Marketing mistakes to avoid

Clemence Mutembo

What I generally notice from the work we do is that 99.9 percent of companies in Zimbabwe operate without a framework to manage their customer experience.

There are also other several marketing mistakes that companies should avoid if they want to be successful.

One common mistake is not understanding the target audience. It’s important to know who the target customers are and what they want in order to create effective marketing campaigns.

Another common mistake is not using analytics to track the success of marketing campaigns. This can make it difficult to know what’s working and what’s not and can lead to wasted resources.

Additionally, companies should avoid being overly sales-focused in their marketing at the expense of other key marketing functions like brand management because you will end up losing future sales if you don’t take brand management seriously.

This can turn off potential customers and make them less likely to trust the company.

It’s important to avoid being too pushy when dealing with customers.

Everything comes down to numbers and figures in business.

I did Financial Accounting as part of my marketing studies at university. I truly enjoy the subject of accounting.

You already know that revenue expenses and capital expenses are two different types of expenses that a company records on its financial statements.

Everyone knows that revenue expenses also known as operating expenses are costs that are directly related to the company’s revenue-generating activities such as the cost of goods sold or marketing expenses.

Capital expenses on the other hand are expenses related to long-term assets such as buildings, machinery or equipment. These are treated as investments and the cost is spread out over the useful life of the asset. The key difference is that revenue expenses are incurred in the normal course of business while capital expenses are made to create future value.

Capital investments can improve customer experience in a number of ways. For example, a company may invest in new technology to make its website more user-friendly or to streamline its customer service process.

Additionally, capital investments can be used to improve physical spaces such as stores or offices making them more attractive and convenient for customers.

By investing in these areas, companies can make the customer experience smoother and more enjoyable, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Brand equity is essentially the value of a brand. It’s a measure of how much a brand is worth in terms of both financial and non-financial factors.

Financially, brand equity can be measured by the price premium that a brand can command over its competitors. Non-financially, brand equity is measured by factors such as customer loyalty, brand awareness and perceived quality.

Brand equity is important because it can be used to create competitive advantages, increase revenue and protect against market fluctuations.

In short, brand equity is what makes a brand valuable. Customer experience is directly related to brand equity. As customer experience improves so does brand equity. This is because a positive customer experience increases customer satisfaction, which in turn leads to increased brand loyalty and a higher willingness to pay a price premium for the brand.

In other words, when customers have a good experience with a brand, they are more likely to become repeat customers and recommend the brand to others.

This builds the brand’s equity and makes it more valuable. So, customer experience and brand equity are closely linked and have a symbiotic relationship.

Never forget that brand loyalty refers to the tendency for consumers to repeatedly purchase a particular brand or product even when there are other options available.

Customers may be loyal to a brand because they believe it offers better quality, value or other benefits.

Brand loyalty is valuable to businesses because it allows them to build long-term relationships with their customers and reduce the costs associated with acquiring new customers.

Additionally, loyal customers are more likely to refer the brand to others which can increase sales and brand recognition.

Ultimately, brand loyalty is an important factor in a business’ long-term success.

Customer experience can be explained in very complicated words. However, it can also be explained in very simple terms.

In simple terms, customer experience is the sum of all the interactions that a customer has with a company. It includes all the touch-points from the first moment a customer becomes aware of the company to the final moment when they receive the product or service and beyond.

Customer experience encompasses not only the product or service itself but also the interactions with employees, the customer service processes and the overall atmosphere or environment.

It is about how the customer feels throughout the entire process. Never forget that customer touch points are any point of interaction between a customer and a company whether it’s physical or digital.

It can be anything from visiting a store to making a phone call to the company. A touch point can be a positive or negative experience and it can have a big impact on the overall customer experience.

For example, a positive touch point might be getting help from a friendly and knowledgeable employee while a negative touch point might be a frustrating phone call with a customer service representative.

Every touch point is an opportunity for a company to influence a customer’s impression of the brand.

Teamwork is critical for improving customer experience for a few key reasons. First, it takes a team effort to create a truly excellent customer experience.

No single person or department can do it alone. Second, teamwork allows for different perspectives and ideas to be brought to the table which can lead to innovative solutions.

Third, teamwork fosters a culture of collaboration and co-operation which is essential for delivering on customer expectations.

Finally, teamwork creates a sense of shared ownership and responsibility for the customer experience which leads to better results. Overall, teamwork is a key ingredient for success when it comes to customer experience.

It’s also true that the responsibility for improving the customer experience falls on multiple people within a business.

First and foremost, it is the responsibility of senior leadership to set the tone and vision for customer experience. They should establish goals and metrics for measuring success and then hold the organisation accountable for delivering on those goals.

However, it is also the responsibility of individual employees to deliver excellent customer experience.

Employees at all levels of the organisation should be empowered to take ownership of the customer experience and make improvements where necessary.

Finally, customers themselves can also play a role in improving the customer experience by providing feedback and suggestions.

Failing to have a customer experience vision can have a number of negative consequences for a real business.

Without a clear vision, the company may have difficulty aligning its strategies and goals which can lead to confusion and inefficiency.

Additionally, employees may not be motivated to provide the best possible experience for customers as they may not understand what the company is trying to achieve.

This can lead to poor customer experience and a lack of loyalty. You may set achieving 100 percent customer satisfaction as your ideal picture. Yes, achieving 100 percent customer satisfaction on every transaction is an excellent vision for a business.

It shows that the company is focused on providing a high-quality experience for its customers and is committed to ensuring that they are happy with their purchase.

This vision also highlights the importance of customer experience and demonstrates that the company is willing to go above and beyond to meet the needs of its customers.

Having such a clear and ambitious vision can help motivate employees and set the company on a path to success.

Customer experience is one of the most powerful ways that a business can differentiate itself.

When a business offers a superior customer experience, it creates a strong emotional connection with its customers. This makes them more likely to choose the business over its competitors and to become loyal customers.

In addition, a great customer experience can create positive word-of-mouth marketing which can lead to even more new customers.

In short, customer experience is a key differentiator for any business that wants to succeed in today’s marketplace.

Differentiation is important for a business because it allows them to stand out from their competitors and create a unique value proposition for their customers.

In today’s competitive marketplace, it is no longer enough to simply offer a product or service that is similar to what others are offering.

Instead, businesses need to find ways to make their products or experiences more appealing and unique to their target market.

By differentiating themselves, businesses can create a competitive advantage and attract more customers. This can lead to increased sales and profits as well as a stronger brand reputation.

Mastering touch points is more than just being present at every point of contact with the customer. It’s about delivering a consistent, positive experience at each touch point that is aligned with the brand promise.

It requires understanding the customer journey and mapping out all possible touch points. Then it’s also about using data and insights to optimise each touch point and ensure that it is delivering the best possible experience.

You need to make sure that the touch points work together to create a seamless experience. In short, it’s about creating a customer experience that is exceptional at every touch point.

If a company does not manage its customer touch points, it can lead to a number of negative consequences.

First, customers may become frustrated or dissatisfied with the company which can lead to decreased loyalty and increased churn.

Second, the company may miss out on opportunities to collect valuable customer feedback, which can limit its ability to improve the customer experience.

Third, the company may fail to create a consistent brand experience, which can lead to confusion and frustration among customers.

Finally, the company may find it difficult to achieve its business goals as a poor customer experience can impact sales and growth.

Never forget that the customer journey is the overall path that a customer takes from the moment they become aware of a brand to the point where they make a purchase and beyond.

It includes all of the touch points that a customer has with the brand. A customer touch point on the other hand is a specific point of contact between a customer and the brand.

It could be a physical interaction such as visiting a store or a digital interaction such as visiting a website.

Each touch point is part of the overall customer journey but they are not the same thing.

The customer journey can begin in a variety of different places depending on the customer and the company.

For some customers, the journey might begin with a search engine query or a recommendation from a friend.

For others, it might begin with an advertisement or a visit to a store. In any case, the journey typically begins when a customer becomes aware of a brand or product and starts to form an opinion about it.

From there, the customer journey will typically involve a series of interactions with the brand including learning more about it, considering whether to purchase it and ultimately making a decision.

On that customer journey that’s where we find touch points. Touch points in the customer journey are any interactions that a customer has with a brand whether direct or indirect.

This can include everything from seeing an advertisement to visiting a store to talking to a customer service representative.

Touch points are important because they can influence a customer’s decision to buy or not buy a product or service and they can also affect their overall perception of the brand.

For example, a positive experience at a store can lead to a customer developing a positive impression of the brand.

On the other hand, a negative experience can result in a negative impression.

Pain points on the customer journey are any factors that cause the customer to experience frustration, disappointment or other negative emotions.

These can occur at any stage of the journey. Common pain points include high prices, poor customer service, confusing or difficult to navigate websites and long wait times.

When a customer encounters a pain point, it can affect their decision to buy or not buy a product or service and it can also affect their overall satisfaction with the brand.

Identifying and addressing pain points is an important part of creating a positive customer experience.

Just as there are pain points on the customer journey, there are also pleasure points. Pleasure points are any factors that cause a customer to experience positive emotions such as: excitement, happiness, or satisfaction.

Common pleasure points include receiving a good deal, receiving personalised service or experiencing a brand that aligns with their values.

Pleasure points can have a positive impact on a customer’s decision to buy a product or service and they can also increase their overall satisfaction with the brand.

In order to create a positive customer experience, it is important to identify both pain points and pleasure points and take steps to address them.

I am not surprised when I get booked by small, medium and big companies to conduct customer experience sessions with their people. They know I am a guy who delivers real value!

There are many reasons why customers might choose to do business with a particular company.

The most important reason is that they believe the company can provide them with a product or service that meets their needs.

Customers also want to feel that they are being treated fairly and with respect and that the company is honest and trustworthy.

Additionally, customers want to feel like they are getting good value for their money and that the company is committed to providing excellent customer service.

Finally, customers may choose a company based on its reputation, brand image or personal recommendation from a friend or family member.

There are a variety of reasons why customers might choose not to do business with a particular company.

The most common reason is if the customer feels that the company is not providing good value for their money.

This could be due to high prices, poor product quality or poor customer service. Other reasons might include a lack of trust or respect, a lack of transparency or a negative reputation.

Some customers might also be put off by a company’s marketing or advertising or by the way the company conducts its business.

Ultimately, it is up to each individual customer to decide whether or not to do business with a particular company.

A determinant of customer experience is any factor that influences how a customer feels about their interaction with a brand.

These factors can either be positive or negative. The impact of these determinants can vary depending on the individual customer but they all play a role in shaping the overall experience.

By understanding the determinants of customer experience, businesses can better design experiences that meet and exceed customer expectations.

Store layout is a very important factor in shaping a customer’s experience. The layout of a store can impact everything from how easy it is to find what the customer is looking for to how long they spend in the store.

A well-designed store layout can make the shopping experience easier and more enjoyable leading to more satisfied customers.

Some of the ways that store layout can impact customer experience include:

Traffic flow: How easy it is for customers to move through the store.

Focal points: The areas of the store that draw customers’ attention.

Product displays: How products are arranged and displayed in the store.

The product itself is also a critical determinant of customer experience as it is the main reason why the customer is interacting with the brand in the first place.

If the product does not meet the customer’s expectations, it can lead to a negative experience even if all other aspects of the interaction are positive.

On the other hand, if the product exceeds the customer’s expectations, it can create a very positive experience.

The key is to ensure that the product is of high-quality, functional and easy to use.

Additionally, the product should be priced fairly and aligned with the customer’s expectations.

The people that a customer interacts with during their experience with a brand can also have a major impact on their overall satisfaction.

This includes not only the employees of the brand but also other customers. Employees who are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful can create a positive experience while employees who are rude, unhelpful or incompetent can create a negative experience.

Similarly, customers who are polite, respectful and well-behaved can create a positive experience, while customers who are disruptive, impatient or disrespectful can create a negative experience.

Processes are the steps that a customer goes through to complete their interaction with a brand.

These processes can include things like placing an order, making a return or getting help from a customer service representative.

If the processes are smooth, efficient and easy to navigate, they can create a positive experience.

However, if the processes are confusing, time-consuming or difficult to complete, they can lead to a negative experience.

By streamlining and improving processes, businesses can create a more positive customer experience.

However, there are a few reasons why some customers might not complain even if they are unhappy with a product or service.

One reason is that they may not feel like their voice will be heard. They may believe that the company is too big or powerful for them to make a difference in it.

Another reason is that they may not want to go through the hassle of filing a complaint.

Customers may also feel that it’s not worth the time or effort. Finally, some customers may simply accept poor service as a fact of life especially in Africa.

Whatever the reason, it’s important for companies to be proactive in seeking out customer feedback so that they can address any issues.

There are a few ways that companies can adopt to encourage customers to provide feedback or file complaints.

One way is to make it easy and convenient for customers to do so. This might involve having a phone number for complaints or offering incentives for customers who take the time to provide feedback.

Another way is to actively seek out feedback from customers. This could be done through surveys, focus groups or other methods of data collection.

Finally, it’s important for companies to have a culture of openness and transparency so that customers feel comfortable voicing their concerns.

This could involve training employees to be responsive to customer feedback or publishing customer reviews online.

Clemence Mutembo is a high impact business trainer, speaker and coach who has made over 500 presentations to small, medium and large organisations. You may connect with him on 0778994994