To connect with today’s consumers, you need smart digital marketing.
What is C4 Marketing? It’s marketing designed to connect with today’s consumer, who’s plugged in and online 24/7. Here’s how it works:
1. Communicate. Use content marketing and social media to stay connected with your audience. Get your message to them where they are online – not just on your website, but in the social channels as well.
2. Connect. Focus on their needs. Solve their problems. Don’t hoard your knowledge, but go out of your way to become the go-to resource whenever people have a question or problem. To do that, develop relationship through social channels.
3. Convert. Don’t go for the quick sale. Take your time nurturing the relationship. Focus on helping people know, like and trust you, and provide content that answers all their questions at the point that they’re asking those question. Do this well, and you’ll earn the right to start promoting your products.
That’s when you kick in your direct response sales pitches and make the sale. In fact, when it comes down to two choices, they’ll choose the one they like the best, and because of the work you did before the sale, you’ll win. Great customer service before the sale will help you make the sale.
4. Capture your market. It’s cheaper to keep a customer than to get a new one. A lot of businesses forget this. But if you focus on know-like-trust and you effectively communicate-connect-convert — if that’s the culture of your company — you will stand out from the competition.
The key is to communicate and connect on such a deep level that you not only win the sale, you generate buzz. After-the-sale communications, for example, can remove buyer’s remorse, helping people get the most from their purchase. Then, because people are plugged in and social, they want to share their experience with their friends.
That’s advertising you can’t pay for, and it can make the difference between being an average vendor and becoming your customer’s go-to resource.
It takes all four Cs to connect and build trust
In today’s marketplace, trust is the new currency. And the best way to build trust is with the 4 Cs of Marketing: Communicate. Connect. Convert… and Capture your market.
But remember, it takes all four Cs to create a strong sales process that doesn’t kill trust. You can’t get by with only two or three of them.
Ultimately, you need a message and a platform for spreading that message. You also need to build relationship both before and after the sale.
Communicate and connect by creating high-quality content for your website and social channels. These will help you build credibility and trust, which will make you the go-to source in your industry. So when people are ready to buy, they’ll want to buy from you.
Then continue to build trust after the sale. Deliver useful, actionable content on an on-going basis, and you’ll easily rise to the top and capture your market.
Related blog posts…
Get Rich Slow: A Long-term Marketing Strategy
