Anyone diving into the field of marketing will sooner or later stumble across the term voice marketing (voice=voice). As the name suggests, this marketing strategy involves messages that are carried to the customer exclusively in spoken form or music. This can happen in many different ways.
How does voice marketing work?
Most of you probably think that voice marketing only works in conjunction with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, but that’s not true. In reality, many more devices have voice recognition software and thus the ability to interact with potential customers. In 2011, Apple already set the pace with its voice-based smart assistant “Siri”. Since then, numerous smartphones, computers and laptops have adopted this technology. Likewise, there are numerous voice assistants, so-called hearables and wearables, smart homes, cars, televisions, etc. that use voice recognition. This gives almost every potential customer of any age the opportunity to use voice marketing in the form of voice assistance.
Artificial intelligence as a basis
The basis of voice assistants is based on ever-improving speech recognition technology and thus, at its core, on artificial intelligence (AI). She is getting better at simulating real conversations and making us feel like she knows and appreciates us. Thanks to her, we humans can act even more comfortably than before. Conversely, this leads us to value them and their recommendations.
An example: you are in possession of a voice marketing capable device and you are cleaning your apartment. As you do so, you notice that the toilet paper is running low. Now, instead of interrupting their cleaning activities to write the grocery list and possibly take a coffee break, you say:
“Hey Siri, please put toilet paper on my shopping list.”
A voice answers: “Ok, you bought the toilet paper from “Finas” during your last purchases. “FeelGood is on sale this week, however. Would you like to buy the offer instead?”
You say, “Yes, please”
The voice replies, “Feelgood has been added to your shopping list.”
Meanwhile, you could continue cleaning and not run the risk of forgetting the toilet paper the next time you go shopping. On the contrary, they even got a price tip.
Voice marketing is not just voice assistance
Voice assistance is just one hobbyhorse of voice marketing. Podcasts, voice ads and audio newsletters are also ways to make voice marketing a part of your marketing strategy. The reason for the success of voice marketing is people’s convenience. We humans want to achieve as much as possible with as little effort as possible. We like to entertain ourselves and see entertainment as enrichment rather than effort – and that’s exactly where voice marketing comes in. While reading or writing a text is exhausting, we find speaking and listening easy. In voice marketing, we go into a kind of conversation, so it’s an enjoyable activity. In addition to a good feeling, this also creates familiarity and trust between the brand and potential customers.
The advantage of voice marketing
1. audio clips in which they answer a specific question can be published almost anywhere and are available around the clock. In this way, they interact with their potential customers at all times and do so in a pleasant and discreet manner.
2. voice marketing speaks to a very broad audience without penetratingly drawing attention to their company, reaching millions of potential customers.
3. voice marketing is invisible and enjoyable because it can be consumed on the side and does not require full attention to be effective.
4. voice marketing offers benefits not only for them as a company, but also for the end consumer, as it helps to make smarter decisions and makes everyday life easier.
5. voice marketing is more personal because customers feel they know you when you can assign a voice to their business. It has a high recognition value, which not infrequently remains unrecognized and yet subconsciously takes hold.
6. spoken words evoke emotions. These are often decisive in the purchasing and decision-making process.
Conclusion
Voice marketing is a win-win for everyone – young or old, modern or old-fashioned. People respond to conversation and even though voice marketing is a modern form of marketing, it doesn’t mean that it only targets young and modern people. On the contrary, it can be applied in any industry and for any target group, because it is human nature to take the most convenient route – and that is what voice marketing does.
