Are memes good for marketing and sales reps?
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Are memes the key to unlocking frosty prospects?
Should a sales rep should use memes in their outreach? To help you unlock cold prospects, we asked CEOs and founders this question for their best pieces of advice. From "Memes Are Key for Outreach" to "Use Memes, but Be Selective", there are several recommendations that may help you effectively reach prospects.
Here are ten pieces of advice for whether memes are good for marketing and sales reps:
- Stand Out from the Spam
- Memes Are Key for Outreach
- Memes Serve as a Medium for Human Touch
- Save Memes for Casual Communication
- Use Memes, but Be Selective
- Connecting Over Nostalgia
- Don't Use Memes, Always Stay Professional
- Memes Are Cost Effective
- Try Using Them, but Not Too Much
- The Real Answer Is: It Depends On the Prospect
Stand Out from the Spam
One argument in favor of using memes in sales outreach is to set your message apart from the slew of marketing emails that hit prospects' inboxes daily. In the past couple of years, I've received hundreds of unmemorable email pitches, yet upon reading this question I instantly remembered a message that included a GIF of Kermit the Frog. While I passed on the service because it did not fit my business strategy, the message stood out and commanded my attention, and I did read the offer through instead of deleting it immediately. Using memes can convey a sense of humor and make salesmen seem more human, which in turn makes potential leads more inclined to at least consider the offer.
Memes Are Key for Outreach
Sales reps should use memes to engage with their target audience because they are a fun and relatable way to connect with them. Memes are often shared on social media and other online platforms as part of a trend called "reaction GIFs." Reaction GIFs are short videos that show people reacting to something funny or ridiculous. As a sales rep, you can use this trend to your advantage by creating memes that feature your product or service in a funny or silly way. This will help you connect with your target audience on an emotional level, and they may be more likely to take action based on their positive reaction to your meme.
Memes Serve as a Medium for Human Touch
Memes can be a great way to show your human side to the prospect and connect with them on a personal level. But it doesn't mean that they always need to be funny. They can be thought-provoking, insightful, and not just seen as frivolous.The mutual use of catch-phrases serves to connect people sharing them, as if they're partaking in an inside joke together. Want to get a good relationship going with a tough customer? Do some research and discover their favorite cultural reference and turn it into shared humor over a meme in your next email or message.
Save Memes for Casual Communication
When creating your outreach campaigns, be sure to sideline the memes for casual communication. If it's the first time sending an email or a newsletter to a recipient, you may want to lead with something more professional. However, as you begin to open a line of communication, then it may become more apparent if a meme or two may be appropriate.
Use Memes, but Be Selective
Memes are a great way for a sales rep to stand out. When used correctly it can illicit a response from a prospect that otherwise may never engage. But be very selective because the wrong meme can be inconsiderate or offensive. Use the wrong meme and you might lose the relationship forever.
Connecting Over Nostalgia
When played just right, memes offer a great way to connect with cold prospects that seem unlikely to convert. Nostalgia moves us all, and it can be a critical factor to help warm a prospect to your business if you can access those feelings through imagery, humor, and, yes, memes. If you know the age and a little background on your prospect, you can convert them with memes that bring up memories from their young, formative years. Someone in their 40s might appreciate a Forrest Gump reference, while someone in their 60s may appreciate some Jaws humor. Help your prospect connect positively with their past and create an experience that can lead to a longlasting relationship.
Don't Use Memes, Always Stay Professional
One key reason I believe sales representatives should not use memes in their outreach is because it's always important to stay as professional as possible, especially if it's on a first time basis you're reaching out. While memes can definitely be eye catching and attention grabbing, they can also direct attention away from your sales pitch or message you're trying to send to your outreach prospects. Another issue is the fact that a person who you reach out to on a first time basis may think your email is spam or should not be taken seriously due to the fact many spam or promotional emails tend to be littered with digital images, graphics, or memes. Memes can definitely be used in other aspects of your business to grab your audiences attention, such as Marking and Social Media, but for sales outreach it's best to always stay professional.
Memes Are Cost Effective
For promoting your page and sales out there, you have to set a foot forward and bring up your sales game. And this includes a lot of money which is not in the case of memes. With memes, something is always on-trend. Hence, it is time effective, doesn't need much effort and since people relate to it and find it funny, sharing and getting engagement from it becomes easy. You can easily make it from free tools. All you need is a marketer who is excellent in their humor and that's it.
Try Using Them, but Not Too Much
Memes can win people over sometimes, and they are easy to make. That being said, memes should not be the only way to make sales, because that would become much too repetitive. A good meme once in a while can catch someone's attention and give people a positive impression of a company's brand if they vibe well with the humor of it.
The Real Answer Is: It Depends On the Prospect
Memes can be a fantastic tool for any salesperson's arsenal. Although some claim it only works on the younger population, I've had my fair share of success using memes to close prospects in all age groups. The best way to approach using memes to engage prospects is to determine how comfortable they are with memes. I like to start with a lightweight meme to see how they respond, and I ramp it up if the response is positive. Memes can absolutely be the secret sauce to unlocking frosty prospects, but always remember that you are playing on thin ice — analyze the situation and do not scare the prospect away.
Submit Your Answer
Would you like to submit an alternate answer to the question, Are memes the key to unlocking frosty prospects? Give one reason why (or why not) a sales rep should use memes in their outreach?
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