There is an insatiable demand for “the next thing” that has brands constantly spinning wheels trying to create stunts to boost impressions and other vane metrics.

Why?

It might be because marketers have forgotten how to listen to consumers to understand what they actually want. Forgetting to listen has led to a lack of understanding, which has generated even more noise. The cycle continues with more emphasis on faster, more fleeting digital activations.

Remedy is near

The first step to solve this is to simply stop what you are doing for a moment.

This pause will give you a chance to listen to your stakeholders and really see what they need. During your pause, consider some of these questions:

• Where are they naturally going?

• What are they interested in?

• What questions keep coming up?

• What patterns do you notice?

• What platforms make sense for you to meet them there?

• Is there a way we can make things easier?

• How can you improve your audience's experience?

All these questions and more can help with the listening process. We ask ourselves these questions every day and strive to bring that same clarity to our partners.