By Katrina Olson
This article originally appeared on tedmag.com on April 22, 2016.
At last year’s NAED AdVenture marketing conference, a whopping 60 percent of attendees were female, and approximately 43 percent were under age 36.
Contrast that with the demographics of electrical contractors.
The average age of the electrical contractor is 56.2, according to Electrical Contractor magazine’s 2014 Profile of the Electrical Contractor. And you probably won’t be surprised to learn that women hold only one percent of all electrician jobs, according to 2009 Census data.
“How do I market to people who are very different from me?”
A good marketer gets to know their customers, inside and out—who they are, what keeps them up at night, and how they make decisions. By understanding customers’ concerns, buying habits, attitudes, preferences and behaviors, you’ll get a feel for what kinds of media and messages they’ll respond to. Along the way, you’ll also learn about trends in their businesses and industry.
“How do I learn more about my customers?”
Following are seven ways you can find out what makes your customers tick. Some are pretty easy; others are more involved. But all should yield valuable insights..
1. Read your customers’ trade publications.
Most industries have trade association and publications. Health Facilities Management, Facilities Manger, Facility Management Decisions, Electrical Contractor, and Buildings and Electrical Contractor are just a few.
2. Join online groups.
Is there a LinkedIn group or social media platform where your customers and prospects hang out? Observe without participating or commenting to learn what’s important to them.
3. Ask your salespeople.
If you can’t talk directly to customers, talk to those who do. Counter staff, inside sales, outside sales, and customer service representatives can give you insight into what your customers care about.
4. Attend company events.
Get out from behind your desk or computer and attend counter days, workshops, training sessions, and other opportunities to get to know your customers. Try to uncover your customers’ hot buttons and pain points.
5. Contact customers directly.
Call or email some of your key customers and ask specific questions—like how they want to learn about new products and services. Or take them out to lunch. Explain that you want to better understand their business so you can better serve them.
6. Conduct a short survey.
Curious about what media your customers are consuming? Want to know what social media platforms they’re using? Wondering how much they use their smartphones? Ask them!
7. Host a focus group or customer advisory council.
To get honest feedback about what your customers think, conduct a focus group or establish a customer advisory council that meets every year. Rotate members out every few years to get fresh perspectives. (To make sure you get candid comments, hire an outside facilitator and leave the room.)
How can I apply this knowledge to be a better marketer?
Here’s an example. The electrical contractor’s role is evolving as they become more heavily involved in design and specification. Also, building systems are becoming more integrated and interdependent, using data hubs that communicate with each other. All systems are tied together; so all the products must be compatible with each other.
As a result, electrical contractors may look to you for comprehensive solutions, not just individual products. Electrical contractors will also rely more heavily on the electrical distributor’s expertise to help them choose the right products for both new and existing systems.
This knowledge should change the way you position and brand your company, and the way your salespeople are trained, too. Instead of just selling and marketing products, you’re marketing your staff’s expertise and product knowledge.
The trick is putting yourself in your customer’s and prospect’s shoes. That means not just understanding their wants and needs—but speaking their language. That takes a little more practice. But the more research you do, the easier it gets.
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Olson is a marketing and public relations consultant, and principal of Katrina Olson Strategic Communications. She has written for tED magazine’s print edition since 2005, judged tED magazine’s Best of the Best Competition since 2006, and emceed the Best of the Best Awards ceremony for a total of seven years. She can be reached at Katrina@katrinaolson.com or via her website at katrinaolson.com
I’m passionate about grammar—and it affects my entire family. Recently, the local Applebee’s sign incorrectly used “everyday” on their exterior sign. I asked my husband to pull into the parking lot and enable me to correct it.
Fortunately, my children share my passion. Since they were in middle school, I’ve had them proofread my articles and stories. They’re both strong writers who are eager to learn and grow. And when they bring home their school papers, I can see they are making fewer and fewer errors.
Can you pass this word choice test?
1. At McDonald’s, we serve breakfast all day, (everyday/every day).
2. This checkout lane is for customers with 10 items or (fewer/less).
3. (Since/Because) we moved to the country, I’ve put 10,000 miles on my car.
4. This new customer relationship management software (allows/enables) us to track every interaction with a customer.
5. I am really (anxious/eager) to attend the marketing conference in August because it’s my first one and I won’t know anyone.
6. When you go to the meeting across town, be sure to (bring/take) your laptop.
7. I’m not concerned about the management change; it won’t (affect/effect) me.
Here are your answers!
1. every day (two words) Every day (two words) is an adverb that is a function of time or frequency. I eat breakfast every day. Here’s a trick. If you can insert the word “single” between every and day, it should be two words. “I eat breakfast every single day.” Everyday (one word) is an adjective. If it’s used as an adjective—it precedes and modifies a noun—it’s one word. For example, eating breakfast is part of my everyday routine. Of course, the word every day can precede a noun and not modify it. For example, “Every day, the rabbits are in my garden.”
2. fewer Fewer is used for when items can be counted or quantified For example, “Put fewer cups of sugar in your sweet tea.” Less is used for hypothetical or non-countable quantities. “Put less sugar in your sweet tea.” Think “lesser amount” and “fewer quantity.”
3. Since. Although the two words seem interchangeable, “since” refers to time while “because” refers to causation. This sentence means, “Since that point in time when we moved to the country, I’ve put 10,000 miles on my car.” You could also say, “Because we moved to the country, I put more miles on my car every year.” This explains the reason or cause for the higher mileage.
4. Enables. This one is also tricky because the difference is so subtle. Following are Webster’s simple definitions for each.
enable. : to make (someone or something) able to do or to be something. : to make (something) possible, practical, or easy.
allow. : to permit (something) : to regard or treat (something) as acceptable. : to permit (someone) to have or do something. : to permit (someone) to go or come in, out, etc.
Software gives you the ability, not permission, to do something. It’s a subtle difference, and one most people wouldn’t get. So in most cases, you can use “allow.” In fact, most people do; because “enables” sounds like a word your therapist uses.
5. Anxious. This is another often-misused word. Most people think it means eager; but the more precise definition includes a component of anxiety or unease. See below:
anxious. : experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness. : typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. : (of a period of time or situation) causing or characterized by worry or nervousness. : wanting something very much, typically with a feeling of unease.
eager. : (of a person) wanting to do or have something very much. : (of a person’s expression or tone of voice) characterized by keen expectancy or interest.
6. Take. It’s all about the direction of movement, relative to the speaker or writer. If an object is being moved toward a subject, use “bring.” If it’s being moved away from the subject, use “take.” You take lunch to your spouse at work. But your spouse might call and ask you to bring his lunch to him.
7. Affect. “Affect” is almost always a verb. (e.g., Social media affects marketing.) And “effect” is almost always a noun. (e.g., Social media’s effects are widespread.) One exception is when “effect” is used as a transitive verb, meaning to bring about or make happen. (e.g., The mayor hopes to effect change in local government.) Also, “affect” can be a noun. e.g., Her lack of affect (feeling or emotion) made her seem cold and unkind.
So, how did you do?
Did you get at least 5 correct? Did you catch the clues I gave you in the opening paragraph? Would you like to see more quizzes like this? (I have a ton from my teaching days.) Speaking of which, if any former student took this and didn’t get 100%, Officer Ivana Spellright says your fine is a cup of coffee next time you’re in town!
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Katrina Olson is an award-winning advertising copywriter and creative director, marketing and public relations consultant, freelance writer, content developer, trainer/coach, former college professor, and principal of Katrina Olson Strategic Communications. She can be reached at katrina@katrinaolson.com or via her website at katrinaolson.com.