Once upon a time, people spoke to each other personally, specifically and for longer periods of time. That was decades ago. Of course, personal contact is still made, but the intention is different. And that difference is even different between different generations.
born between
Baby Boomers 1941 – 1955
Generation X: 1956 – 1970
The Xennial 1971 – 1985
Generation Y 1986 – 2000
Generation Z 2001 – 2015
From 1941 in which almost exclusively personal conversations were conducted, in 2002 this is largely done via devices. The duration of the conversations has also been shortened as the contacts are conducted via the devices. The spirit of the times that everything has to be faster or shorter also plays an important role in communication. This raises the question of how we as a brand should communicate with customers and prospects? How do we develop sustainable brand relationships?
Experience has shown that digital communication between different generations and brand relationships continues to change. The trend has been set. We will contact more and more friends, family and acquaintances online. The frequency of contacts is often higher than personal contacts. We also know more about their preferences, opinions and wishes. Even friends of acquaintances want to add you as a friend, even though you may never have personal contact.
This has a major impact on the manner of sustainable brand relationships. The target group is divided into subgroups. Clarity makes way for nuance. A family member likes your product. You can see this on your device, but the impact would be much greater if you spoke to that family member personally. The brand reference by that family member means more than a brand advertisement.
The youngest generations no longer want a brand to be imposed on them. They want to make their own choice based on whether the brand is authentic, whether I am listened to, the company understands me, what benefit I get from the product and do I only receive targeted information. These topics need to be focused on. Not the old familiar advertising strategy, but the storytelling strategy or content strategy. This does not mean that it can become a one-sided story. That in turn is associated with brand advertising. No, it must be interactive content. Then the customer and prospect will accept it. In this way, a lasting interpersonal relationship is built.
There are a number of requirements underlying this. Once the interaction has taken place, listen and ask questions. Show interest and understanding for what the customer and prospect wants or needs. Indicate how the brand has appreciated others and helped them with their question. And make sure that the content is substantively appealing and that the customer and prospect experience it as useful.
The content for a prospect is extremely sensitive content. The prospect needs to be immediately triggered by the text. And preferably in the first sentence. This requires a number of basic factors to grab and keep attention. Show understanding for what the prospect wants, needs and finds important. Also indicate what the brand stands for and what it has to offer. Why is your brand a better choice? Give reasons to gain trust. Reports the added value of the brand. Come up with possible solutions to possible problems.
It takes extra effort, but it ensures that the prospect becomes involved and can grow into a loyal customer. Then it is essential that the right target group is approached. Deliberately search for where that target group is located and place the content there.
