Understand the product you’re marketing

Through research and actively trying what is being marketed to customers, we better understand the product – the story behind the brand and the motivations of the team behind it.

As a marketing agency, are you best placed to market a business, product or service if you have not experienced or purchased it yourself? Or maybe the question is – would you be better placed to market that business, product or service if you had experienced or purchased it directly?

Any intelligent person would be hard pressed to say no. For that reason, the only logical next question is why is this not a prerequisite for marketing a product or service?

We are lucky to work with Kirsty Phillips and Marytn Whitley at Ngāi Tahu Tourism who understand the importance of this concept and demand it. For that very reason, part of my team have spent the past five days in Queenstown enjoying ourselves as tourists. We definitely had a blast. But what was the client benefit and was the joint investment worthwhile?

Values

On our first night, their CEO Quinton Hall explained their company values, with great passion and in Te Reo Māori. These include family, looking after our people, expertise, stewardship, appropriate action and leadership. He explained them in such depth as they are the lifeblood of the organisation and are understood at all levels of the business. Shaun, our guide on NZ Snowshoe, exuded this more than most with his Māori welcome of Kia ora. He showed patience, keenness to assist at any point, his detailed explanation of the land and passion for the company.

Not only are we brand advocates, we are better placed to weave the Ngāi Tahu beliefs into their marketing campaigns as it is weaved throughout the fabric of their people, employees and brands.

Creatives

Through research, we gain a better understanding of the product sets. The beauty that surrounds the deep valley and moraine of the Dart River that glaciers once carved and the transparent blue of the water that the glaciers now feed are part of the spectacle.

This enabled us to produce more engaging creative.

Targeting

From speaking to tourists at Queenstown and the customers, there is a better understanding that we need to associate more value to people who are researching their holidays and focus less on people who are buying online. Often, the consumer is researching the experiences and attractions they wish to book, but only book them when they are actually in Queenstown. This means we need more focus on local or radius marketing – targeting the potential customer when they are in situ.

Different experiences are also more suited to different ages and life stages.

Invigorated

We now love the brands and the experiences we’ve been on. We’ve always wanted to do our best. There is now a certain je ne sais quoi that will drive us harder and ensure our engagement. These brands are now dear to our heart and will take a certain priority when we’re working through our task lists.

Obviously, it is not always possible to experience a client’s product or service – maybe it’s a medicine or service you have no need for. If that is the case, what can you do to better understand the product or service?

Speak to the sales or customer service team, sign up and run through any client material or have feedback sessions with both happy and unhappy clients. Knowledge is power and I think we as marketers often lose sight of that fact.

I go back to my original question – Would you be better placed to market that business, product service if you had experienced or purchased it directly?

If the answer is yes, then I suggest you do something about it.

Gary Nissim, Managing Director, Indago Digital