One of the things that marketing professionals do nimbly look at seasons, holidays, and current events — what’s happening in the market and world — to determine how to improve marketing. Marketing professionals also attempt to market for “life events” — engaging customers during a time of major change or transition, such as buying a house or getting divorced.
Adweek claims this type of marketing is even more successful than targeting an audience.
Why does this type of marketing work?
It’s all about demonstrating you’re the expert. By marketing life and current events, you’re demonstrating your expertise. You’re showing you …
- Pay attention and understand your industry as well as how it impacts clients
- Can educate your clients and prospects
- Know your clients and prospects … and their interests, emotions, and drivers
- Most importantly – can help people through issues and opportunities
Right Message + Right Audience + Right Time
There’s a marketing and communications motto or formula: the right message at the right time to the right audience. That’s an effective marketing strategy and it’s what every marketer aims for. Let’s break that up and review each piece of that formula.
The right message to the right audience
When people receive the right message, something that applies to them, they’re more likely to take action. For example, people who are interested in buying their first house will take the plunge if given information that guides them through the process and what to expect while giving them peace of mind. They’re more likely to take the leap if they get information it’s a good time to buy, too.
And that goes to decision-making psychology. People will act when information appeals to their interests, emotions, and drivers.
- Interests are hobbies or things we care about. They can include whether we like to bake, what our political affiliation is, where we volunteer, which basketball team we root for, etc.
- Emotions are how we feel. For example, you may not be hungry, but you feel happy when you have a cookie. So you may be willing to bake some cookies.
- Drivers are those things that motivate us. For example, you may want a cookie because it’ll make you feel happy, but you’re trying to lose weight. Even though you love baking, you decide not to make cookies.
Good marketing takes interests, emotions, and drivers into account.
At the right time
Timing is everything. People want green-colored garments as well as Irish beers around St. Patrick’s Day and are less likely to rush to get them outside that day. When the vernal equinox hits, suddenly people are thinking of Spring — from taking care of their yard to cleaning their house. Summertime means family vacations. On birthdays, people think about their mortality, review life goals, and want to celebrate.
It takes agility to be able to market using life events and especially current events.
The War of 1812 was won and settled before the Battle of New Orleans. But back then, communication was slower. It wasn’t until after the battle did Andrew Jackson (the man who led the Battle of New Orleans) and many Americans learned that a treaty between the U.S. and Great Britain had already been signed.
Things have changed a lot since those days. Information travels at lightning speeds. Think fast! (But verify!) News these days breaks and propagates quickly. After you verify the info is true, if your industry is involved and your customers would benefit from your help, act on it. Quickly!
Consider if you’re not acting on it, someone else will or already has.
Use several channels
Some marketing professionals use place as an important qualifier — right message, right people, right time, and right place. Those places are mediums or channels. What’s a channel — any way you can communicate your message to your audience. It includes face-to-face interaction as well as what happens online.
Contact your customers and prospects and warn them or provide advice using as many channels as you can. Here are just a few:
- Send emails. Emails are the fastest way to contact many people. Within a few minutes, you can send emails to thousands of customers and prospects. With SwiftAgent, you can even send emails in free trial mode.
- Update your website and create a campaign with landing pages around it. SwiftAgent again to the rescue. You can use drag-and-drop technology to create a webpage without a web designer, web developer, or even an expensive app. Again, it’s even free to try it.
- Use social media. Notifying followers on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. can help people who may not be your customers understand and see you as an expert.
- Create print materials and put together workshops or events around the topic to help people.
- Make calls. Calls are less efficient. Contacting thousands, even with the most advanced technology, can take a while. And cold calling doesn’t usually result in much success. Maybe try to target the people you think would benefit most and only call them.
Putting it all together
So let’s look at current events and use some of the information to apply to different industries. Each one will have a different message, but they’re all relevant today.
Real estate agents
Many real estate markets — from retail space to housing — are starting to take a downturn. That may mean opportunities for cheaper houses for your buyers. It may also mean you’re already seeing less inventory. Even with limited houses on the market, you probably know contractors that can correct small issues easily — making the house a great deal. And you may have insight into how low an offer can go.
Send emails now indicating you understand what’s happening in the market and you’re an expert who can make people’s house the home of their dreams.
Travel agents
Weather events (such as snow) prompt people to think about traveling — going away from these weather events or enjoying them. For example, SwiftAgent is based in the Denver area. During snow storms, Denverites — including the team in this office — consider skiing or leaving for warmer climes.
Send emails to winter-weary clients and prospects about your best tropical vacations. Maybe you can even invite them to an event where you sip tropical drinks while listening to tropical music where you talk about cheap places to travel that are lovely … and warm.
Insurance agents
Unfortunately, there’s no time like a disaster to jolt people, helping them understand they need insurance. Although you don’t want to inundate people who’ve just lost their homes, you can use it as a talking point to help people in a different part of the country.
This week several Midwest towns are in the news due to flooding. But it’s getting closer to hurricane season and spring often brings bad weather, such as tornadoes. This is the time to reach out to people from Miami to New Orleans.
Also, when climate change reports are released, it may be a good time to help people think about protecting their property.
Send emails now to people across the country about how insurance can save them money using stories of real people — both how those with insurance prospered and those without didn’t. You can also discuss in the email all the potential disasters coming up.
Financial advisors
The stock market has been volatile and projections indicate the U.S. is looking at slower growth. Some economists wonder if we’re moving toward a recession. No doubt this news makes customers and prospects nervous. It may also prompt your more savvy and wealthier investors to start buying more stocks.
You’ll need to comfort stock owners as well as prepare a message for those ready to keep purchasing.
Create a landing page and invite people to a workshop on what to expect from the economy and how they can be financially ready. In that course, you can even offer a discount to using your services for more specific advice for them. Just because there’s slower growth expected doesn’t mean people will or should give up their dreams.
College consultants
The recent college scandal means you need to set yourself apart. What makes you different? How are you more trustworthy? How can eager and concerned parents be assured they’re working with someone who follows the law, while still getting their kids into the best possible schools? That’s your job and it’ll probably take a few emails.
Send an email acknowledging this scandal while touting that your organization wasn’t involved and is always trustworthy. Heck, send several emails! Not all college consultants are the same. You have integrity and work with reliable people and colleges. You even work when a kid can’t get into college to find a career that helps him or her be successful. It’s why so many people already depend on you.
Summary
Relevancy matters.
To be relevant, you have to think fast, verify, and be ready to act using multiple channels. In fact, when your industry or competitor is in the news, you’re more relevant. Use that current event as an opportunity to show you’re an expert and that people can rely on you … especially during this time of crisis.