Think of a super power you wish you could have as a marketer in charge of moving your brand forward. If you said, “reading your audience’s mind,” then we want to let you in on a little secret. You don’t need a super power for that. In fact, you already have this power at your disposal. It’s called research. And by using it, you can get deeper into the heart, mind and soul of your audience.

 

But what happens if you decide to skip research and instead rely solely on hunches? Will the earth stand still? Well, no. But your brand might, which is a serious problem. Here are some common pitfalls of skipping research and heading straight to communication mode.

 

You won’t connect emotionally with your audience.

There’s a big difference between reaching someone and connecting with someone on an emotional level. When you reach someone, it simply means you got your message in front of them. It doesn’t mean they liked it or they’ll remember it. It’s a superficial connection at best. And why waste money on merely reaching them with a message they don’t care about in the first place?

 

But when you connect emotionally with your audience, you deliver branding that makes them think. That lets them know you get them. Such impactful creative strategies are born out of research and knowing your audience. It’s what makes people choose your brand. Better yet, it’s what makes them loyal to your brand for years to come.

 

You’ll stay stagnant.

Times change. Tastes change. Your audience changes. This is all expected. But when you don’t conduct research to stay ahead of the trends, you’ll only stay stagnant. A stagnant brand is a boring brand. And a boring brand rarely attracts, let alone keeps, customers.

 

You could come across as inauthentic.

You know when people from older generations try using slang with their younger counterparts? It never feels real, does it? The same hollow impression can be left when you market to your audience without really knowing what they stand for, what they believe in or what they feel about your brand. Even if you’re 99 percent sure you know, you still run the risk of getting it wrong. And when you get it wrong, it can feel like you’re trying to be something you’re not. Even worse, you sound like you don’t care about what your audience values because you didn’t take the time to make sure you got it right.

 

Make the investment. Create a connection.

When you invest in conducting research with your audience, you make an investment in your brand. By getting deeper into your audience’s heart, mind and soul, they’ll always remember you and the connection you made.

 

So, take the necessary steps to become a marketing mind reader. You — and your audience — will be glad you did.