Forget everything you *thought* you knew about marketing…
Forget about being “the best”, “the cheapest”, “the fastest”, or “the most effective”…
Because 95% of purchasing decisions are driven by ONE THING.
Hint: It has nothing to do with your offer…
And when you learn this it’s going to completely change the way you think about marketing.
Hey, Posse! What’s up? It’s Alex.
Today I want to talk about a few massive shifts that I’m seeing in the marketing industry…
And when I say “shifts” – no, I’m talking about some hot new trend or tactic that’s guaranteed to make you millions of dollars overnight.
I get it – people get excited about Trends.
And yes, paying attention to Trends helps you stay relevant and it IS important to keep a pulse on those things…
BUT, BUT, BUT…
You should never base your entire marketing strategy around some hot new trick you saw on TikTok.
WHY?
Because trends are alwaysssssss changing.
Remember Threads? LOL
It was all anyone was talking about for like, what, a week? Now daily user count is down 82%
Or what about the “A.I. takeover”?
For a few months, EVERYONE was freaking out about how A.I. was going to replace our jobs and solve our problems…
And now, it’s like – Oh yeah, A.I. can be useful and stuff. But it also kind of sucks and we DEFINITELY need humans…
So those are just a few examples of recent “trends” that have taken over the marketing zeitgeist…
And if all you’re doing is paying attention to the next hottest trend, tool, or tactic that comes onto the scene…
…you are missing the whole point of marketing.
Which is to focus FIRST on what your market needs and wants…
And how your customers’ behavior is shifting with the times.
Because the way people bought before is NOT the same way they buy now and if you ignore these marketing truths…
And instead try to find all the fancy bells and whistles to get people to take out their credit card…
You’re in a race to the bottom.
So let’s talk about the way buying behavior is shifting…
But first – if you’re finding this useful, and you want to see MORE blogs like this one… join my newsletter so you don’t miss out!
Now…
Buyer behavior has SERIOUSLY changed. Let’s talk about it…
Marketing Shift #1 – Linear Marketing Is Dead
Yes… I know, I know…
This is going to make all my direct-response marketers cringe. But it’s what the data is showing us.
Customers are no longer moving linearly through a perfectly curated funnel.
Instead, customers are interacting with brands across multiple channels – seeking out what type of EXPERIENCE that brand has to offer…
THEN they are buying.
So the old-school way of marketing was very much like
- Someone sees an ad
- Clicks on the ad
- And either buys now or never buys.
And while sure that MIGHT still happen every now and then…
It’s definitely not very common anymore.
What the customer journey is looking like NOW is more like…
- Someone sees an ad
- Clicks on the ad
- Scrolls around your website for a while
- Checks out your social media accounts
- Maybe they follow you or subscribe to your email list
- They check out your stuff for a while
- Get a vibe check
- THEN MAYBE they buy.
What’s happening here is that buyers are being more selective with the brands they give their money to.
And I mean, it makes sense if you really think about it – right?
Consumers have sooooo many options now.
There aren’t just 2 ocean-friendly laundry detergents on the shelf anymore – there are like 50 of them.
Just think about how long it takes you to pick a Netflix movie…
People have more options and because of that, they take longer to weigh their options and get to know the brands BEFORE they make decisions.
And I am absolutely seeing this in my business.
In fact…
The majority of my FIRST TIME BUYERS, buy from me after 30 days.
I’ve heard so many people saying, “Our marketing is no longer working but we haven’t changed anything”…
But is it just not working? Or is taking longer to convert the same customer?
It’s no longer *just* about immediate conversion…
You want to focus on building brand awareness and creating an experience that pulls people in…
In fact, consumers are 155% more likely to search for your brand terms after see an ad.
And 70% more likely to buy from a re-targeting ad.
So marketing is no longer this perfect linear path.
Now we’re seeing buyers zig-zag up, down, side, side, back, forth, and all over the place before they buy.
So what’s a brand to do?
You focus on delivering a QUALITY EXPERIENCE at every single level and stage of your funnel.
Don’t give up on a new lead just because they didn’t convert in the first week.
Take your time with them. Nurture them, give them value, allow them into your world, and give them one hell of an experience.
According to a study by the Harris Group, more than 78% of millennials would choose to spend money on a desirable experience or event rather than buying something desirable.
So rather than looking at consumers as passive receivers of messages…
We should be actively building a relationship with them instead.
Marketing Shift #2 – Values Must Come FIRST
89% of customers are loyal to brands that share their values
People want to buy from brands that share the same values as them. Period.
You can longer get away with being the cheapest or the best…
Because people are WILLING to pay more to support a brand that reinforces the stories they tell themselves and who they believe they are.
And that’s actually a GOOD THING for you.
Because you don’t want to be for everybody.
You want to attract the people who resonate with who you are and what you stand for…
WHY?
Because those people will stick around for the long haul.
Identifying your values and not being afraid to claim them – loudly and proudly…
Putting your actions where your words are…
THAT is how you call in your perfect customers & create community.
And that’s what they want.
They want to feel like they are a part of COMMUNITY.
Consumers are sick and tired of being treated like a transaction.
They want a connection.
The best marketing “strategy” is simply you showing up as YOU, engaging with your customers, and offering them real value.
And isn’t that freaking amazing?!
Alright, now this next one…
This is the BIG ONE.
Marketing Shift #3 – Emotional Reasoning > Logical Reasoning
Humans buy emotionally and justify logically.
Which means that crafting a great offer is only HALF the battle…
95% of purchasing decisions are completely subconscious and driven by – yep, you guessed it – EMOTION.
This means you absolutely HAVE to understand your buyer and their core emotions.
It can’t just be about what the product does and why it’s so great…
You need to elicit an emotional response from them if you really want to capture their attention.
Ask yourself:
- How do you want your audience to FEEL when they buy from you?
- How do THEY THINK they want to feel?
- What is the underlying desire beneath that?
This article from Inc. said perfectly…
“Luxury goods target our feelings of self-worth, acceptance, and status in the world. Communication devices excite us by offering a connection to friends, family, and a broader network of people. Athletic brands inspire by offering adventure and glory through the act of competition. And many other products, such as perfume, cologne and lingerie, target emotions related to love, relationships, and sexual desires.
As marketers, we should still focus on the features of the product. But we must also sell the lifestyle and the feeling. The key is to highlight the emotional response a consumer will achieve by using the product.
As the old saying goes – sell the sizzle, not the steak.”
I used to work at a steakhouse and would hear this all the time. Lol.
YES.
So if you’re not already considering the Emotional Buyer’s Journey in your marketing then you are leaving A LOT of money on the table.
And if you want to go even further down the marketing rabbit hole…
Make sure to read my next blog, where I share THE BEST marketing advice I ever received…
Until next time, I’m Alex. Ciao for now!
