Are you talking to ME?

Does this question make you think of Robert DeNiro standing in front of the mirror practicing his tough guy role in Taxi Driver? Or does it bring to mind thoughts of Timon and Pumbaa in the Lion King and the scene below?

No matter which movie came to mind, the point should not be lost on those of us in the sales and marketing trenches! 

As a sales pro, I have always believed that I must tailor my communication style to the style of my customer. If I am presenting to an expressive personality,  I will be sure to present the features and benefits in an emotional tone, focusing on quality and the brand image. If presenting to the CFO or procurement manager, I might lose their interest quickly if I don't highlight the financial impact of the product, focusing on how we can meet their budget or improve their ROI. Much care is taken with pre-call preparation to ensure slides and all collateral elements along with presentation commentary are relevant to the style and temperament of the audience - my potential customer. 

Presenting the information in a relevant way in our marketing strategy is just as important but has been more challenging. Variable data personalization has been around for a while now and the general public has grown accustomed to seeing their name and a few relevant facts incorporated into the message or the creative elements. In today's marketing environment it takes more to get their attention. Customers are looking for the "what's in it for me?" news. How will this product help them, improve their life, why should they buy? And if we aren't speaking to them in a way that fits their communication style, we are missing opportunities to connect and convert our prospects.

The good news is that we now have the ability to profile your customer lists to include unique characteristics which can be used to identify the temperament of your potential customer. Using over 50 characteristics, we can determine if your target prospect is an extrovert or an introvert and whether they are aggressive, expressive, analytical or passive.  Marketing creative elements and copy can be designed to reach your prospect and present the information in a format they are more likely to read and, more importantly, respond to. Relevant and compelling presentation is no longer left to a face to face meeting. Talk about communication power! 

So the next time you design a marketing campaign - print, digital or cross media - ask the question, "Who are you talking to?" and make sure you add some elements to the content that connect!