Don't be a lazy sh*t. Make your customers the heroes of their own story

The importance of data in creating an engaging content strategy

Run a leisure facility? Golf, cricket, badminton, maybe squash? The specific sector is irrelevant (but I’ll use leisure as a case study further down). If all you have to offer is the latest shiny equipment, or discounts on your products and services – you’re doing it wrong.

Do offers of shiny new equipment or ‘get your first month free’ discounts make your stand out from the crowd? NO. They make you part of the crowd. They make you a lazy sh*t. No marketer should be content with that.

“Lazy sh*t tactics may be quick fixes for attracting customers, but you have to push beyond that”

‘Lazy sh*t’ tactics may be quick fixes for attracting customers, but customer awareness and acquisition is only the start of it. You have to push beyond that. Differentiate your brand to build true loyalty.

To RETAIN customers, you need more than gimmicky deals, or the latest equipment. Anyone can do that. You’ll be one of thousands. The next day, one of your competitors will offer a better discount and your ‘loyal’ customers will suddenly forget the meaning of the word.

“Help your customer with their story. Make them the hero of their story. The one who achieves all of their goals”

Say you work in marketing at a golf club. Access some video equipment to film golfers during their swings, either on the course or in the driving range.

Imagine the power of finding out the names of the golfers in your club who hook the ball. Marrying this data up to their email address and sending them weekly tips on how to improve their game, relating to the specific areas they need to improve.

You’ll be helping your customers with their personal stories. Making them the heroes of their stories. The ones who achieve all their goals.

If you’re worried about capturing everything you need – there are hundreds of apps out there that can do the work for you – all the golfer at your club has to do is enter which way the ball went on each shot they took during their round. No filming necessary (although sending them personalised video of their shots would be next-level).

Incentivise your customers (in this case golfers), to share their data

Tell your members that uploading their shot data when they finish their round will put them into a draw to win a free round, or the latest shiny equipment you were previously peddling, prior to showing any intent to really getting to know your customers.

If your competitors are offering similar deals, go a step higher – next month, the prize draw winner gets to play a round with a local professional etc. The possibilities are endless.

“Data analysis is your golden ticket to increased content engagement”

The data you receive from golfers’ rounds is your ticket to increased engagement on your content.

You now know that ‘John’ has a terrible hook (ball moves right to left in flight for a right-hander). You also have his membership email address. If ‘John’ doesn’t open your email and click on the video tips you provide on ‘how to stop hooking the ball’, then ‘John’ is a stubborn, stubborn man. (NB – ‘John’ WILL click on your content).

What’s to stop you creating a whole series of videos to help each and every one of your customers, like the one with nearly 3-million views, below?

Using data to inform your content will make your target customer, ‘John’, more likely to click on that email link to a golf club you’re selling in the club shop too. You know, the one with a rotating club head that can negate his hook-shot – ‘John’ might want a quick fix too and now you’ve got all bases covered.

Loyalty is earned, not bought

In summary, increase awareness and attract customers with deals and discounts at carefully chosen times, sure. Just don’t rely on it.

Retain customers and build loyalty by helping them with content that makes them the hero of their story; the one that succeeds in the end. Now that’sengaging content.

“Data driven insight is the only way to be truly different from your competitors”

Data driven insight is the only way to be truly different from your competitors. It can be achieved whether you have lots of budget, or are marketing on a shoestring.

Important note: data capture and keeping users engaged with your content can be greatly supported with app development, so that people can record their own progress towards achieving their goals, with the help of your company’s branded app.

App development is set to go from strength to strength over the next five years – allowing brands to push relevant content and marketing placements, in the process towards building even stronger bonds with their customers.

To find how GOAT’s research led process can help you achieve business growth online, contact us today.

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Are you using data to develop your content strategy? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment and spark up the conversation!

Thanks for reading.