Selling Exclusivity Marketing to Finicky Consumers

Everyone likes to feel as if they are a part of something. Whether this is a club they belong to, a circle of friends, or a special promotion they’re invited to, the feeling of exclusivity, of belonging to the “club” is a feeling brands often capitalized on.

This is a great maneuver, particularly if it’s done with tact. Marketing is a language that is easily spoken to the right consumers. By creating an “exclusive” feel, brands can often capture the attention of more discerning consumers. This can be a valuable approach, as often times the more selective customers end up being the most loyal. Once they have found a brand that meets their standards, their loyalty is often unwavering.

How does a brand reach these consumers, the ones with a nose for trickery and the smarts to only select brands that they strongly identify with?

Creating exclusivity doesn’t have to be a complicated process. For our purposes, we’ll use an example of a media outlet for this article. This media outlet is geared towards small business owners, a resource they can use for marketing tips, entrepreneurship advice, and more. How does this outlet reach more consumers and create a club type of feel?

Two effective ways of reaching consumers in a more intimate way are email marketing and Facebook groups. Let’s dive into the basics of each one, and how they can work to a brand’s advantage.

Email Marketing to Create Exclusivity

Email marketing has rapidly become a go-to tool for many marketers, and for good reason. Many users are migrating away from Facebook and other social media platforms in favor of email, where they feel more in control of what content they are receiving.

If a brand has an email marketing list, think of ways to make the content found in each newsletter more exclusive feeling, rather than just a general sales format. The end goal is to prompt the reader to take some sort of action, but by sprinkling in other useful content that the reader won’t be able to find anywhere else the brand can achieve more loyalty.

Market email content like a club. “Members only” feels exclusive and as if not just anyone can access the perks. The email list may be free to sign up for, but members should still feel they are one step ahead of others by signing up. Find ways to create content and perks that they can enjoy, just as they would with any other type of “club”.

The Value of Private Facebook Groups

Social media is a very public place, and it’s often fraught with negativity and infighting. Many users have taken shelter in the form of private groups, often created and managed by brands or media outlets.

Creating a private Facebook or other social media group has many benefits. First, this type of group gives users a space to share thoughts, engage with each other, and interact with the brand in a new way. Instead of simply throwing ads their way, hoping they will click on them, a brand can actually converse with users, get valuable feedback, and build relationships.

Private Facebook groups also create a sense of exclusivity. By not making groups like this publicly accessible, users can gain entrance by obtaining administrative permission, or “joining the club”. Again, this can be a free experience but it still gives the user a feeling that they are a part of something that not everyone can also enjoy. This is valuable!

Consumers in today’s constant notification society don’t want to just be sold to and told to open their wallets. Often, the best connections are made when a consumer feels they are in a unique situation, rather than just a number in a crowd. Creating exclusive experiences can be a simple and easy tactic that garners highly valuable results for brands looking to build relationships with more customers.

-5WPR CEO Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian

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Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.