In a recent post, we outlined the what of Engagement Marketing. We laid out the essential characteristics of Engagement Marketing. Hopefully, this will help Brands understand it better. Naturally, the next question a Brand might ask is “Why is it good for me?“.

The very core of Engagement Marketing is to tap into the hearts & minds of your consumers. It doesn’t have to be all consumers - just those that are interested in your Brand and are affected by it in good and bad ways. When a Brand is able
to connect with consumers in this way, the sky is the limit for the value that it brings.

So what are the ways in which you can benefit?

  1. A perennial source of ideas on what consumers would really like from the Brand
    You expand your pool of creativity & innovation beyond your company’s borders.  You have thousands, if not millions, thinking for you.  Apparently, Dell & Starbucks love this, and so do many consumers. And there are many startups that try to  provide exactly this service (SuggestionBox.com, Uservoice.com, CrowdSound.com, ShouldDoThis.com, etc)
  2. An instantly available focus group you can reach out to help with your decision-making
  3. A way to measure and optimize your ad campaigns in traditional media
    All you have to do is ask, and you can optimize the gazillions you spend on advertisement without a clear understanding of its impact and effectiveness.
  4. A great audience to help you with Product Testing before launch
    Note that you’re dealing with an audience you know. This helps you get just  the feedback you need.
  5. A highly impactful PR channel
    When your involvement is trust-generating, you don’t just have a PR team anymore, you have an army!!. Imagine the waves & vibes that this army can generate for you, both online and offline.
    A common concern you may have is “What if it is negative vibes?“. Wouldn’t you rather be there to address the reasons for the negative vibes and tackle the problem before it becomes a crisis?. Imagine the positive goodwill you will gain when you deal with it head-on and turn the tide. Will the problem go away if you hide or suppress it?. The Streisand Effect could work against you.
  6. A sound way to nurture leads for your products & services
    When you’re there to listen, talk, and share, you become a very personable brand.  Your Brand gains the aura of the human touch. Borrowing a phrase from this fine article, you become a magnet. Its better to be a magnet than a hammer!.
  7. A great way to share useful and fun content with consumers
    It could be exclusive photos or video clips of your Brand Ambassador. It could be a how-to video. It could be free downloads of music, ringtones, wallpapers etc. It could be your promotions & offers. There are many things you could share with an engaged audience. Not just any audience, but an audience you know something about, and an audience that is loyal to you.

We, at BrandAdda, are building just the platform, tools and applications to help you realize these benefits. Do take a look and let us know your feedback.