I’d like to introduce you to two fictional independent retailers: Hank and Bob. If you met them in a social setting, like a party, you’d have completely different experiences of them because they both operate in contrasting ways. By the end of this post you should have a better idea of the differences between marketing then vs now as shown by Hank and Bob.
Meet Hank
Hank is a real salesman and has a lot of drive and focus. He loves to make money and his business is his means for doing this. He sees most people as an opportunity to make more sales. He’ll think nothing of buttonholing someone at a party, whilst he takes them through the benefits of purchasing whatever it is he’s selling that week. He’s learnt all the key sales techniques and is very good at it. Sell the sizzle, not the steak and all that jazz. Unfortunately, he’s often so in your face that he’s the one many of us might seek to avoid. Hank represents the old style of marketing: loud, annoying, interruptive, insensitive and impersonal.
Meet Bob
Like Hank, Bob is passionate about his business. He has a hardware store and has always loved working with his hands and helping others. Bob is known in his community as the go to guy for DIY. If you met him at a party you might never even find out what Bob does unless you asked. He’s more likely to put you in touch with his Chiropractor to help you sort out your bad back than he is in selling to you. Bob is funny, endearing, interested in you as a person and in helping others. Bob is how marketing is evolving: he’s engaging, meaningful, relevant, informative and personal. He’s also more lovable than Hank.
Social Media is like a party
What most people don’t get about social media is that it’s not like old marketing of the past. You’re better off being more like Bob than Hank at these online gatherings. Actually, I think social media is better than a normal party because you can join in the conversation with anyone there discussing any topic you are interested in at any time. You’re not restricted by location and you don’t have to get buttonholed or caught up in irrelevant chit chat if you don’t want to. Even when you do, it could still benefit your business as users of social media are more likely to visit brands’ websites and are more likely to purchase than those who aren’t using these tools. On some social media platforms, like Pinterest and Instagram, users also tend to spend more than others.
What’s important to remember when using social media is that it is not about selling and shouting out your wares like you’re at a fish market. Most businesses using these tools are standing with a bullhorn blaring out special offers, deals and product offerings. Who cares? Imagine doing this at a party! You’d just be annoying.
Social media is about engagement with a community that is relevant to your business. So, if you are a retailer in a small town for example, it helps to connect with other businesses on your high street as much as it does to build your own list of consumer followers. You can then cross promote (rather than just self promote) by sharing things with like minded people across your networks and helping to put people in touch with one another. If you want to enjoy a party and show people a good time be fun, be interesting and be genuinely helpful.
Customer Experience
We’re living in an age of commerce where experience dominates consumers’ sensibilities. Customer experience is the predominant way businesses can add value to the goods or services they sell. Most importantly authenticity of experience affects who consumers buy from and what they choose to buy. Our stories are a way of communicating this authenticity. Let’s take another look at our retailers’ stories:
Hank’s Story
Hank grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. His mother raised him single handedly whilst holding down two jobs after his father left them. They never had any money for treats or nice toys. As Hank raises his own kids, he wants a better life for them and this drives his focus on sales. His story is one of rags to riches. Because Hank is ashamed of his past, people miss out on his authentic self. This is a pity as it could be inspiring for others and it could draw customers to him.
Bob’s Story
Bob grew up building things with his father who was very handy and could fix almost anything. His mother was a nurse. Bob learnt his handyman skills from his dad and his compassion and community spirit from his mum. He has a son of his own whom he likes to surprise with new bits and pieces of DIY kit from his store when it comes in. He and his son enjoy building tree houses, go-karts and the like together just as he did with his father.
The effect of narratives on our brains
How do you feel about both of our retailers having read a little bit more about their stories? Do you find yourself endeared to them? Do you feel closer to them? Does anything about their stories resonate with you? Perhaps you didn’t like Hank as much at the start and now that you understand him a little better you can relate to him. You might even think Bob could learn a thing or two from him about selling and perhaps Hank could learn about contribution from Bob.
Our brains are hardwired to relate powerfully to stories. Character driven tales consistently cause something called oxytocin synthesis. Studies show that the amount of oxytocin released by the brain as a result of narratives predicts how much people are willing to help others. Oxytocin is often referred to as the “trust hormone” and building trust with customers is essential to all businesses.
They say that trust is won in inches and lost in miles. Kind, considerate, helpful information and interaction with your community are the foundation stones of building trust in this new era of marketing. As we experience more of Bob and Hank’s stories this sense of connection grows.
Authenticity is more important than spinning a good yarn about your business that isn’t true. You don’t have to be warts and all, but you do have to be real. It’s more important to understand the story of your organisation (and then focus on fitting that into your marketing strategy) than simply setting up social media accounts and blaring out offers in the hope of boosting sales.
Your story has to resonate, have meaning and engage with your audience. People want more personal experiences with their favourite brands. They want to share passions, experiences and values with your business. How much people engage with you, your brand and the story of your business affects trust levels and repeat custom.
New Marketing
This new environment opens up a host of opportunities for smaller retailers to win against the big boys. Think about what drove your organisation’s founders to take the risk of starting the business. How they hoped it would benefit their community or even the world at large.
Use narrative techniques like surprise (show something unusual that arrived in stock in your shop this week) or suspense (what secret launch you are planning next week). Think about the stories of your staff, suppliers and customers and how they fit with your brand’s story. Use these to engage your audience and add value to your communities.
Use your social media accounts to be helpful by posting things that people in your community want to see or will enjoy. Engage with them by asking questions, answering questions and sharing. It’s ok to say what you do and to mention that you have special offers from time to time. Just don’t ram it down peoples’ throats with every post. Marketing is not what it was and it’s time to adapt and reap the benefits of offering your customers and community a more valuable experience of your brand online.
See all the slides from my recent talk on Marketing your Retail Business