Our team at TisBest has spent this year thoughtfully considering not just our own marketing strategy, but also how we can better achieve our mission<\/a>. Whom do we serve? What is the core benefit we provide? How can we better connect with those we serve, and empower them to make the difference they seek?
If you\u2019re wondering how to approach B2C or B2B marketing in 2020, we encourage you to do a little soul searching of your own.
These three strategies can help point you in the right direction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Know Your Core \u2014 Your Customers and How They Benefit<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n2. Tune in to Your Emotional Connection \u2014 and Find Your Channel<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n3. Strike the Right Tone \u2014 Substance Matters<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tisbest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/you-x-ventures-X8H8vPcelPk-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Know Your Core \u2014 Your Customers and How They Benefit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Understanding your audience is a key principle of marketing in general, but in 2020 it\u2019s more important than ever.
If you haven\u2019t already created personas for your core customers, there\u2019s no time like the present.
At TisBest, we have established various personas to represent purchasers, recipients, and charity contacts. Each one has a list of personality traits, goals, and frustrations.
Detailing these personas not only helps our team better relate to our audiences but also gives us a common language to discuss (and improve) how we connect with them.
You don\u2019t need a dozen personas; in fact, the fewer, the better. But you do need to document your customer profiles, so your entire company can know and reference them easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let the data help you discover new insights beyond common demographics.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tisbest.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/2020_3-Tips_Tune-In.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nStart by digging into your analytics to understand whose problems you\u2019re solving. Learn about behavioral characteristics from your Facebook page insights and your current customers\u2019 pain points from customer service tickets and reviews. For example, we learned from Facebook insights that TisBest’s followers often visit news sites. Therefore our marketing activities take into consideration that informed people are more engaged with our product.
Take it a step further or fill gaps in your understanding by conducting market research and qualitative interviews. You’ll be able to develop a needs analysis<\/a> with the notes you get from these customers and prospects. Then you can directly position your distinct benefits to those in need of your product or service.
Since marketing in 2020 is a new frontier, consider also asking questions about matters like your customers\u2019 comfort level with in-person activities, their stance on political or social justice issues, and more.
Don\u2019t simply conform to your customers\u2019 beliefs, but do be aware of them so you can find shared purpose and craft your messages accordingly.
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Tune in to Your Emotional Connection \u2014 and Find Your Channel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Once you really know your audience and your core benefits, you can begin to empathize with their challenges, needs, and desires.
People never want to be \u201csold to,\u201d but in 2020, our collective tolerance for overly promotional marketing has hit rock bottom. We can sniff out a snake-oil salesperson from a mile away, and we won\u2019t fall for flashy ads or gimmicky sales.
Show your audience you genuinely care by creating an emotional connection. That starts with centering your organization around a common purpose. As Simon Sinek explains, Start with Why<\/a> and then channel that core purpose to your people.
Once you figure out that purpose, think about the best vehicle to both express and evoke authentic emotion. Would that video you\u2019ve been meaning to create be a wise investment in this pivotal year? Is it time to dust off that old blog or finally respond to that SEO vendor?<\/p>\n\n\n\nFurther, what does your channel strategy look like?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tisbest.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/2020_3-Tips_Strike-the-Right-Tone.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIn 2020 context matters more than ever. It might mean pausing some of your radio advertising to focus on relevant, tactful Facebook ads that meet your customers where they\u2019re now spending time. Or it might mean sending an email to leads in an industry that\u2019s suffering, letting them know how your company is specifically able and willing to help.
Heck, it might even mean sending a charity gift card<\/a> to a customer, encouraging them to support their cause. ????
Don\u2019t take advantage of people\u2019s emotions \u2014 be authentic \u2014 but do recognize that especially in 2020 buying something is an emotional decision. If your customers don\u2019t feel personally connected to your organization they will take their business elsewhere.
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Strike the Right Tone \u2014 Substance Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When the pandemic first struck, businesses everywhere scrambled to create their own COVID-appropriate messaging. Remember how many \u201cWhat We\u2019re Doing to Help\u201d emails you received from companies you didn\u2019t even know existed?
Now that we\u2019ve started to settle into a \u201cnew normal,\u201d people have begun to tire of pandemic-related communications.
If you have vital information to share regarding your company\u2019s response to COVID, by all means, make it available to your customers. But don\u2019t keep hammering the point.
Share what you need to share, but maintain your overall product or service marketing even if it means repositioning your message to meet new or dynamic needs in 2020. Due to the pandemic, one of our farm-focused charity partners pivoted their aid to farmers quickly to help find new distribution channels. It is work their organization is well poised to do, but their donor communications had to shift.
The same goes for the political and social justice climate of 2020. Feel free to take a stance, but don\u2019t feel like you have to say something just because everyone else is. There\u2019s substance but also noise out there \u2014 and enough critics ready to attack you for saying the \u201cwrong\u201d thing with the \u201cwrong\u201d tone.
At TisBest for example, we looked internally and assessed where we could have the most impact on social justice. That process resulted in a new Civil Rights Charity Category<\/a> we created and then communicated about to our audience. We are also looking carefully at how we can best help our charity partners<\/a> \u2014 those currently at the \u201cfrontlines\u201d and those that are not<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo what\u2019s the \u201cright\u201d tone?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"Marketing](\"https:\/\/www.tisbest.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Passion-Led-us-here-image-1-1024x568.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s no magic formula. Our best advice is to implement a careful system of checks and balances, so one employee doesn\u2019t accidentally go rogue with a tone-deaf tweet. Brainstorm with a broader group than in the past and ensure at least two sets of eyes have reviewed every marketing piece. Make sure it is accurate and aligns with your values.
You know your company \u2014 and your customers \u2014 the best. Trust your gut on the tone that best expresses your beliefs.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stay True to Your Mission<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. Strike the Right Tone \u2014 Substance Matters<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Know Your Core \u2014 Your Customers and How They Benefit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Understanding your audience is a key principle of marketing in general, but in 2020 it\u2019s more important than ever.
If you haven\u2019t already created personas for your core customers, there\u2019s no time like the present.
At TisBest, we have established various personas to represent purchasers, recipients, and charity contacts. Each one has a list of personality traits, goals, and frustrations.
Detailing these personas not only helps our team better relate to our audiences but also gives us a common language to discuss (and improve) how we connect with them.
You don\u2019t need a dozen personas; in fact, the fewer, the better. But you do need to document your customer profiles, so your entire company can know and reference them easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let the data help you discover new insights beyond common demographics.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nStart by digging into your analytics to understand whose problems you\u2019re solving. Learn about behavioral characteristics from your Facebook page insights and your current customers\u2019 pain points from customer service tickets and reviews. For example, we learned from Facebook insights that TisBest’s followers often visit news sites. Therefore our marketing activities take into consideration that informed people are more engaged with our product.
Take it a step further or fill gaps in your understanding by conducting market research and qualitative interviews. You’ll be able to develop a needs analysis<\/a> with the notes you get from these customers and prospects. Then you can directly position your distinct benefits to those in need of your product or service.
Since marketing in 2020 is a new frontier, consider also asking questions about matters like your customers\u2019 comfort level with in-person activities, their stance on political or social justice issues, and more.
Don\u2019t simply conform to your customers\u2019 beliefs, but do be aware of them so you can find shared purpose and craft your messages accordingly.
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Tune in to Your Emotional Connection \u2014 and Find Your Channel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Once you really know your audience and your core benefits, you can begin to empathize with their challenges, needs, and desires.
People never want to be \u201csold to,\u201d but in 2020, our collective tolerance for overly promotional marketing has hit rock bottom. We can sniff out a snake-oil salesperson from a mile away, and we won\u2019t fall for flashy ads or gimmicky sales.
Show your audience you genuinely care by creating an emotional connection. That starts with centering your organization around a common purpose. As Simon Sinek explains, Start with Why<\/a> and then channel that core purpose to your people.
Once you figure out that purpose, think about the best vehicle to both express and evoke authentic emotion. Would that video you\u2019ve been meaning to create be a wise investment in this pivotal year? Is it time to dust off that old blog or finally respond to that SEO vendor?<\/p>\n\n\n\nFurther, what does your channel strategy look like?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIn 2020 context matters more than ever. It might mean pausing some of your radio advertising to focus on relevant, tactful Facebook ads that meet your customers where they\u2019re now spending time. Or it might mean sending an email to leads in an industry that\u2019s suffering, letting them know how your company is specifically able and willing to help.
Heck, it might even mean sending a charity gift card<\/a> to a customer, encouraging them to support their cause. ????
Don\u2019t take advantage of people\u2019s emotions \u2014 be authentic \u2014 but do recognize that especially in 2020 buying something is an emotional decision. If your customers don\u2019t feel personally connected to your organization they will take their business elsewhere.
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Strike the Right Tone \u2014 Substance Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When the pandemic first struck, businesses everywhere scrambled to create their own COVID-appropriate messaging. Remember how many \u201cWhat We\u2019re Doing to Help\u201d emails you received from companies you didn\u2019t even know existed?
Now that we\u2019ve started to settle into a \u201cnew normal,\u201d people have begun to tire of pandemic-related communications.
If you have vital information to share regarding your company\u2019s response to COVID, by all means, make it available to your customers. But don\u2019t keep hammering the point.
Share what you need to share, but maintain your overall product or service marketing even if it means repositioning your message to meet new or dynamic needs in 2020. Due to the pandemic, one of our farm-focused charity partners pivoted their aid to farmers quickly to help find new distribution channels. It is work their organization is well poised to do, but their donor communications had to shift.
The same goes for the political and social justice climate of 2020. Feel free to take a stance, but don\u2019t feel like you have to say something just because everyone else is. There\u2019s substance but also noise out there \u2014 and enough critics ready to attack you for saying the \u201cwrong\u201d thing with the \u201cwrong\u201d tone.
At TisBest for example, we looked internally and assessed where we could have the most impact on social justice. That process resulted in a new Civil Rights Charity Category<\/a> we created and then communicated about to our audience. We are also looking carefully at how we can best help our charity partners<\/a> \u2014 those currently at the \u201cfrontlines\u201d and those that are not<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo what\u2019s the \u201cright\u201d tone?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s no magic formula. Our best advice is to implement a careful system of checks and balances, so one employee doesn\u2019t accidentally go rogue with a tone-deaf tweet. Brainstorm with a broader group than in the past and ensure at least two sets of eyes have reviewed every marketing piece. Make sure it is accurate and aligns with your values.
You know your company \u2014 and your customers \u2014 the best. Trust your gut on the tone that best expresses your beliefs.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stay True to Your Mission<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding your audience is a key principle of marketing in general, but in 2020 it\u2019s more important than ever. Start by digging into your analytics to understand whose problems you\u2019re solving. Learn about behavioral characteristics from your Facebook page insights and your current customers\u2019 pain points from customer service tickets and reviews. For example, we learned from Facebook insights that TisBest’s followers often visit news sites. Therefore our marketing activities take into consideration that informed people are more engaged with our product. Once you really know your audience and your core benefits, you can begin to empathize with their challenges, needs, and desires. In 2020 context matters more than ever. It might mean pausing some of your radio advertising to focus on relevant, tactful Facebook ads that meet your customers where they\u2019re now spending time. Or it might mean sending an email to leads in an industry that\u2019s suffering, letting them know how your company is specifically able and willing to help. When the pandemic first struck, businesses everywhere scrambled to create their own COVID-appropriate messaging. Remember how many \u201cWhat We\u2019re Doing to Help\u201d emails you received from companies you didn\u2019t even know existed? There\u2019s no magic formula. Our best advice is to implement a careful system of checks and balances, so one employee doesn\u2019t accidentally go rogue with a tone-deaf tweet. Brainstorm with a broader group than in the past and ensure at least two sets of eyes have reviewed every marketing piece. Make sure it is accurate and aligns with your values.1. Know Your Core \u2014 Your Customers and How They Benefit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you haven\u2019t already created personas for your core customers, there\u2019s no time like the present.
At TisBest, we have established various personas to represent purchasers, recipients, and charity contacts. Each one has a list of personality traits, goals, and frustrations.
Detailing these personas not only helps our team better relate to our audiences but also gives us a common language to discuss (and improve) how we connect with them.
You don\u2019t need a dozen personas; in fact, the fewer, the better. But you do need to document your customer profiles, so your entire company can know and reference them easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLet the data help you discover new insights beyond common demographics.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Take it a step further or fill gaps in your understanding by conducting market research and qualitative interviews. You’ll be able to develop a needs analysis<\/a> with the notes you get from these customers and prospects. Then you can directly position your distinct benefits to those in need of your product or service.
Since marketing in 2020 is a new frontier, consider also asking questions about matters like your customers\u2019 comfort level with in-person activities, their stance on political or social justice issues, and more.
Don\u2019t simply conform to your customers\u2019 beliefs, but do be aware of them so you can find shared purpose and craft your messages accordingly.
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Tune in to Your Emotional Connection \u2014 and Find Your Channel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
People never want to be \u201csold to,\u201d but in 2020, our collective tolerance for overly promotional marketing has hit rock bottom. We can sniff out a snake-oil salesperson from a mile away, and we won\u2019t fall for flashy ads or gimmicky sales.
Show your audience you genuinely care by creating an emotional connection. That starts with centering your organization around a common purpose. As Simon Sinek explains, Start with Why<\/a> and then channel that core purpose to your people.
Once you figure out that purpose, think about the best vehicle to both express and evoke authentic emotion. Would that video you\u2019ve been meaning to create be a wise investment in this pivotal year? Is it time to dust off that old blog or finally respond to that SEO vendor?<\/p>\n\n\n\nFurther, what does your channel strategy look like?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Heck, it might even mean sending a charity gift card<\/a> to a customer, encouraging them to support their cause. ????
Don\u2019t take advantage of people\u2019s emotions \u2014 be authentic \u2014 but do recognize that especially in 2020 buying something is an emotional decision. If your customers don\u2019t feel personally connected to your organization they will take their business elsewhere.
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Strike the Right Tone \u2014 Substance Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now that we\u2019ve started to settle into a \u201cnew normal,\u201d people have begun to tire of pandemic-related communications.
If you have vital information to share regarding your company\u2019s response to COVID, by all means, make it available to your customers. But don\u2019t keep hammering the point.
Share what you need to share, but maintain your overall product or service marketing even if it means repositioning your message to meet new or dynamic needs in 2020. Due to the pandemic, one of our farm-focused charity partners pivoted their aid to farmers quickly to help find new distribution channels. It is work their organization is well poised to do, but their donor communications had to shift.
The same goes for the political and social justice climate of 2020. Feel free to take a stance, but don\u2019t feel like you have to say something just because everyone else is. There\u2019s substance but also noise out there \u2014 and enough critics ready to attack you for saying the \u201cwrong\u201d thing with the \u201cwrong\u201d tone.
At TisBest for example, we looked internally and assessed where we could have the most impact on social justice. That process resulted in a new Civil Rights Charity Category<\/a> we created and then communicated about to our audience. We are also looking carefully at how we can best help our charity partners<\/a> \u2014 those currently at the \u201cfrontlines\u201d and those that are not<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo what\u2019s the \u201cright\u201d tone?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
You know your company \u2014 and your customers \u2014 the best. Trust your gut on the tone that best expresses your beliefs.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nStay True to Your Mission<\/h2>\n\n\n\n