The following is an excerpt from our new ebook, How to Design with the Consumer in Mind. To download the full ebook, click here.
Product design refers to the entire process of building a product, from conception to distribution. That means that any product development process must include marketing strategy. And of course, as you need to design the product with the consumer in mind, you also need to market with the consumer in mind.
How to know where your customers look for Information
When it comes to marketing, it isn’t simply about what you say. It is also about the channels you utilize to deploy your message. There is no use in deploying your message across channels that your target consumer isn’t going to visit. You need to know where your consumer is looking for information, and you need to deploy your message across these channels.
Figure out who your consumers trust. In order to reach your target consumer, you need to figure out which channels of communication he or she trusts. How is this accomplished? It is wise to employ some kind of social monitoring tool to determine where you brand is being mentioned online (forums, websites, etc). Do some primary research, such as interviews or surveys, to figure out which of these sources your target consumer trusts the most. Remember, you are wasting valuable time and resources if you employ a marketing channel that your consumer doesn’t find reputable.
Pay attention to social media demographics. In today’s world social media is undoubtedly an invaluable marketing tool. However, when it comes to crafting a compelling social media campaign you need to spend your marketing dollars wisely, paying attention to which specific social media sites your consumers are actively using.
Here’s an example. Imagine you are launching a new, environmentally friendly cleaning service. Your target consumer is a middle-aged working mom who doesn’t have time to clean, but does have money to hire a cleaning service. Twitter is most popular among the 18 to 29-year-old age bracket, and research shows that it is most commonly used by those residing in urban and suburban areas. If your target consumers are mothers between the ages of 30 and 45, it probably wouldn’t make much sense to pump money into a Twitter campaign, as it is unlikely that these middle-aged moms are regularly turning to Twitter for information. Pinterest, on the other hand, is most popular with adult females. The majority of users fall within the 25 to 34 age bracket (27.4% of users), followed by the 35 to 44 age range (22.1%) and 18 to 24 demographic (17.3%). Roughly half of Pinterest users have children, and one-fourth of users report an annual household income of over $100,000. It would therefore make sense to leverage Pinterest in a social media campaign, as your target demographic does have a significant presence on the site.
Personalize, personalize, personalize. Consumers are more likely to trust and engage with personalized content. Believe it or not, 3 out of 4 customers become frustrated when website content such as advertisements, promotions, visuals, or offers don’t immediately pertain to their preferences or interests. So whether it’s a PURL (personalized URL) or a personalized newsletter, be sure to employ some kind of personalized marketing.
Pivot International is a product design, development, and manufacturing firm with strengths in software development, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and industrial design. If you are interested in engineering a new product or updating an existing product, contact us at 1-877-206-5001 or request your free consultation today.
