Andrea Falls, United States

Defining consumers by the actions they take vs. solely the traditional demographics and psychographics they fall into is an opportunity to reshape needs-based targeting. Think about the new and different kinds of cross-connections being advanced through today’s communications: common interests trump geographic borders; conversations link people by passion points; posted comments draw responses and reactions that shape storylines. It’s actions that are the more viable connective commonality.

Studying the art of motivating action is more transparent that ever before. You would have to host thousands of focus groups to ever get close to harnessing the market research capability of everyday observation. The currency of the digital age is action – clicks, conversations, replies, forwards, purchases, ratings, reads, rallying cries. Actions are documented more than ever before.

This action-driven consumer requires more than just reach – and more than frequency. It’s relevance, relationship in real time – the ability to generate meaningful education and awareness that’s hyper-targeted and benefit-specific … with the shortest path possible to the personal win. Opinions are organic with consumers making split-second decisions on the action they will or won’t take: either elevating an issue by rapid advancement within their own networks and communities (online and offline) or yielding the communications lost in irrelevant noise and inaction.

This means the management of long-term strategy through short-term brand decisions. Developing a thorough knowledge of the desired action of a specific, deep consumer target will be essential to activation. Discovering the flexible and fluid brand communications solutions that speak to shareholders and spark real connectivity will be essential to return on investment and integrated marketing effectiveness now more than ever before.

This is where actions will speak louder than words. We can find new, different, compelling networks of influence and trends that underscore action patterns.

Once we begin this kind of action/relationship thinking, so many new trains of thought emerge. For example, the college student creating a discussion forum with like-minded social change advocates could share an action set with the single mother of four in a grassroots community who is passionate about a better future for her children. If we looked at basic demographics and psychographics only, a core relationship based on a mutual objective could be missed – as could an opportunity to action broadest audiences by focusing on a single common step.

As 2010 planning for brands begins, action your consumer brand by taking a fresh look at audience segmentation. Introducing an “action consumer” at the center of your approach can help generate more focused marketing, more dynamic programming and more meaningful results.