5 Important Points of "Engagement Marketing"

You may be asking yourself right now, what is "engagement marketing?' If I had not attended a conference on this topic led by Constant Contact, I would be just as confused as you may possibly be.

Engagement marketing is when a business or organization shares content that their particular target audience wants to hear rather than what the business or organization wants to tell them. Traditional marketing strategies tend to talk at customers rather than speak with them. For example, a business trying to sell a product on their Facebook page may simply post about their products or special offers on them. This strategy does not work as well as trying to build a friendly relationship with a customer first. If the customer likes the experience they have with this particular business, then they may decide to buy a product on their own without feeling forced.

It's not just businesses that should be using engagement marketing strategies either, but also many non profits could benefit from them as well. Non profits thrive in part when they have a healthy and consistent volunteer base. Engagement marketing strategies can help non profits draw new people to their organizations whether these people are volunteers, potential clients or funders. 

Social media outlets such as Facebook are the best places to begin practicing engagement marketing strategies. If your business or organization maintains a Facebook page, remember to keep these 5 points in mind that I learned from the Constant Contact seminar:

• Engagement= Participation (Never talk at people, but talk with them. Otherwise they will probably ignore you.)
• Engagement= Sharing (Share information and resources that your audience could benefit from. They will appreciate the gesture and continue to come back to your page.)
• Engagement= Conversation (When you communicate, make sure it is in a friendly, conversational tone. This also makes the experience better for the customer.)
• Engagement= Listening (It's important to actually listen to what your customers want by asking for their input through polls and posing questions)
• Engagement= Social Visibility (If you follow these points, your organization will be that much closer to expanding your social media network and spreading your mission to the masses!)

To find out when a Constant Contact seminar is in your area, go here.