Marketing Courtship Sequencing Traps

While John is away, Skyon, a master marketing pick-up artist, will be sharing his provocative approach to attracting customers and earning transactions from them.

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To refresh our memory, the Marketing Courtship Process happens in three steps. Step 1 is about capturing the Attraction of customers. Step 2 is building a Connection with customers. Step 3 is the earning of a Transaction. That’s the three step process to courting a customer. But marketers must follow each step in the sequence. Any move outside of this sequence will not meaningfully earn the transaction from a customer.

The two most common Marketing Courtship Sequencing Traps I’ve seen marketers fall victim to are (#1) starting at the end of the process and (#2) getting stuck in the middle of the process.

TRAP #1: Starting at the End
When marketers start at the end by asking for the transaction before capturing attraction and without building a connection, they end up seducing customers. The seduction of customers results in a slew of issues, namely buyer’s remorse. When customers are triggered to make an impulse purchase, they may regret buying the brand. They may feel as though they have been hoodwinked into buying something they were never attracted to in the first place.

Remember, for lasting relationships with customers, transactions must be earned. They cannot be forced.

TRAP #2: Stuck in the Middle
Many times marketers will successfully capture the attention of their customers and then successful build a connection with those customers. But the brand fails to express its transactional interest with the customer. Instead, the brand continues the tango of getting to know the customer. The brand essentially becomes a “friend” to the customer who feels comfortable sharing insights with the brand but not willing to share the money in their wallet with the brand.

If a brand fails to express a transactional interest with a customer, then the brand risks being stuck in the “Neutral Zone” where money for product is likely not to happen.

More to come …

** END OF PART FIVE **

Comments

[Dan Schawbel]

It seems like your taking this from the laws of attraction with men and women. You do make good points.

[Skyon]

@Dan--whoa, are you just now catching on? YES! I am relating marketing to the attraction and copulation of Men/Women.

[Lewis Green]

Attracting women aside, John you are right on target with your marketing/sales approach. Good stuff.

[Skyon]

@Lewis--so you don't like the analogy. To each one's own.

[218Matt]

Thanks for filling in so well. As a consultant for churches and nonprofits it is interesting to think of "dating" my potential clients!

[Kenyatta]

This is the best explanation of not only the process of marketing, but the pitfalls that many companies stumble upon everyday. I currently do marketing for a local community college, and I'm having great difficulty getting the institution to understand the process.

Although I can't explain this to the group, it is refreshing to at least discuss this with someone who understands.

[Peter]

I appreciate your coments and take them on board. Thanks for helpful insights. I think that artist we tend to ignore the business side of things - "build it and they'll come" - dosn't really work thankfully there is information out there.