Customer engagement – attracting and influencing customers — is earned through trust and over time.  There are three layers to effectively nurture prospects into customers: 

Emotion:  Customers need to feel something for your brand and trust your proposition.
Rationale:  Lock in commitment and ensure that what you’re offering makes logical sense.
Ethics:  Communicate your brand virtues.

Customer engagement is achieving the right balance of compassionate and rational marketing.

Following are the best tactics to conquer all three layers:

1. EMOTION:  Trust-building — Inspire emotions to engage customers:

Tell, don’t sell.

  • Use storytelling to activate desires.

Put your social proof to use.

  • Shout about your endorsements:  ratings, reviews and testimonials.

Personalize your message.

  • Seventy-four percent of marketers say personalization increases engagement.

2. RATIONALE:  Commitment-building — Align your proposition as a solution to an existing want, need, or problem:

Position your product to meet a need or desire.

  • Content should paint a picture of where customers will be after their purchase.

Use data to segment your audiences.

  • Use preferences and behaviors to customize content:  91% of consumers are more likely to purchase brands that provide recommendations and 83% are willing to share their data.

Leverage different channels.

  • Use multiple media channels to ensure consistent communication throughout the buying cycle.

3. ETHICS: Promotion-building — Putting ethics before profit inspires:  66% of consumers spend more money with ethical businesses: 

Make a commitment – and stick to it.

  • Showing that you’re making a difference earns consumer trust and confirms your reputation.

Make customers feel your dedication after they’ve purchased.

  • Inform customers of your local commitment.

Make it about more than the transaction.

  • Convey your community involvement; customers are appreciative if their purchase helps others. 

Customer engagement is achieving the right balance of compassionate and rational marketing.  Authentic narrative inspires prospects to become customers.

Source:  dotdigital.com, reported by Chris Cano; jasmconsulting.com