Engage Your Customer Customer engagement has grown into a buzzword in digital marketing, especially for content creation. The ultimate goal of your online presence is to transform a site visitor into a consumer. Customer based engagement is a broad term which requires a deep understanding of how people learn and how they take action.
A comment on a page is not necessarily customer engagement leading that individual to a buying decision.
Presentation, Jono Alderson
What Is Customer-Based Engagement?
Customer engagement is the learning process which enables your site visitor to understand the benefits of your business and know how what your business offers will solve a problem. For example, a comment on a page is an indication your site visitor is on the path, but it does not mean they are fully engaged to the point of making a purchase.
All the components of your website are pieces that enhance and simplify the learning process of your potential customer. Text is only one part of those components. Overall website design echoes your business ethos, usability, accessibility, and pleasure through interaction with the product. They are different pieces of your site visitor’s learning. A simple and clear menu needs to guide them along the discovery path.
Whether you write for your own business or hire a content writer, the text you use is a reflection of your business values and the value your customers receive.
In a recent brief article, David Amerland illustrates the three psychological elements which guide consumer engagement with a plan.
Cognitive dimension, affective component, and conative component are essential elements to engaging your customer.
Examining each term from the perspective of the reader will assist you in writing to directly impact your site visitor whether on your website or in social media posts. Consistency across all media helps consumers engage.
Cognitive Dimension
The cognitive dimension is the shared context between you (your business) and the reader. In order for the reader to understand the benefits and features of your product or service, you need to meet the reader on their level. Simple language free of industry jargon lets your reader know you understand their concerns. Think of your content as a lens allowing a reader to clearly see and understand. Clear, straightforward text allows a potential customer to make sense of information.
Any text over the reader’s head turns them away. This is why clear details explained in simple language is the best approach to engaging your potential customer.
The cognitive dimension is the aspect that drives a reader to ask: What is this?
Affective Component
The affective component is the text that elicits emotional response from your reader. The stronger the emotion, the more tied they are to your business. The emotions your reader feels as they read your text are the basis for a buying decision. Highlighting and explaining how your product or service will ease concerns is the key element in engagement. In other words, rather than telling a reader how great your business is, show them in detail how they will feel after using your product or implementing your service.
Good information can back up emotional responses, but emotions are what leads to purchase.
A recent article in Inc. lists the six most powerful emotions for buying decisions.
- Greed. "If I make a decision now, I will be rewarded."
- Fear. "If I don't make a decision now, I'm toast."
- Altruism. "If I make a decision now, I will help others."
- Envy. "If I don't make a decision now, my competition will win."
- Pride. "If I make a decision now, I will look smart."
- Shame. "If I don't make a decision now, I will look stupid."
In order to use these emotional triggers effectively, you need to know your target audience, especially their belief system. Research about your customers and potential customers guides the way to use emotions in text.
The affective component is the text that leads the reader to: How could I use this? In other words, it is the personal emotional reaction to your text.
Conative Component
The conative component is the element of learning that drives proactive response. In the business sense, this is the direction of learning that drives the decision to buy. Your reader will examine the ways in which they mentally use your product or service.
The conative component drives the reader to visualize how they would implement your product or service into their life or business. Text that illustrates how others have used your business or what the product or service will do to solve a problem helps lead the reader to visualize your service or product in their life. They will think: I could do that, too.
The conative component drives the reader to ask: Why should I use this? It is the personal, intentional, deliberate, goal-oriented, or striving component of motivation, the proactive element of behavior that leads them to press the BUY button.
Assemble the Components
The best way to address the three components is to examine your text for three elements to directly engage your reader.
- Explain your product or service (the features)
- Tie in emotional reactions (the benefits)
- Demonstrate how your product or service solves a problem
Use clear and simple language tailored to your target market. In other words, know who they are, what they believe, and the issues they want to resolve. Address these issues. Show how your business provides a solution that will relieve a concern.
All of a sudden, the psychological bases behind engaging customers boils down to clear communication.
Zara Altair If you need guidance on writing for your business, I provide personal coaching in semantic writing tailored to your business.
