Failures happen because people are unpredictable. You don’t always need to include malicious intentions or jokes to fail. Even a positive campaign can turn out to be offensive to a particular group of people. If things fail despite your efforts to plan and define the strategy, there is probably a gap between those to whom you believe you are selling and your actual customers. Therefore, a way to begin your campaign’s recovery is:
- to change the audience. Take a step back and start exploring. You can send a questionnaire to your current customers to find out more about why they buy from you. Surveys will help you analyze the issue. With demographics, specific interests, and lasting preferences, you can adjust your key message to make it much more personalized. Recall the steps to segment your audience. It will be useful if you divide the strategy into various tactics, depending on the diverse types of clients. You can check several messages to customers, running AB tests to see which one performs better in a controlled environment. This will show you which marketing components to include and which – not. To create a continual relationship with your audience,
- understand the feedback. Listen to what people tell you. And keep in mind their constructive criticism. Feedback is the basis of the customer’s understanding and you will instantly know if they like your offer. Even if you do not agree with the information, the response of the large group usually makes sense. The rational reaction should come after careful listening. And it’s good while hearing also:
- to reveal your human side. Apologize to the affected group of people and get ready for potential lawsuits, for your behaviour and response in that given situation. Admit the mistake and take responsibility for the failure, for the pressure created, and for making people receive your marketing message. Delegate someone on the team to make a short apologetic video to show the human nature of the company. Remember that mistakes lead us forward, and success is the easiest place to fall from. This is another way to regain and maintain trust. Right after the excuses,
- offer added value. If you did not manage to achieve the ultimate goal, you can consider all done so far and head in a completely new direction with your next strategy. Especially if have not reached the sales target on the previous one, you can now offer a more affordable product, make a discount, add free gifts. Marketing strategies are rarely a complete success or a total failure. Even when you achieve your goals, there might certain improvement factors to learn from for the next time. Don’t sweep away the failure, apply the information you got o send more suitable messages to the proper audience in your next campaign.
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