I’ve been ruminating on the boat-buying surge and what it means to marine marketers. With that in the back of my brain, I read a sentence this morning that gave me pause. “Consumers no longer own ‘things’ as status symbols; they attach status to social belonging, experiences, lifestyles, and purpose-driven movements,” writes Kim Lawton of Enthuse Marketing Group. Her article (link opens in a new tab) talks about the importance of knowing why your customers are buying what they buy. Lawton calls it understanding their mindset. And you can use this concept to engage your audience with digital marketing.
That “status-symbols” vs. “experiences, lifestyles” element caught me. Here’s how I see that playing out in a then vs. now example.
Scene: The breakroom at work on Monday morning
Then: David and Joshua walk into the break room for a cup of coffee. Joshua asks David what he did over the weekend. David says he went for a boat ride with his family. Joshua wishes he could work in David’s department for the opportunity to make that kind of money. He can’t imagine owning a boat.
Now: David and Joshua walk into the break room for a cup of coffee. Joshua tells David he saw the Instagram post of David’s daughter nailing that new wake surfing trick. Joshua wishes he could give that kind of opportunity to his kids. He starts thinking about what it would take to rent a boat on their summer vacation.
See the mindset change in Joshua? The envy is still there, but the focus of it is different.
How can you use digital marketing to engage your audience?
How can you dig into the “experience” mindset in a way that creates an affinity to your brand? Make it easy for people to see themselves having the experience you offer. If we’re talking about boat ownership, this means showing the full range of what someone might encounter while on the water. Here are two ways to accomplish this:
1. Take advantage of user-generated content.
In plain language, user-generated content is the photos and words of people who use your product and aren’t associated with your business, typically found on social media platforms. When someone sees “real” people enjoying the boat (as opposed to models), they’re more likely to imagine what their day on the water would look like. (The girl in the boat is my daughter; her hair is messy because we were in the boat all day. That picture shows real life.)
While it would be easy to reshare these social posts and call it a day, think bigger. How could you use this content in the rest of your marketing? On your website, in your emails, in ads?
Ask permission first. This accomplishes two things. 1) It shows the boater you care about them, which enhances their affinity for your brand. 2) If they’re flattered and grant permission, they’ll likely share even more of their boating experiences on social media. And they’ll be sure to tag you.
Tip: How do you find user-generated content? Consider a campaign promoting a branded hashtag to make it easy.
2. Create content that lets people familiarize themselves with the product.
For most people, buying a boat isn’t a spur-of-the-moment event. A lot goes into making an informed decision, and people today don’t want to get that info from a salesperson. This is where content comes in.
What if an interested boat buyer could go down the rabbit hole on your website? What if your website gave them an answer to every question they had? When you give people the opportunity to direct their own sales “conversation,” you’ll gain their trust. You’re giving the message, “You’re smart; decide for yourself.” When they finally talk to the salesperson, they’ll have already convinced themselves that this is the perfect boat for them.
Tip: How do you create content like this? Make a list of every question your salespeople have ever received, rank them by popularity and create content to match (read They Ask, You Answer by Marcus Sheridan for inspiration).
Focus on the people who will use your product, not the product itself.
What’s the theme here? Showing people your product’s bells and whistles doesn’t engage them. If people were seeking status from the boat itself, bells and whistles might work.
But if you focus on the experience your product gives, the lifestyle it will create, now you’re engaging your audience with digital marketing. Create a scene where they can imagine themselves, their family and their friends as the stars. Your product is simply the tool to make it happen.
