t sure what to do with a stagnant marketing strategy, treat your audience like it’s their birthday. And if you aren’t sure how to get started, contact us at SJC Marketing. We can help you figure out how to bring a little birthday fun to your marketing. Maybe we’ll even do it over cake.