Why do businesses need to alter their lack of understanding, when it comes to the need for marketing communication strategy?

A research conducted by McKinsey in 2012 [1] shows that businesses do not present their brands to the market in a way that is suited to the information that their customers are seeking. McKinsey defined this as a gap that causes the brands to "talk past their customers". In other words, businesses, which communicate the information that their customers want to hear, will be successful in selling their products and services to those customers. A proper marketing communications strategy could be the difference between a surviving business and a thriving one.

Marcom strategy can help you stay ahead of the game

Here are some points of alteration that can help businesses on the road to a comprehensive and effective communication strategy.

1. Alter the added value view point
We are all taught at business school to talk about added value to the customer. If we can prove this added value, the customer will buy the product or service. This assumption is valid, but most companies use this to deliver messages about the features of their product or service without stopping to wonder what their customer is really looking for? If you alter the view point an start with the added value the customer wants to find, then you can communicate to the customer how your product will provide them with the added value they seek. Added value comes first and foremost in solving a problem for a customer and in providing a service or products that the customers think they need.

2. Alter the company characteristics view point
According to the McKinsey research, B2B companies are promoting characteristics such as broad product portfolio, innovation, global presence, corporate responsibility, diversity and equal opportunity as a basis for brand strength. Whereas customers find characteristics such as honesty and dialog, responsible action along the supply chain, leadership and specialist expertise of importance when they evaluate a brand. Once again it is advisable to turn the focus onto the customers and their views. Customers want to buy from people and businesses they perceive as honest fore and foremost! reputation is key!

3. Alter the messaging focus
Considering that most B2B companies are focusing on similar messages, your business needs to create a unique message. Do not elaborate on features that might be similar to the competition. Finding the point that makes your product unique and solves a certain need in the market is key to creating a compelling marketing message. Do not concentrate only on the product features. Do not talk only about your company and product or service. Talk about the need of the customer and how it is met by your company. Expand this message to include core values, which are a part of your company DNA and that resonate with your target customer audience. If your customers can identify with the reason WHY you do business, they are more likely to buy from you.

4. Alter the marketing communications infrastructure
Assuming your know who you customers are and what they need, now you need to find them in order to deliver your marketing message. The possibilities to deliver a marketing message in the era of web marketing are endless and not very expensive. But perhaps because of this multiple choice / low budget environment, marketers tend not to be focused and they just try everything or to follow the herd. Taking the time to understand in which channels your customers are best tuned in to hear your new and clear message can prove instrumental to turning a slow campaign into a blitz of marketing success!

5. Alter the emotional rationale
As the tools for marketing are ever changing, principles of marketing remain constant. If you can create a marketing message that will be clearly heard by your target audience, and which resonates with your customers, touches their heart and involves emotions in their purchase, your chance of acquiring their business and then their loyalty for a repeated purchase will increase considerably.
Yes, even in business we purchase with the heart and then justify with the intellect. Numbers and statistics are good and important data, but only if they support a more emotional call to fulfill and an unmet need.

To conclude:
A comprehensive marketing strategy, which includes understanding of the unmet need, the target customers including their considerations and personas, combined with products highlights and the best dissemination opportunities, will help your business to stop "talking past your customers" and help create an open dialog with customers from day one, starting with effective communication of marketing and brand messages. A marketing communications strategy can help your business develop a focused road, driving a clear path through the overwhelming verity of marketing options and tools.


[1] http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/how-b2b-companies-talk-past-their-customers