Don’t let your data scare you!

BOO! Did we scare you? No? Not at all? Yeah, me neither.

If there ever was a time where we were prepared for frights, spooks and scares, it's now. (Sheesh!) At Bounce, we are still grabbing the Halloween candy, getting Patchy’s costume ready and forging ahead, just like you. Neither Frankenstein or Frankenweenie can stop us.

As we head into the last 3 months of the year, businesses still have to find ways to use what they have to keep their connection with customers alive and well. And who can blame us? We are hardwired for connection.

On one hand, we are lucky to have the internet, since it has allowed us a semblance of human connection more than ever in the past few years. (Good or bad!)?But on the other hand, the internet can be a bottleneck; making it incredibly difficult since you are competing for limited time, limited space and limited dollars. What better way to grab your community’s attention than by using what you already know about them?

In this article, we are sharing a few tips on how you can use what you know to come up with a new product, service or offer.

This is definitely not spooky stuff, but if you think it’s scary, send us a note so we can get you back to a full night’s sleep!

“You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.”

We are not sure who coined this phrase but it doesn’t matter. To us, the message is clear. Be nice, be kind and be courteous. (The universal, yes?) You know what else these words tell us? To listen. And in this case, we need to listen to what our customers have been telling us, through their actions (and your own) and offer up more of what they seek.

These days, brands that aren’t listening run the risk of losing the room and losing customers. Who can afford to lose customers? (Nope, not one hand is up, is it?) These days, businesses must use the tools at their disposal to cultivate their community.

At Bounce, we strive to listen first but to also meet our clients where they are. We also take a step back and ask ourselves, what is OUR market telling us? What are the common pain points of OUR community and client base? Then, we use this information to offer up solutions, create messages, evergreen content, new ideas, offers, you know, all of it!

But in the age of cooties (See: clinical definition), we all know we can’t meet just anyone in person right now to establish a relationship, on a business or human level.

Here are a few ways to help you act on what you know and generate interest in your business and brand.

1.???What’s hot, what’s not? Engaging with clients to get their feedback can be challenging, especially now. One way to get real time feedback is by using the data available from your website. When was the last time you ran an analytics report? What areas on your site generate the most traffic? What’s driving the visits and page views? Same with your social channels. Are you noticing that your clients prefer to learn more about the sausage or how the sausage is made? There’s a difference.?

2.???Where have I been? One of the ways we discover what to talk about and offer is by looking at our project history by conducting a service audit. Are there services that your customers keep coming back to you for? Are your customers coming from a certain geography or business sector? Is there a certain project size that is defining your sweet spot? Where have you been? Sometimes looking at the past can inform your future.?

3.???Talk to each other. A common issue we see, particularly with larger organizations, is a lack of regular communication between their sales team and marketing teams. Consider a regular forum to share goals, strategies and tactics. Both sides have specialized, critical expertise and insight into your clients, products and services. By adopting a cross functional approach, your team will learn from one another and learn more about your clients.??

4.???Ask. A relatively easy way to ramp up engagement is by turning statements into questions. Add surveys and polls on your social feeds to spark a conversation with your community. Hootsuite suggests featuring products from your catalog and polling followers on their opinions. You can also use polls to educate your community on social issues important to your brand, demonstrating your commitment to social responsibility.

In these challenging times, we’ve all been called to recognize each other’s humanity—and prospects expect the same from your business. Now, let’s put our own advice into practice by asking, how have you used the tools at your disposal to gauge prospects’ needs and welcome them into your brand’s family?

Not sure where to start? At Bounce, we get you because we are you. Send us a note and let’s talk!

Bounce Marketing & Consulting is a boutique marketing agency who builds strong client partnerships in healthcare, workforce development and financial services. Through shared industry knowledge, global marketing expertise and a passion to do good. Together, we propel brands into the future by connecting them with diverse core and new audiences. And while results rule, we make sure our clients smile along the way, too.

We specialize in marketing strategy, copywriting, print, digital design and translation services to help your brand bounce ahead ... with your customers.