The Evolution of Communications

Jay Bigelow examines the changing methods of keeping in touch with your customers.

NGP. As communications evolve, why is behavioral science important as a tool for marketing?
Jay Bigelow. The best way to reach today’s marketing-savvy consumer is by being relevant. Not relevant in a 25-to-44-married-with-two-kids-and-living-in-the-suburbs sort of way, relevant as in, no-one-has-ever-understood-me-like-this-before. The good old days of segmenting by demographics, psychographics or even the more recent and trendy use of purchase behavior are quickly dismissed by the empowered consumer. Today’s customers can see through these tactics and are able to dictate how you communicate with them.

Behavioral science is the key that unlocks a truly intimate understanding of these consumers. It allows you to get inside their heads and find out what makes them do the things they do. Once you know what really makes them tick, you are on your way to a productive conversation.

NGP. The emergence of digital space has presented great challenges on relationship marketing. What tools do companies need to build an effective program?
JB. Challenge might not be the right word. If anything, digital has made the two-way conversation – an element crucial to true relationship marketing (RM) – more effective and certainly more possible. It has allowed us to make the shift from implementing regimented static programs to facilitating useful conversations between brands and consumers.

As for building RM programs, the most effective ones incorporate dynamic communication streams rather than planned or timed communications. These dynamic communications might include forwarding, contributing, rating and responding to a poll or survey, for example. The bottom line is that they require the consumer and brand to actually interact with one another, which leads to an enhanced mutual understanding.

Building an effective RM program requires that companies fundamentally retool their approach to customer service. They need to throw out the one-way, unilateral approach to answering customer questions and concerns and replace it with living, breathing dialogue. 

NGP. With an increasing range of behavior within professional audiences, what is the importance of tailoring communication program measures?
JB. The increasing range of behavior we’re seeing in professional audiences reflects how the responsibility for patient care is spreading out among a number of groups, including  physicians, nurses, healthcare educators and managed-care entities.  

Like consumers, physicians and other healthcare providers are people who come with their own principles, attitudes, beliefs and perceptions. To provide relevant or tailored communications, it’s important to understand these differences. When they receive messaging that is based upon behavioral insight, professional audiences are more likely to see the value of what you’re providing, be receptive to your messages and take the actions you want them to take.

NGP. How do you see the future of communications developing in the next few years?
JB. We will most likely see growth in industries that already exist, versus the emergence of new ones. For instance, as integrated mobile devices that support voice and internet communications become more user-friendly and affordable, corporations like Facebook and Twitter will take hold, and they’ll continue to grow both in size and depth.

The next logical step would be voice response and integration with everyday items like your car, which we’re already starting to see with devices like Ford’s Sync system. Also, with Windows 7’s upcoming release of built-in multi-touch, we should begin to see advances in interactive video chat.

Jay Bigelow is president of MicroMass Communications, Inc. Under his leadership, the Cary, NC based company has become a nationally-ranked full-service agency of record, demonstrated double-digit financial growth, vastly expanded its services, and built a roster of blue chip clients that includes Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Shire, Bayer, Auxilium and Akrimax. For more information, visit www.micromass.com.