Secure The Deal

Consumer data has become an extremely valuable commodity for businesses – unlocking a web of possibilities for customer targeting, market research, product enhancement and so much more. However, consumers are becoming increasingly aware (and concerned) about the privacy and security risks associated with data collection – as they should be. What does this mean for businesses hoping to harvest consumer data? You must first work to earn their trust, and present them with a worthy trade-off.

65% of consumers ranked "misuse of personal data" as the top reason they would lose trust in a brand.

HOW CAN YOU ESTABLISH TRUST WITH CONSUMERS?

BE TRANSPARENT

Transparency is the key to trust in any relationship – and that includes brand-to-consumer. Your consumers need a reason to want to share data with you. It’s important to be upfront about what data is needed, and why. Beyond explaining why it’s necessary, tell them how they will benefit from it, and what steps you’ve taken to ensure their personal data is protected. They’re more likely to authorize consent if you’re explicit and to-the-point, rather than if you bombard them with a request form full of legal jargon. In the case of privacy and security, asking permission is better than asking for forgiveness.

39% of consumers say the most important thing orgnizations can do to build trust regarding their data is provide clear information on how it's being used.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Who is your target audience? Where do they generally lie on the spectrum of privacy and security concern and consent hesitancy? It’s important to tailor your message appropriately. Too little explanation or lack of consent for an older audience might give off the impression that you’re taking advantage of their lack of digital literacy.

GIVE THEM CONTROL

People want leverage on how their data is being used. Building a consumer-mediated data exchange lets consumers manage their personal data and control how that information is used by your organization – giving them both authority and peace of mind. Prioritize consent from your consumers before collecting any data, and make information preferences and opt-ins/outs simple and straightforward.

81% of consumers believe that the way a company treats their personal data is indicative of the way it views them as a customer.

DELIVER VALUE

Consumers are looking for a return that benefits them as much as, or if not, more, than it benefits you. Make sure you’re delivering on the value they demand. Is it convenience? Is it a more streamlined process? Is it access to free content or insights? Is it for a better, more personalized app experience? Is it to advance research for the greater good? Pinpoint the biggest value(s) you’re able to give consumers in exchange for their personal data, and tell them exactly what they’re getting out of the bargain. They’ll be more willing to share data with you when they know the full value they’ll receive from you.

KNOW WHEN TO (AND NOT TO) USE THE DATA

It’s important to find the right balance between value and privacy concerns. Don’t overstep by collecting more data from consumers than you need, which might break trust. Figure out exactly what data you require to drive value for your business and your consumers. This will also help streamline your marketing strategy. 

If you’re working with an agency, like FIFTEEN, we can help you to decipher which data is most pertinent to your marketing strategy while sorting through the logistical and legal complexities of capturing consumer data and making sure that it’s secure – giving you the confidence to support your principle. Then we’ll communicate integrity and transparency in your data collection process, and rationale, to your consumers from the get-go using approachable, comprehensive language that earns you their trust. Once you’ve collected the data, we’ll help you digest the information and find new ways to strengthen your products, services or efficiencies.

Social Dilemma

With so many new and emerging social media platforms, it can be difficult to know where your business fits in. Each platform has unique demographics, features and algorithms that are constantly changing (more on that here). Which platform(s) should you be on? Where will you have the most success? 

While there’s no magic eight ball to answer these questions, there are some considerations that will make choosing your platform(s) easier (and a lot less overwhelming). Whether you’re just getting started on social, or looking to expand your social presence, here are some crucial factors to consider:

Is my audience on Tik Tok?

YOUR AUDIENCE

Perhaps one of the most important factors in any marketing campaign, your audience will help you determine which social media platform(s) will offer you the most success. Who exactly is your audience? How old are they? Where do they live? What interests them? Are they educated? How do they use social media? These are all important questions to ask yourself before jumping onto the latest new platform. Our 2023 State of Social Report will help you discover which demographics are using which platform(s).

YOUR BUSINESS

What is your business? What types of products or services do you offer? Does your brand have a developed personality? All of these considerations will greatly influence your social platform selection. If your brand is very visual or creative, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest or Lemon8 might appeal to your content and audience. If your business is service-oriented, Facebook may be a great place to generate leads. If you sell products with an array of instructional videos, YouTube might be the best host. Many businesses may lend themselves to multiple social channels, where they can connect with their audience in different ways or showcase different facets of their business. 

YOUR COMPETITORS

Who are your competitors, and where do they live in the social space? Do a little competitor research to find out what platforms they’re using, how they’re engaging with their audience and what type of content they’re sharing. Then, look at what’s working for them, and what’s not, before deciding where it makes most sense for your business to have a presence. You’ll want to exist on the platforms they’re most successful if you want to grow your audience through social users. 

YOUR GOALS & CONTENT

Why are you hopping on (or already on) social media in the first place? Once you’ve thought about your overall social media goals and strategy, then you can decide which platforms are best for helping you reach those goals. For example, if you’re looking to your social to help promote you as a thought leader in your industry, LinkedIn or Twitter might help you achieve that better than Instagram or Pinterest with trending topics and blog shares. If customer support is a priority for you, Facebook might be a great platform to start. If capturing attention through photos and video or connecting with lifestyle influencers for product promotion is a goal for you, Instagram might be your platform. If you’re looking to social for e-commerce capability or product/service ads, Instagram or Facebook can give you a boost. 

YOUR BANDWIDTH

Effectively managing a social media account (ie. engaging with your audience on a regular basis, utilizing your social platform to its advantage, responding to users, etc.) requires a significant amount of time and energy. It’s important that you consider your team and your resources before choosing the platform(s) your business exists on. That also includes equipment and capabilities. Do you have the time and resources to edit TikTok videos or fact-check Twitter re-shares?

Do I have time to fact-check Twitter?

By the way, if you’re looking for help navigating the social world, we’re here for you!

When Marketing & Psychology Merge

Advertising is both an art and a science, so it makes sense that we use both our Pantone swatch books and PSY101 notes when creating campaigns. In fact, trying to understand how the human mind works has been part of advertising for so long that a 1957 book called “The Hidden Persuaders” chronicled how some agencies back then employed psychologists to help their creative teams come up with concepts that were more likely to resonate with target audiences (the TV show “Mad Men” touched on this as well in Season 4).

a man winking at the camera

One of the psychological principles that are most commonly used in advertising is called the Rhyme as Reason Effect, and it’s the inspiration behind our latest Instagram (@agency15) #Chapter15, which is created by two members of our team whose names rhyme. They took those visual brainteasers we all did in school and created the answers based on common rhyming terms and phrases.

“Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is.” “Nothin’ says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven.” “Do you Yahoo!?” These advertising slogans, though for different products, all have one thing in common: they’re easy to remember because they rhyme, and this is what the Rhyme as Reason Effect is all about. It’s a cognitive bias (a fancy phrase to describe how our brains perceive and process stimuli) for how we tend to remember and repeat words and phrases that rhyme. It’s why we can recall these slogans decades after they first appeared, certain song lyrics get stuck in our heads, and nursery rhymes have endured for generations.

Rhyming slogans are not only easier to remember, but scientific evidence suggests audiences have better impressions of the advertised product and its attributes as well. A 2013 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology found that when participants were presented with two sets of new advertising slogans—one rhyming and the other not—they rated the rhyming slogans as being more likable, persuasive and original. More importantly, though, they also rated the rhyming slogans as more trustworthy. That’s right, a statement was regarded as being more credible just because it rhymed. (No wonder advertising gets a bad rap.)

So while an apple a day may not necessarily keep the doctor away, take comfort in knowing that at least there’s a scientific reason why you remember that saying and how it seems perfectly reasonable…and be sure to check out our Instagram feed to try and solve our rhyming brainteasers!

an apple as an animation being eaten to the core
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