By way of MediaPost’s MarketingDaily e-zine, I found good information on Association of National Advertisers’ President-CEO Bob Liodice blog.
Liodice blogged about lessons learned from the recent seventh annual Multicultural Marketing Conference by the ANA. He has some great pointers about multicultural marketing being more than just generating good will and looking at trans-cultural programming.
However, one point that I think is of particular interest is:
“Multicultural marketing is more than just ‘targeting’ - it is about making and reinforcing an emotional connection between brands and consumers that lasts a lifetime: As media becomes more fragmented, it has become increasingly difficult to create brand loyalty particularly among key multicultural constituencies.”
While the media becoming more fragment may be a greater challenge, it’s definitely a greater opportunity to connect with customers: To connect more closely than you could with past or traditional means of communications.
For the past several years, automakers have taken advantage of the niche or customization demands of car buyers. So, why shouldn’t marketers?
While not as simple as in years past, by using blogs, Web sites and online promotions, podcasting, traditional advertising, direct mail, public relations and a whole host of other “vehicles,” marketers and communicators can target their messages via the ways customers prefer to receive them.
Isn’t that what marketing and selling is about? Communicating your products and services in a way that demonstrates a need of your customers and prospects. They make the decision to purchase. You don’t sell. You connect the wants, needs and desires of prospects with a way to meet them.
I try to do the same in my media relations/PR work. Based on my familiarity with media and my professional experience, I develop stories and story ideas that I am confident my targeted media outlets will see value in, for their respective audiences.
Use these new and old vehicles not only to communicate, but to research your customers as well. That way, you’ll know better what your customers want.
Technology has and will continue to open up new lines of communication. So, embrace them and use them. Or, be left behind.
– Mike
Technorati tags: multicultural marketing, marketing
