Reach New Levels of Effective Communication with Your Customers: Multi-Method Communication Strategies

An interview with one of the speakers at our?10th Annual Product Development Excellence in Banking Summit?on 20th - 21st September 2023 at ARCOTEL Wimberger Hotel Vienna.

Disclaimer?:?Please note, all opinions in the following interview are Adele’s own and not representative of JP Morgan.

How do you connect with your customer, maintain that relationship, and ensure they understand your product?

The key is in communicating effectively. We need to listen to who we are speaking to, understand their style of communication, and adapt our own style to get the best out of any situation. Humans are complicated characters and always will be. It is important to:

• Listen attentively! We are all prone to going inside our heads and thinking about the next point we want to express. As a result, more attention is given to our own thoughts and making sure we get our point across. However, the key to connecting with anyone is really listening to what they are saying. In fact, sometimes, the real message and what is trying to be conveyed can be hidden behind the words being expressed. It is amazing what can evolve in a conversation when you truly listen attentively.
• Keep it simple! We all work on several projects at the same time and are engrossed in detail. As a result, when communicating, there is a tendency to overload the listener with too much information. Think of the three key messages you want to communicate.
• Leads me nicely onto my third point… 3 is the most persuasive number in communications!! It is easier to remember, easier to digest, and easier for your brain to retain. It is used across all disciplines and contexts… Speeches, writing, storytelling, TV adverts, video, and marketing campaigns. Once you become aware of it, you will see it everywhere!

These are the basics of communicating effectively. When you work in communications/ marketing, you take it that step further by forming communication strategies to really understand what makes your audience tick. We are all different and digest our learning in different ways, as a result, multi-method communication strategies are always important. One size does not fit all, key messages need to be carefully considered, the approach needs to be carefully evaluated and addressed to continually connect with your customer and ensure understanding of your product every step of the way.

What are the challenges in marketing a new product in the tech industry?

The tech industry is fast-paced, innovative and continually evolving. That is what makes it such an exciting industry to be part of!

Similar to humans… challenges are unique and complex, and it really depends on circumstance and environment. To give some examples of challenges that can arise in marketing a new product in the tech industry:

–????????Communications and marketing are not considered at the initial planning stages of the development process. This can result in a lack of understanding of the audience and last-minute requests to communicate a product launch. If considered from the start, comms planning can be shaped appropriately, and execution is far more effective and carefully polished.

–????????As the tech industry is such a fast-paced environment, changes can occur at any moment. Communication and marketing teams need to ensure they are always on top of the latest trends but it is also equally important they are made aware of any changes or updates. Collaboration and relationship building plays a big part in this.

–????????Communication is a skill that is not inherently strong in everyone. As a result, for some developers it can be a challenge to express what the key benefits of the product are, and how the product can really help the customer. This only emphasizes the importance of engaging communication and marketing teams early in the planning stages.

What’s important to remember is with every challenge there is always an opportunity. An opportunity to connect, adapt and evolve. This is an important factor and again what makes the space so invigorating and exciting. There are lots of opportunities for creative problem-solving!

Why is collecting customer feedback important for the development process?

Gathering feedback is crucial in understanding the needs of the customer and evaluating how well the product is performing. Feedback should be gathered every step of the way, from understanding the needs of the customer to retrieving feedback on how the product meets customer expectations.

There are so many components to the development process and several teams involved. Communication plans and monitoring (including collecting customer feedback) should be considered a vital step from the very beginning. Combine both quantitative and qualitative data. There are tools and techniques out there that can track, monitor, and provide you with insightful data. If you don’t consider customer feedback and enable customers to feel involved in the process throughout, how do you expect the wider audience to connect with the product and understand the benefits?

Reminds me of the famous quote from Benjamin Franklin: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn” …

By involving customers in the development process, whether through surveys, user testing, or other types of feedback channels, they are more likely to engage with the product and remember its features and benefits.

Adele Goodfellow is a Vice President Product Marketing at JP Morgan Chase & Co. She has worked in communications and marketing for over 16 years across different industries in both the public and private sector.?She is now a product marketer in the Engineer’s Platform Experience (EPX) at JP Morgan. In her personal time, Adele is a member of Toastmasters International, a public speaking organization with an aim to improve communication and leadership skills.?Adele is also a multipotentialite (a creative person with many different interests in life), she enjoys art, painting and tinkering on the piano.?