What we used to see in the Jetsons and futuristic movies is swiftly becoming our day-to-day reality.

“Each business is a victim of Digital Darwinism, the evolution of consumer behavior when society and technology evolve faster than the ability to exploit it. Digital Darwinism does not discriminate. Every business is threatened.”  Source

For 2020 Marketing Vision, Focus on User Experience

Of the top 50 marketing trends for 2020, the nucleus is a focus on improving the user experience (UX). According to the Nielson Norman Group, world leaders in research on UX, “User experience” encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.  Source

Basically, that means every business should be looking for dynamic and creative ways to improve how their customers experience their business at every touchpoint.

Again, overwhelming, right? Where do you start as a small business? What is within reach and will be the most effective? Each of the following three strategies will help you build more impactful and engaging encounters with potential clients and delight your current customers as well.

Strategy 1: Omni-Channel Marketing

Omni what? What does that even mean? Bottom line, it means creating a “… cohesive customer experience, no matter how or where a customer reaches out. { Source}

You most likely already have a multi-channel strategy. You have a great website, social media campaigns, and mobile marketing. The multi-channel experience is what most businesses invest in today. They have a website, blog, Facebook, and Twitter. They use each of these platforms to engage and connect with customers. However, in most cases, the customer still lacks a seamless experience and consistent messaging across each of these channels. { Source}

Is your customer experiencing consistent messaging across all engagement platforms? Is your website up-to-date with current images and incentives? Does your website messaging match your ongoing social-media content? Are you delivering fresh content?

The Omni-Channel approach no longer allows for segmented marketing strategies. Your website content and your social media brand messaging must be congruently current. Many businesses have one vendor managing their website, another vendor doing social media, and often the team is not informed of the ever-changing content. Having someone oversee every touchpoint to ensure uniformity is a must in 2020.

HINT: As an agency that offers all things digital for our clients, we can help ensure the cohesiveness of your strategies.

Capture Connection

The other piece of an omni-channel experience for the consumer is about connection. Is it easy for your customer to connect with you and get the information they need; no matter where they are reaching out. Current and potential customers will expect to be able to converse with you via Facebook messaging, SMS/text messaging, and live chat on your website in 2020. Yes, you read that right, they will expect it.

Implementing an omni-channel conversational platform, a.k.a. chat-bot, that allows your potential and current clients to communicate with you no matter where they are supports a better user experience and allows you to capture leads in the critical moment they are searching for you.

Entrepreneur magazine said this about adding a chatbot to your website in 2020…

“Any business that has a website with traffic can benefit from a simple chatbot that answers the most common visitor questions and helps convert visitors into warm leads.” 

Ok, on to strategy number two…

Strategy 2: Interactive and Conversational Content

Content is still king! Keeping blogs current and providing useful information (like dental tips) is vital to your ongoing success. Your content highlights your authority and expertise in your niche. And we can’t forget that your content is what the search engines use to connect your answers with potential consumer questions. Written content isn’t going anywhere anytime soon but technology and consumer’s expectations dictate the need for multimedia content that engages customers in different ways.

Your website is not a one-and-done strategy and its goal is not only to attract new clients but also to consistently engage with your current clientele. It should be an extension of your brick and mortar business.

So, what is interactive and conversational content?

It’s video. How-to videos, testimonials, quick clips for social media sharing or going live on social media.

Written content demonstrates your proficiency while video content shows your personality.

It’s interactive forms like online quizzes, surveys, and polls that encourage the customer to engage with you rather than simply read about you. You can then use the results you get from the interactive content to create more content that is relevant and that your customers are hungry for. You can repurpose that content for social media campaigns, email marketing, and future blog posts.

This type of content surprises, attracts, and cuts through the consumer boredom. It leads them to converse with you in the process of learning more about you.

“Updating your site regularly with creative content that piques people’s curiosity and drives their buyer’s journey forward can turn visitors into clients.” Source

It’s webinars and keeping up on conversations people initiate on social media channels. Interactive and conversational style content builds the personal side of your brand. Allowing your current and potential customers to connect with you and your team on a more intimate level.

And last but not least, strategy number three to wrap up your marketing plan for 2020 is…

Strategy 3: Micro-Moment Marketing

Micro-moment marketing is all about delivering what your customer wants when they want it.

Google says this about the micro-moment mindset,

“Micro-moments occur when people reflexively turn to a device—increasingly a smartphone—to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something. They are intent-rich moments when decisions are made and preferences shaped. In these moments, consumers’ expectations are higher than ever.” 

They are broken down into four basic consumer needs, “I want-to-know moments, I want-to-go moments, I want-to-do moments, and I want-to-buy moments… and they’re game changers for both consumers and brands.”  Source

Understanding that consumers are driven by different needs in each of these moments allows you to tailor your content and the connection you’re providing to meet their need in a more intuitive way.

• Your service pages on your website, how-to and educational videos serve the “I want to know” moment.
• Your Google My Business page serves the “I want to go” moment.
• Your website forms, chat bot, text and social media messaging serve the “I want to do” moment.
• And your online appointment scheduler, live-chat, and your receptionist serve the “I want to buy” moment.

Wrapping up your marketing plan for 2020 by focusing on tailored initiatives that create a cohesive conversational experience, engage the user in unique ways, and make the most of every opportune moment. The result… more productive lead conversion and a more delightful user experience.

Already part of the Affordable Image family but curious about how we can help you create a better user experience? New to Affordable Image and want to know how we can help in 2020? CALL NOW! We’ll help you get started before you can say “New Decade” .