This Monday marked the kickoff of the fourth season of the reality TV show The Voice. If you aren’t familiar with the show, it’s a singing competition with a twist; the contestants audition for a panel of four judges, but the judges cannot see them as they perform. Rather, if the judges like what they hear, they hit their buttons, causing their chairs to spin around to face the contestant.

Winning over new customers is a bit like auditioning for The Voice: you have an extremely brief amount of time to make an initial connection with your audience, so you better make it count. From the blind auditions to the live finale, there are four key points marketers can take from The Voice in order to connect with their customers.

You Need a Strong Pitch

Just like The Voice’s contestants must have a powerful blind audition in order to get chairs to turn, you need to make a good impression with your first initial pitch to customers. This may refer to an actual sales pitch, but in today’s digital world it often means crafting engaging online marketing messages.

Eye-catching PPC ads on Google and Facebook need to grab your potential customers’ attention. Develop headlines and CTAs (call to actions) that get straight to the point and connect with your clients. Whenever possible, use captivating images to draw your customers in visually.

Make Them Excited That They Turned Their Chairs

On Monday night, the judges were pleasantly surprised when they turned their chairs and learned that the show stopping voice they heard singing Whitney Houston was coming from a man. This special reveal made several judges wish they had chosen him and one very happy that she did.

You must re-create this experience for your potential customers. When they click on your ad and arrive at your website, give them something unexpected and valuable. Whether that’s gorgeous and engaging imagery or free downloadable guides, give them something that will not only make them glad they clicked on your ad, but will exceed their expectations.

If You Move Them, They Will Endorse You

On the show, if more than one judge turns around for a contestant the tables are turned and the judges must convince the contestant to allow them to be their coach. Similarly, if you make a strong enough impression on your customers they will fight for and endorse you. They’ll show their support for your business by following and engaging with you on social media: checking in on Facebook and FourSquare, commenting on and liking your company posts, and posting images of themselves with your product or at your business to Instagram and other social sites.

Want to take this engagement to the next level? Follow The Voice’s example and create specialized hashtags to use when they are talking about your business. You may even run a contest via social media. For instance, last season The Voice asked audiences to choose from two songs during one of their live shows by using the appropriate hashtag on Twitter. The song that was hashtagged the most was performed on that night’s show. You can use the same tactic by asking your customers to choose between two possible specials or products, giving them their own unique hashtags. Get creative and connect where your customers are socially.

The Turn of the Chair is Only the Beginning

The journey is not over for contestants once a chair is turned. They face rounds upon rounds of additional eliminations, from the Battles to the Knockouts. Your journey is no different. You must continue to evolve and impress your customers to ensure that they remain loyal to your business.

Take their feedback on social media to heart and work to expand upon any areas in which they see room for improvement. Try innovative social media platforms to keep up with their vast web presence. Offer new products and services that fill additional needs. Ultimately, you must continuously remind them why turned their chair for your company.

Each new encounter with a customer is another chance to get their chair to turn. Make sure that your marketing messages are powerful and moving in order to make that connection.

Not quite sure where to start? Contact us for a consultation. After all, the show proves that everyone can benefit from working with a coach!