I love to be interrupted. If I’m in the middle of something and someone comes up, I always welcome them with a smile. Why? Because interruption marketing is a great way to get noticed without being annoying or intrusive.
You can use this method to promote your business in so many ways, from handing out samples, sending newsletters and other promotional materials, or simply stopping by someone’s office to say hello.
In this article, we’ll talk about why interruption marketing works so well and how you can do it yourself!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Understanding the Positive Aspects: The article discusses the author’s perspective on interruption marketing and why they find it beneficial. |
| 2. Embracing Unconventional Approaches: Learn how interruption marketing can be seen as an opportunity rather than an annoyance. |
| 3. Balancing Engagement and Interruption: Discover strategies for maintaining audience engagement while integrating interruption tactics. |
| 4. Addressing Potential Concerns: The article may shed light on common concerns related to interruption marketing and how to overcome them. |
| 5. Insights into Successful Implementation: Gain insights into how to effectively execute interruption marketing campaigns that yield results. |
1. You Can Differentiate From Your Competitors
When you’re a small company, it’s difficult to stand out from the crowd. You can’t expect to compete with bigger, more established brands and use traditional marketing techniques to create a unique brand image.
But interruption marketing is one way that you can differentiate your business from competitors by creating something memorable.
For example, if someone sees an ad for Coca-Cola on TV and then sees another one on the subway train during their commute home (and then again at work).
They’re going to remember that brand in a way that other brands won’t be able to compete with because of how many times they’ve been exposed to it and not just once!
Interruption marketing may not follow the conventional path you expect. Learn more about how it works in our article on Interruption Marketing Doesn’t Work the Way You Think It Does, and discover its nuances in the world of marketing.
2. You Don’t Have To Push Your Message Into The Market
You don’t have to worry about being too pushy and annoying people with your marketing messages. You can be helpful instead of just trying to sell something.
It doesn’t matter how many times you post a status on Facebook or tweet an article, you won’t get any more followers because no one cares about what you have to say unless they want to hear it at that moment in time, not when it suits you best!
3. Shorter Marketing Cycles, Because You Have a Better Understanding Of The Customer Journey
The best way to do this is to understand where your customer is in the customer journey.
If you’re a travel company, for example, you may have already determined that there are four phases of the buying process: awareness, consideration and decision-making, purchase, and post-purchase experience.
You know that your customers go through these phases and what stage they are at in their journey before they contact you (or not).
This makes it easier for you to anticipate when it’s best to communicate with them and what messages might resonate with them at each point along the way.
It also helps articulate how much time goes into each phase of their journey so that when someone comes up with an idea or suggestion like “we should email our customers every day” or “we should send out weekly promotions during sales seasons.”
Everyone knows exactly how much time will be spent on these activities rather than blindly estimating based on nothing more than personal preference.”
When it comes to capturing your audience’s attention, the approach matters. Find out the best way to interrupt your prospects effectively and make a lasting impression that leads to conversions and engagement.
4. It Focuses On The Potential Customer, Not On Products And Services
The principle behind interruption marketing is simple: focus on the potential customer, not your product or service. When you’re in sales mode and someone interrupts you to ask for help, what do you do?
You provide it without hesitation. If a customer comes into your store and asks for advice on an item, what do you give them? Again, with no hesitation on our end, we’re ready with recommendations because we know that’s what they want.
In this way, interruption marketing is quite similar to service-oriented businesses;
The only difference is that instead of providing services directly to customers (like doctors or mechanics), interruptions are providing information about their products or services first and foremost and then asking people if they need assistance.
5. Customer-Centric
Customer-centric marketing is the new customer-centricity. So, what exactly is “customer-centricity?”
It’s a philosophy that says that organizations should put their customers first in every decision they make and every action they take. It’s a way of doing business – not just a nice idea or buzzword.
It means being open, honest, and transparent with your customers; providing them with excellent service; responding quickly to their needs; listening closely to what they have to say (more on this later); creating products that meet those needs while also solving their problems;
Understanding what makes them tick so you can deliver messages that resonate with them on an emotional level (also more on this later); and generally going out of your way to provide value in all aspects of your relationship with them – before, during and after purchase or sale.
It’s no surprise then that many marketers are starting to embrace this philosophy as part of their marketing mix!
The landscape of marketing is constantly evolving, and so are the strategies. Explore the transition from traditional to modern methods in our article: Content Marketing is Dead, Long Live Content Marketing, and see how content continues to shape the industry.
6. Transparent
Transparency is a key to trust. If you don’t share your story, others can’t learn from it. There is no growth without failure, and there are no lessons without mistakes. In today’s connected world of social media and online reviews, transparency is the best defense against criticism.
If people want to criticize your product or service, let them! Give them something real to talk about or give them nothing at all!
Be honest with yourself and your customers: know who they are, what they want, and how they want it so that you can give it to them in an authentic way (not just a fake way).
Don’t hide behind a wall of secrecy; being open will help build trust with everyone around you including potential customers who may not have heard about you yet but might be interested in what you have to say if only given the opportunity!
7. Human-Centered (There Is Always A Human Behind The Screen)
In the past, interruption marketing was considered a negative practice. From an advertising perspective, it was seen as a distraction and even annoying.
However, with the rise of digital technology and social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, many businesses have started using these forms of promotional content to connect with their customers directly.
With this new form of marketing comes a lot of positive benefits: companies can engage with users on an individual basis;
They can collect feedback from consumers that they can use to improve their products or services; they can establish brand loyalty by interacting directly with their audience;
And they can build trust through transparency because users can see who’s behind what information is being shared (and whether or not someone’s trying to sell something).
For example, if you have ever taken time out of your day just for fun may be at work when things got slow you may have found yourself scrolling through social media feeds looking for funny pictures/videos/comments/memes etc.
One thing I noticed though was that there wasn’t much “interruption” going on during this activity…
Most people seemed perfectly content scrolling through endless amounts of content until something caught our eye – either because we knew who posted it or because it was interesting enough for us to take notice then click away from whatever else we were doing online.”
8. Better Communication With Customers
In the world of interruption marketing, it’s all about being customer-centric and transparent. You know that you need to do something to capture your audience’s attention if they’re not actively looking for your product or service.
That’s why interruption marketing is so effective: it humanizes the brand experience by showing that there are real people behind these digital experiences.
It’s no longer enough just to be good at what you do; you also have to communicate this message effectively.
By using interruption marketing strategies, brands have an opportunity not only to capture attention but also to show off their expertise in a way that resonates with customers and builds trust in their brand.
Engaging with clients isn’t just a one-time task; it’s an ongoing process that fosters relationships and builds trust. Discover the significance of staying in touch with your clients for sustained business growth and customer satisfaction.
9. The Creation Of “Heroes” And “Villains” Within A Story Will Create Awareness/Excitement/Curiosity While Building Up The Brand
Brand awareness. This is probably the most obvious benefit of using interruption marketing. It’s also the main reason why we don’t like it…it seems too obvious! But let’s face facts: people who know your brand are more likely to buy from you and recommend your products to others.
That’s why interruptive ads work so well for Coke or Mcdonald’s, whereas no one knows what that ad for cold medicine does to stop my cough (I never find out).
Excitement. Interruptive marketing causes excitement because it gets our attention quickly before we have time to think about whether or not we want it.
It takes us by surprise, so when something fun happens unexpectedly in our day (like seeing an ad), we’re excited by those moments because they were unexpected! For example: if an ad popped up on my phone right now saying “Congratulations!
You’ve won $1 million!” then I’d say “Oh wow!” even though I knew exactly where that could lead me (to information about how much money I had won). The same thing happens when someone gives a gift without telling us first – which brings me nicely to my next point…
10. Creates Opportunities For Creativity And Passion In Marketing (And Passion Is Contagious!)
Creativity is contagious. When you’re passionate about what you’re doing, it’s hard to not rub off on people around you. And when they catch that passion from you, they’ll pass it along to others.
As a result of this, your brand becomes more and more “in-tune” with the culture around it and thus more able to create something that resonates with your audience.
Passion is contagious too! People like being part of something greater than themselves it makes them feel like they are part of something bigger than their existence. This is one reason why we love stories (and why you should be telling stories).
It’s also why a lot of people get involved in causes or movements like anti-bullying they want to contribute their energy towards making the world better for everyone else out there!
11. Can Be Used At All Touch Points Of The Customer Journey Cycle
Interruption marketing can be used at all touch points of the customer journey cycle.
Before the customer journey: Some brands use interruptions to get their audience’s attention before they need it, such as by sending coupons or special offers.
During the customer journey: Other brands use interruptions during the customer journey, such as when you’re looking for a new pair of sneakers on Zappos and a banner ad pops up right then and there with 20% off (but only if you buy now).
After the customer journey: Some brands think they’re done once their customers are happy but some take it another step forward and try to stay top-of-mind through continued engagement with them.
Examples include sending birthday cards or thank you notes, or even running ads that say things like “We haven’t seen much from you lately! What’s been going on?”
12. IT’s Easy Because You Are Sharing Stories People Want To Hear
I’ve always found it easy to share stories. Stories are easy to remember, easy to tell, and easy for others to understand, relate to and connect with. That’s why we use stories in marketing – they help people make sense of the world around them.
In his book The Power of Storytelling: How Storytelling Shapes Your Business and Personal Brand (affiliate link), author Michael Bazzell says: “When we hear a story our brain processes it differently than when we learn information through other means such as reading or listening.
Our mind uses a network of neurons called mirror neurons that simulate our own experience while listening or watching someone else experience something similar. This allows us not only to understand what’s happening but also to feel what another person feels.”
Unlock the potential of outbound marketing to boost your revenue and business growth. Learn practical insights and tips from our article on how to use outbound marketing to earn more money, and expand your marketing strategies for better results.
13. People Like Stories, Because They Help Us Make Sense Of An Ever-Changing World
As a species, we are hardwired to respond to stories. We’re drawn to them for the same reason we were drawn to campfires and cave drawings: stories help us make meaning out of a world that is constantly changing and often seems meaningless.
Stories are more memorable than facts, more engaging than facts, and more emotional than facts and because of these qualities, people will remember your story long after they forget what you did or said (or even who you are).
Conclusion
You might be thinking that all of this sounds complicated and time-consuming. And yes! It is complicated, but it’s also rewarding and exciting. I have had the privilege of being part of a team that has done some great work in this space.
At my current employer, we disrupted ourselves by changing our name from a traditional business name to something more playful and memorable.
We also disrupted ourselves by launching an entirely new brand identity, which included a new logo, website design, and content strategy. When we think about disruption marketing, we don’t think “what’s the next big thing?”
Instead, we ask ourselves how can we disrupt our own business so that it aligns with what customers want most?
The answer usually comes down to three things: listening carefully; understanding how people behave when they interact with brands; then creating new experiences based on these insights.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further understanding interruption marketing:
Brafton – The Role of Interruption Marketing in Content Distribution
A comprehensive guide that explores the role of interruption marketing in content distribution and its impact on reaching target audiences.
Long & Co – The Pros and Cons of Interruption Marketing
Discover the advantages and disadvantages of interruption marketing and how to navigate its effectiveness in your marketing strategy.
MDFedArt – The Challenge of Interruption Marketing in Social Media
This blog post discusses the challenges that interruption marketing poses in the realm of social media and provides insights on addressing them.
FAQs
What is interruption marketing?
Interruption marketing refers to the practice of delivering promotional content to an audience without their explicit consent or active interest. It often involves interrupting the audience’s attention with ads or messages.
How does interruption marketing differ from inbound marketing?
Inbound marketing focuses on attracting potential customers through valuable content and interactions that cater to their interests. Interruption marketing, on the other hand, interrupts the audience’s experience with promotional messages.
What are the pros of interruption marketing?
Interruption marketing can generate immediate visibility for a product or service. It can also reach a wide audience quickly, potentially leading to rapid sales increases.
What are the cons of interruption marketing?
Interruption marketing can be perceived as intrusive and annoying by consumers. It may also face challenges in maintaining audience engagement and building lasting relationships.
How can I make interruption marketing more effective?
To enhance the effectiveness of interruption marketing, it’s important to target the right audience with relevant content. Additionally, providing value within the interruption can mitigate negative perceptions.
Is interruption marketing suitable for all industries?
While interruption marketing can be effective in certain scenarios, its suitability varies across industries. It might work better for products or services with broad appeal rather than niche offerings.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.