Problem: A consumer product organization wondered why it had five times as many Facebook followers as customers and how to convert these followers into actual clients.

Process: Nova Research Group designed a series of studies examining their Facebook followers, current customers, and prospective market, and found that few, if any, of their current customers were actually among their Facebook followers. This was a serious problem, as the organization was spending significant resources on social media campaigns. We next examined the differences between their Facebook followers and current customers in terms of psychographics, what was important to each group, and their expectations from the company.

Outcome: We identified a significant gap in understanding among prospective customers about what the client’s product actually did. Part of the reason was that the Facebook audience differed psychographically from their traditional, current audience and fell outside the scope of any outreach the client was presently engaged in. What mattered to this group — and how they viewed the client’s products — was distinctly different from the existing customer base.

We developed a strategic marketing plan that redefined how their traditional campaigns and social media campaigns targeted customers. We also helped develop new social media campaigns designed to drive prospective customers toward traditional media outlets and, ultimately, into their stores.