Yippee! It's over!

Yippee!!

Regardless, of which side of the political party you represent, like me, I’m sure that you are glad that this election year is over! 

It has caused much stress, anxiety and you can insert your own emotion(s) that you have been feeling in here to be included.  I have talked to people across the country and regardless of party affiliation many people have had the same experience – we couldn’t wait until it was over.

Well now, it’s over.

I’m sure that every discipline will be studying this presidential election for years to come.  And, in my opinion there were best practices that were evident that can be used by any marketer.

It’s interesting to compare the elections to what many of us as marketers try to achieve each and every day in selling our brands, products and services.  Promotions help to execute the strategy.  But, telling our stories is what evokes that raw emotion and gives us the opportunity to make that connection with our consumers/customers/buyers.

Take the elections, two different stories were told.  And, the arguments on both sides seemed pretty thematic. 

It’s my opinion, that one campaign identified the target (after testing with focus groups, etc.) and started telling a story that they thought would resonate.   They took the traditional approach.  Another campaign, started talking, and talking; and, a target audience emerged.  This segment that emerged helped this campaign uncover the target audience and the messaging.

So, the campaign that organically grew a self-identifiable group to target.  A segment that had some common characteristics in common but spanned across a big portion of our country.  It wasn’t based on a formula, an approach; but taking a representation of the emerging group and then profiling (in this case) one’s constituents, then identifying more like-constituents and taking their main concerns and crafting a story.  It wasn’t based on a pre-defined plan or strategy but rather a marketing instinct to tap into a visceral emotion that became evident, stroked and appreciated by this group.

So, here’s my question.

When was the last time you looked at new emerging target customers and really listened to what they were telling you; then took their main concerns and crafted their story to sell your brand, products and services? 

Remember even when our customers tell us something that might be difficult to hear, listen and put it to use by making your brand, products and/or services better.

So, put this lesson to work; and, celebrate that this presidential election is over!