Everyone likes to feel as if they are a part of something. Whether this is a club they belong to, a circle of friends, or a special promotion they’re invited to, the feeling of exclusivity, of belonging to the “club” is a feeling brands often capitalized on.
This is a great maneuver, particularly if it’s done with tact. Marketing is a language that is easily spoken to the right consumers. By creating an “exclusive” feel, brands can often capture the attention of more discerning consumers. This can be a valuable approach, as often times the more selective customers end up being the most loyal. Once they have found a brand that meets their standards, their loyalty is often unwavering.
How does a brand reach these consumers, the ones with a nose for trickery and the smarts to only select brands that they strongly identify with?
Creating exclusivity doesn’t have to be a complicated process. For our purposes, we’ll use an example of a media outlet for this article. This media outlet is geared towards small business owners, a resource they can use for marketing tips, entrepreneurship advice, and more. How does this outlet reach more consumers and create a club type of feel?
Two effective ways of reaching consumers in a more intimate way are email marketing and Facebook groups. Let’s dive into the basics of each one, and how they can work to a brand’s advantage.
Email Marketing to Create Exclusivity
Email marketing has rapidly become a go-to tool for many marketers, and for good reason. Many users are migrating away from Facebook and other social media platforms in favor of email, where they feel more in control of what content they are receiving.
If a brand has an email marketing list, think of ways to make the content found in each newsletter more exclusive feeling, rather than just a general sales format. The end goal is to prompt the reader to take some sort of action, but by sprinkling in other useful content that the reader won’t be able to find anywhere else the brand can achieve more loyalty.
Market email content like a club. “Members only” feels exclusive and as if not just anyone can access the perks. The email list may be free to sign up for, but members should still feel they are one step ahead of others by signing up. Find ways to create content and perks that they can enjoy, just as they would with any other type of “club”.
The Value of Private Facebook Groups
Social media is a very public place, and it’s often fraught with negativity and infighting. Many users have taken shelter in the form of private groups, often created and managed by brands or media outlets.
Creating a private Facebook or other social media group has many benefits. First, this type of group gives users a space to share thoughts, engage with each other, and interact with the brand in a new way. Instead of simply throwing ads their way, hoping they will click on them, a brand can actually converse with users, get valuable feedback, and build relationships.
Private Facebook groups also create a sense of exclusivity. By not making groups like this publicly accessible, users can gain entrance by obtaining administrative permission, or “joining the club”. Again, this can be a free experience but it still gives the user a feeling that they are a part of something that not everyone can also enjoy. This is valuable!
Consumers in today’s constant notification society don’t want to just be sold to and told to open their wallets. Often, the best connections are made when a consumer feels they are in a unique situation, rather than just a number in a crowd. Creating exclusive experiences can be a simple and easy tactic that garners highly valuable results for brands looking to build relationships with more customers.
-5WPR CEO Ronn Torossian
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