Benefits of interactive marketing to business
In a world where consumers have come to expect increasing responsiveness from the companies they do business with, interactive marketing is one of several methods (social media is another) in which business owners can better meet their market’s needs.
Interactive marketing involves a marketing tactic that is in direct response to something a consumer does. Sometimes called trigger-based or event-based marketing, interactive marketing relies completely on an action started by the consumer.
For instance, “Do you want fries with that?” is a form of interactive marketing. It’s usually asked if you order a hamburger, but not if you order a shake. The act of ordering a hamburger triggers the push towards adding another product.
The benefits of interactive marketing can be significant. For one, it makes the consumer feel like they’re heard, understood, and receiving personal service.
Interactive marketing can obviously increase sales. It increases the odds that you’ll deliver what the consumer needs thereby leading to a sale, as well as increase sales by recommending related items.
Another benefit is that interactive marketing increases consumer satisfaction. Consumers like to buy things that most closely fit what they need. Since interactive marketing is based on actions by the consumer, you’re more likely to match them with the right product/service.
Interactive marketing can lower marketing costs. Consumers do like it due to the fact that they don’t have to repeat themselves. It’s like having a personal shopper. Happy customers not only stay with you but will refer you to other customers. It’s cheaper to keep a customer than get a new one.
Interactive marketing can be automatic. When you suggest to the consumers “Do you want fries with that?” is an automatic process while selling hamburger, and this is factually part of an interactive marketing system which is “automatic” so to say.
Despite of business benefits from interactive marketing, there are drawbacks that need not be taken for granted. Interactive marketing requires detailed planning and implementation.
While a system can execute it, you have to set the system up to understand the triggers and what to deliver.
On the other hand, some customers would not like the product hence it is imperative for you to ask for recommendations or views from consumers regarding the product and also you have to track what consumers do on every move in connection to your product that is in the market. Also remember, not every consumer is alike. Interactive marketing works a great deal on probabilities.
But just because 99 people out of 100 bought item Y at the same time they bought item X, doesn’t mean everyone who buys X also wants Y. Someone might prefer Z. When it goes wrong, it highlights that you don’t know your customer.
If you’d like to use interactive marketing in your business, you’ll need to spend time understanding your market, its wants, and needs, as well as what actions can lead to results. You must identify the triggers that can lead to an interactive marketing event. The best way to do this is through surveys and analyzing data.
You need to determine the marketing event for the trigger. When the consumer does X, what do you want to happen? Recommend Y? Ask if they want fries? Set up your system whether online or offline. Online, this requires tech know-how to set up a program that will take the data input and delivers an output. Offline, that is, face-to-face, you can develop your “sales system” to include responses to certain questions or purchases your client/customer asks.
On this whole process you need to do assessment. Is it working? Is your interactive marketing system leading to more sales? Are you getting complaints? Use the data to tweak your system.
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