Marketing

Consider our example of Mr Husband, who, while searching for a classy restaurant, encounters a convincing programmatic ad featuring a respected influencer couple. Their endorsement leads him to make a reservation, heightening his expectations. However, failing to meet these expectations upon arrival—such as having no available seating—can severely damage the customer relationship. 

This is why bridging the gap between expectations and engagement is crucial. The transition from expectation to engagement is where many organisations falter.

Recently, the CEO of Nigerian Airline Air Peace Allen Onyema expressed concerns over international competitors lowering their prices to frustrate them out of business. This scenario prompts the question: Is price the only way to compete? Instead, focusing on what customers truly value—be it more generous luggage allowances, empathetic customer service, local delicacies, or unique concierge services—can differentiate an airline in a crowded market. 

quality, price, brand recognition, and convenience … pivotal factors influencing consumer choices this season, underscoring the need for retailers to balance these elements adeptly. The art of storytelling also comes into play here; where intelligent, relevant, and accurate content creation can sway undecided shoppers. Why? Because many will be making choices based on emotionally driven impulses. However, it takes a retailer that has invested in customer knowledge to execute this excellently in time for Valentine 2024, which is just around the corner.

The Risk of Complacency: If you find yourself uncertain about whether you are meeting customer needs, it is likely that your customers are sticking around due to factors like high switching costs, lack of alternatives, or mere convenience of location. This is a precarious position to be in, as it leaves your business vulnerable to any new competition that might offer more attention to detail. 

At its core, marketing is about identifying, anticipating & meeting customer needs… when managed effectively, marketing becomes profitable. In fact, the process of marketing is not complete until it yields results which should eventually contribute to the bottom line.

It is not enough to choose an influencer solely based on their popularity or follower count. The influencer should genuinely resonate with the brand’s values, target audience, and campaign objectives. This alignment ensures that the influencer’s endorsement feels authentic and carries weight with their followers. Otherwise, your brand will end up being the next in line of many to line up the pockets of influencers with no real value or ROI to show for it.