Driving Loyalty in Digital

The life of a tweet is 3 seconds.

In the grand scheme of things, to what end does that tweet matter? This is the question many in digital strategy ask today. The bond between a brand and a consumer is so artificial; you can’t help but question the loyalty.

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The Harvard Review delves into the evolution of digital strategy to say:

The real question — the one that counts for leaders and institutions today — isn’t “How loyal can we compel, seduce, or trick our customers into being?” It’s: “How loyal are we to our customers? Do we truly care about them?” Not just as targets consumers, or fans. But as people. Human beings. What every institution needs — and what every leader needs to develop — before a “digital strategy” is a human strategy. If you want to matter to people, you must do more than merely win their fickle, fleeting, frenzied attention. You must help them develop into the people they were meant to be. When you do, maybe, just maybe, they’ll reward you. With something greater than their grudging, wearied attention. Their lasting respect, enduring trust, and undying gratitude.

Humans – like you and me. What an odd way to think of the masses that are being marketed to. However, what if a brand were to go that extra mile to truly connect? Digital strategy is less about understanding the landscape and more about understanding consumer behavior and mindset.

So what should a brand do?

  1. Educate – when creating content, think if this will truly add value and the purpose it serves. Believe me, sharing a useful tip is much more sharable!
  2. Create loyalists —  offer exclusives for fans and turn them into ambassadors
  3. Focus on what matters – recruiting ambassadors makes a difference and it humanizes the company.

The U.S Highbush Blueberry Council tapped into this new type of engagement as part of its #HappyBdayBlueberries photo contest. They received almost 800 entries from blueberry lovers and drove demand through July. The next phase is creating ambassadors for the brand to foster long-term engagement.

Many brands have the opportunity, but few move into the space where they can truly interact with consumers. When
this changes, there will be a new standard in digital.

Any questions about how your brands are engaging in social? Comment below or reach
out via email.

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