April 21, 2023
I read a wonderful piece by Ann Gynn in The Tilt this week.
She told a story about the Yankee Stadium media tour when reporters gained exclusive access to the facility before the gates opened to the public.
I am a moral person (a Red Sox fan), but even I can imagine the excitement of exploring the brand-new, instantly-iconic stadium.
The legend goes that during the tour, a reporter noticed the lack of concession stands once you got up in the “cheap seats.” There were plenty of amenities behind home plate, but good luck trying to buy a beer and a hot dog from the nosebleeds.
It took a single media rep voicing concern for the Dark Lords to add concession kiosks (and later permanent stands) to the upper deck for opening day.
đź’ˇ Lesson: Consider your whole audience, not just the people who make you the most money.
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Days after reading Ann’s piece, I read that Netflix will soon end its DVD-by-mail service after 25 years.
Yowsa, I thought. That’s still a thing?
And it is, for a few more months!
Netflix has been quietly sending those red envelopes to the upper deck for decades, despite most of its audience swapping mail delivery in favor of streaming.
đź’ˇLesson: Consider your whole audience, not just the largest, noisiest segment.
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It’s easy to see and serve the people right under our noses.
Yet, as Ann and Netflix remind us, it's our responsibility to involve all tiers of our audience in our product experience. These smaller, quieter segments have a place and hold value.
🚨Hold on for a big BUT...
All audience segments should be seen and cared for, and still, there is a line I want to draw and a differentiation to make.
All customers should be treated fairly. But they should NOT be treated equally.
Our job is to know when to treat customers the same and when to treat them differently.
When to treat customers the same:
Everyone in your audience should be treated fairly, respectfully, and in a way consistent with your brand promise and the reputation you wish to build--no matter where they sit in your stadium.
In the physical world, this creates your sense of place.
In less tangible environments, it's your emotional aftertaste.
Your minimum standard of service must be worthy of praise whether I spend $1 with you or $1 million.
When to treat customers differently:
- When it's tied to the customer's needs.
We can’t only think about our audience from the perspective of the problems we help them solve. We have to consider them as individual people. Segment them by their needs, wants, and identities to personalize how we serve them.
Remember personalization?
Marketers were OBSESSED with talking about it before we became obsessed with talking about AI.
Today, we can use data and marketing insights (and, yes, AI!) to not lump people into "buckets" of sameness but to treat them like the individuals they are.
- This might mean proactively creating systems for customers who have a disability. Not the accommodations you are legally required to provide but additional benefits that help them feel seen, valued, and enhance their experience.
- This might mean offering early access to sales and promotions to new parents or new homeowners to give them the first crack at purchasing the products they need most.
- This might mean writing your marketing in a different tone to match what customers prefer (formal vs. casual) or focusing on a different set of benefits to help them feel part of your "club."
Making these adjustments to acknowledge your audience as individuals and creating processes to uniquely serve them establishes a better experience and builds a sense of belonging for all.
- When it's tied to the customer's worth.
Okay, don’t tar and feather me yet, but some customers are worth more to your organization than others, and it's okay to treat them like that.
Not because of who they are but because of the contribution they make.
- This might refer to an audience segment that pays for a service others use for free. Their opinion should be weighed more heavily regarding new features or improvements.
- This might be your product influencers who hold the power to evangelize their use to grow your subscribers. Getting their buy-in to accelerate service growth is more important than catering to a less-engaged user.
- These might be those who represent an ideal audience profile for a service line you want to grow. Knowing and responding to their needs can keep your business moving in the right direction.
Identify your Most Valuable Customers and give them more than your minimal level of service. Reward them with additional access, rewards, perks, features, or extra communication from you.
đź’ˇLesson: Consider your whole audience and honor them by segmenting them based on their interests, identities, and the value they bring to your business. Treat them how they want and how they deserve.
- Know which segments make you the most money and give them exclusive buying opportunities.
- Know which segments are most bought into your mission and give them the tools to spread it.
- Know which segments are entry-level today but have room to grow and tease deeper products and services.
- Know which segments can help you gut-check future investments and seek their feedback on new ideas.
Yankee Stadium didn’t build a permanent kiosk immediately after one reporter raised concerns. They put in a temporary one first.
Treat all your customers equally in terms of service, but know who best defines your brand in terms of operation and give them more of you.
Their voice and engagement will fuel future growth.
