Reacting to Behavior

by Joe , Paul Lewis, Jul 8, 2005, 2:30 PM

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Working for a relationship marketing agency, I am always amazed when I meet with new clients who have complex funnels of customer engagement. Even more amazing to me, is when asked what they do at the end of each funnel they say, "Aha, that's where we hit them with the ad to buy the 8780!" I have news for you. If all your responses are the same regardless of what data you gather on the customer, then all you have constructed is an elaborate monologue. What you want to do instead, is change your message to match the behavior. Imagine the following campaign.

-XYZ leverages existing sports/celebrity endorsements to drive and qualify consumers in a series of online engagements.

-XYZ sends unique follow-up messages using e-mail and direct mail that depict said sport/celebrity or, even better, an element of the online engagement unique to that consumer such as their high score, game character, or choice of prize.

-Follow-up messages vary based upon each consumer's responses, something like, "Mr. Smith, your score of [high score] has earned you a discount off of [phone consumer liked]. Right now the phone with [minutes needed] minutes is only [rate] per month, a 25% percent savings just for winning our [engagement name] challenge. John, we know that [pet peeve] is a big concern of yours and we want you to know that XYZ had the fewest [pet peeves] according Consumer Satisfaction Today. Even better, we can offer your whole family a great deal if you switch now. Just visit your local XYZ store at [ZIP code closest store look-up] with this unique identifier [ID#] which can win you anywhere from one to three months of free service for all [family members] in your family. There is no better way to get all of you talking free together, but you have to act fast, this offer expires [10 days plus mail delivery date]..."

Retained Value In the example above, I condensed a mass of information into a single communiqué. However, in a true broad behavioral marketing campaign, you might pick just a few things to highlight in each successive communication with the consumer. Lead them back with a chance to play a new level of your online game or download a new exclusive song from your celebrity, but include components that reinforce your brand and the ultimate behavior you hope to drive.

Do NOT think of this as a one-time initiative. Now that you have gone through all the trouble of learning information on your prospects behavior and interests, continue to market to them as appropriate and refine your message. Be sure to identify when a prospect buys and becomes a customer. Does that mean you stop marketing? No, but you should change your message to extend the lifetime value rather than continuing to market the product they have just purchased.

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