February 9, 2018
Albert Lasker– not a name many are familiar with. But to Paul Frantz, a National Sales Director for Google, Lasker is one of greatest marketers in history. In 1908, Lasker developed an “inform and engage” template for marketing that dug the country’s orange industry out of a slump and revolutionized marketing. His strategy involves informing consumers about the product and the benefits of purchasing the product. Over 100 years later, in an era of smart phones and technology, Paul Frantz explains how Lasker’s method of marketing is still relevant.
Communicating your brand’s value to consumers is the goal of marketing, says Frantz. And the best way to fulfill that goal still stems from Lasker’s “inform and engage” model. But, the rise of mobile has added an additional aspect: assist. Consumers want brands to help make their everyday lives easier. They want service that is faster, smarter, and anywhere that they are. In order to deliver consumers with the assistance they demand, brands have to focus on reducing friction. Friction is any aspect of a consumer’s experience with a brand that is undesirable, such as wait times. Reducing friction requires the brand to satisfy curiosity, understand demand, and relieve impatience.
Consumers search for anything you can think of on search platforms like Google. 75% of consumers search a product online before purchasing, so it’s vital for a brand to have information available. Not taking advantage of search engine optimization is a wasted opportunity for a brand to get their information to their consumers. Understanding demands requires knowing how your customer’s think and what they expect. For example, searches that include the phrase “near me” have declined rapidly in recent years. But people didn’t stop searching for places near them, they just started expecting their searches to filter by their location automatically. Relieving impatience is also very important to reduce friction. Google searches with the phrase “same day shipping” have doubled in recent years and searches with the phrase “open now” have tripled. Consumers want high quality goods and services without the wait. That’s why brands that focus on reducing wait time for customers do so well. For instance, the Liberty Mutual mobile application allows customers to resolve auto claims in under an hour. Starbuck’s Virtual Barista and Domino’s “Zero Click” Ordering eliminate the inconvenience of standing in line.
New technologies have forever changed the way in which marketers can inform, engage, and assist their customers.
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