Marketing Differently Based on Customer Acquisition or Retention

Do you treat your customer acquisition and customer retention mailings the same? If so, you should reconsider. The two groups are quite different and should be marketed differently. Let’s take a closer look.

Customer Acquisition Mailings

Customer acquisition mailings focus on reaching potential customers who have not engaged with your brand. The goal is to make a memorable first impression, spark interest, and prompt them to take action.

Example: "Welcome to the Neighborhood" Campaign

Imagine you're a real estate agency targeting new homeowners. Your acquisition mailing could include a personalized welcome package featuring information about local services, exclusive discounts, and a warm invitation to explore “the perfect” property listing. This introduces your brand to a new audience and establishes a positive association with their recent life event.

Here are some critical elements of customer acquisition mailings:

·      Incentives that make it irresistible for recipients to explore your products or services.

·      Visually appealing designs, concise messaging, and a clear call to action.

·      Use personalization to tailor your message to the unique needs and preferences of the target audience.

Customer Retention Mailings

Customer retention mailings aim to reinforce the connection between your brand and existing customers. This strategy fosters loyalty, encourages repeat business, and creates brand advocates. Your messaging and images may be different, and your call to action will be different, too.

Example: "Exclusive Loyalty Rewards" Campaign

You run a boutique coffee shop. Your retention mailing might include a personalized loyalty card thanking customers for their support. The card could unlock exclusive discounts, access to “customer only” events, or free samples of new products. These types of communications encourage continued engagement and repeat visits.

What are some of the key elements of customer retention mailings?

·      Acknowledgment and expression of gratitude for the customer's loyalty using personalized messages.

·      Rewards or incentives exclusive to existing customers to create a sense of belonging.

·      Regular updates on new offerings, events, or promotions to keep your brand top-of-mind.

While customer acquisition mailings aim to broaden your customer base, retention mailings focus on fortifying existing relationships. These groups think differently and are motivated by different things, so don’t treat them the same! Develop a marketing plan that addresses both groups as the unique marketing segments they are.

Get Inspired by Peach Fuzz, PANTONE’s Color of the Year

“Embrace the Warmth”! That’s what Pantone has to say about its 2024 Color of the Year, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz. The Pantone Color Institute describes Peach Fuzz as a shade that “resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace, and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless.”

Many of today’s top brands already use Peach Fuzz in their designs. Pantone’s website features high-profile marketing applications from Motorola, Cariuma, Ruggable, Spoonflower, Polaroid, and more.

Pantone shares stories of top designers and artists inspired by the color on its Color of the Year page. Among them is textiles and apparel designer Tia Carson, who reworked her print “Pareo” across apparel forms with Peach Fuzz in mind. “If we ever needed a sense of kindness and community, now is the moment,” Carson told Pantone. “I tried to create things that felt warm and cocoon-like.”

The idea of togetherness resonated with Carson, so she layered Peach Fuzz with other colors to create color palettes that warm the viewer. “Colors placed text to each other change how we see them,” she explains. “They influence each other. I’m ready to explore this softer color and emotional vibe in 2024.”

Bruce Anthony Marshall, known as the “The Music Sommelier,” wa
s inspired by Peach Fuzz, too. With the color in mind, he created a “musical tapestry” that stirs emotions of community joy, happiness, and warmth. “When I think Peach Fuzz, I feel lightness, hope, positive energy, and a feeling reminiscent of a modern-day Woodstock,” Marshall told Pantone. “It’s a needed celebration of people coming together to uplift one another in a warm sense of celebration and community.”

Because color is one of the starting points for the direction of Marshall’s music, look for Peach Fuzz to inspire the songs, lyrics, and “vibes” he shares with the world this year.

Yiying Lu, artist, public speaker, and pioneer in democratizing art, also creates pieces inspired by PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz. “To me, it's a humane color: it hugs you, gently smiles at you, and puts you at ease,” she says. “It is nostalgic and yet modern, simple yet complex, but always welcoming, loving, and kind.”

The world could use more kindness and warmth right now, don’t you think? So get inspired by Peach Fuzz. Then design something!

Images available at https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year/2024/creators