Monday, May 4, 2020
It’s time to identify your goals for the year and how to focus your marketing efforts in order to achieve them. Whether you have your sights on improved customer retention, increased sales, building brand awareness, or a mixture of all three and then some, marketing experts agree that engagement is a pivotal tool for marketing success in 2020.
So, what do we mean by engagement and why does it matter for marketing in the propane industry? Traditionally, propane marketing has been primarily a one-way conversation. But that doesn’t quite cut it anymore. More and more consumers want to interact with brands they are loyal to, and a percentage of that majority in the millennial demographic even expects interaction. Engagement is not only beneficial for the consumer, but it is extremely beneficial for propane marketers in order to strengthen existing customer loyalty and to attract new customers.
There are several ways that you can implement engagement tactics into your marketing strategy. We’ve gathered four examples of opportunities that will help you to engage your audience and get tangible results that support your marketing goals for the upcoming year.
1. Make Social Media Work for You
Social media is the place where consumers interact with each other and with brands. Social media engagement can be utilized in a variety of ways, but the most cost-effective and efficient opportunity is social media advertising. Social media advertising on platforms like Facebook and Instagram offers an affordable way to expand your audience reach. Once you create a social media advertising campaign, you can promote your ads on multiple social channels to a customized target audience, which will make your already-affordable ad budget really go the distance.
Social media advertising requires minimal investment compared to other promotional techniques, with the added bonus of audience engagement and trackable results. While you are using social ads to interact with your audience you can quantify campaign results down to the dollar.
2. Recognize That Online Reviews Really Matter
Another engagement opportunity that every propane marketer should be actively taking advantage of is online customer reviews. Reports show that 95% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase. Consumers are looking at previous customer experiences to inform their purchasing decisions, and they are paying attention to which companies respond to reviews. Online reviews don’t just contribute to customer engagement, but they also can positively affect your website’s search ranking on Google. So, if you already have reviews, start responding to them. And if you don’t, start actively asking for them.
3. Engage Even More on Google My Business
Did you know that 3.5 billion Google searches are made every day and the volume of Google searches grows by roughly 10% each year? It is critical that your propane company has a claimed Google My Business listing because it will be the first thing a consumer sees when they complete a Google search for propane services in your area. More and more consumers are using Google My Business to engage with companies instead of following through to their websites. Features like online reviews, messaging, and a customer Q&A forum are all great opportunities for customers to engage with you online.
4. Keep Your Audience Interested with Consistent Campaigns
Do something fun for your customers that will excite and entice engagement. Host frequent campaigns that encourage your audience to take action, such as filling out an online form, sharing a post on social media with their followers and tagging your business, or referring a friend to your propane services. Keep your campaigns consistent, such as a monthly raffle, but switch up the incentives (such as a tune-up discount or tickets to a community event) to keep them interested.
2020 is the year of the customer. Use engagement marketing tactics to set your propane company and service offerings apart, build customer loyalty, and attract new targets this year. As noted above, there are multiple ways to engage your audience in a strategic manner that best suits your propane company’s unique goals and marketing budget.
Jennifer LeClerc is the creative director of Consumer Focus Marketing, a marketing agency in Portsmouth, N.H., that specializes in total marketing strategy services for the energy industry nationwide. Their services include digital marketing, online review management, search engine optimization, and website development. LeClerc can be reached by visiting consumerfocusmarketing.com or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
So, what do we mean by engagement and why does it matter for marketing in the propane industry? Traditionally, propane marketing has been primarily a one-way conversation. But that doesn’t quite cut it anymore. More and more consumers want to interact with brands they are loyal to, and a percentage of that majority in the millennial demographic even expects interaction. Engagement is not only beneficial for the consumer, but it is extremely beneficial for propane marketers in order to strengthen existing customer loyalty and to attract new customers.
There are several ways that you can implement engagement tactics into your marketing strategy. We’ve gathered four examples of opportunities that will help you to engage your audience and get tangible results that support your marketing goals for the upcoming year.
1. Make Social Media Work for You
Social media is the place where consumers interact with each other and with brands. Social media engagement can be utilized in a variety of ways, but the most cost-effective and efficient opportunity is social media advertising. Social media advertising on platforms like Facebook and Instagram offers an affordable way to expand your audience reach. Once you create a social media advertising campaign, you can promote your ads on multiple social channels to a customized target audience, which will make your already-affordable ad budget really go the distance.
Social media advertising requires minimal investment compared to other promotional techniques, with the added bonus of audience engagement and trackable results. While you are using social ads to interact with your audience you can quantify campaign results down to the dollar.
2. Recognize That Online Reviews Really Matter
Another engagement opportunity that every propane marketer should be actively taking advantage of is online customer reviews. Reports show that 95% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase. Consumers are looking at previous customer experiences to inform their purchasing decisions, and they are paying attention to which companies respond to reviews. Online reviews don’t just contribute to customer engagement, but they also can positively affect your website’s search ranking on Google. So, if you already have reviews, start responding to them. And if you don’t, start actively asking for them.
3. Engage Even More on Google My Business
Did you know that 3.5 billion Google searches are made every day and the volume of Google searches grows by roughly 10% each year? It is critical that your propane company has a claimed Google My Business listing because it will be the first thing a consumer sees when they complete a Google search for propane services in your area. More and more consumers are using Google My Business to engage with companies instead of following through to their websites. Features like online reviews, messaging, and a customer Q&A forum are all great opportunities for customers to engage with you online.
4. Keep Your Audience Interested with Consistent Campaigns
Do something fun for your customers that will excite and entice engagement. Host frequent campaigns that encourage your audience to take action, such as filling out an online form, sharing a post on social media with their followers and tagging your business, or referring a friend to your propane services. Keep your campaigns consistent, such as a monthly raffle, but switch up the incentives (such as a tune-up discount or tickets to a community event) to keep them interested.
2020 is the year of the customer. Use engagement marketing tactics to set your propane company and service offerings apart, build customer loyalty, and attract new targets this year. As noted above, there are multiple ways to engage your audience in a strategic manner that best suits your propane company’s unique goals and marketing budget.
Jennifer LeClerc is the creative director of Consumer Focus Marketing, a marketing agency in Portsmouth, N.H., that specializes in total marketing strategy services for the energy industry nationwide. Their services include digital marketing, online review management, search engine optimization, and website development. LeClerc can be reached by visiting consumerfocusmarketing.com or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
