Following the fictional story of an American marketing executive who takes her dream job overseas, “Emily in Paris” Season two details the professional and exceedingly personal adventures of Emily Cooper (played by Lily Collins). This Netflix-original also, surprisingly, provides valuable customer relationship management (CRM) lessons—or should we say CRM leçons.
While the show might be fictional, the takeaways are as real as the city it’s set in. Check out these four CRM lessons from the second season of “Emily in Paris.”
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1. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
French philosopher Voltaire once said, “Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien,” which means, “The perfect is the enemy of the good.” No brand or CRM strategy is perfect—and neither is Emily . And that’s part of her appeal. She posts quick photos to her Instagram account, instead of ones that have gone through several rounds of editing and approvals. It’s not always perfect, but her content is real. Well, as real as living in a fantastical version of the City of Love can be.
Instead of getting held up on the perfect campaign or strategy, focus on creating something you think will resonate with your customers. You might not get it right on the first or even fifth time. But, your audience is much more likely to overlook a small mistake than they are feeling like their interactions with your brand are fake—especially younger generations.
While it’s important to do your research, you should also trust your instincts with what will work best with your audience. Replace Paris in this quote from Emily’s boss, Sylvie, with your brand’s CRM—and you’ve got a good motto to follow. “Make mistakes. If you’re gonna do Paris for one year, for God’s sake, do it right.”
2. Learn their language
One thing that set off her new team of co-workers in the first season was that Emily didn’t know any French. But in Season 2, she makes an effort and starts taking classes to learn the language. Similarly, you need to learn your customer’s language so you can best nurture and grow the relationship. Not only does it help you better engage them, it shows you care enough to learn about them. Look for ways to identify and connect with them through personable interactions and the data you’ve collected on them.
Because if you can’t talk, engage, and interact with them in the way they prefer, you’re in the same boat as Emily. “What would you suggest I do?” Emily asked. “Learn French for starters,” Sylvie answered.
3. Figure out what you want
This season of “Emily in Paris” highlights Emily’s internal struggle to decide what she wants out of life. Similarly, marketers need to dive into what is important to their brand.
For example, they need to know what metrics they want to focus on because that will affect their strategies. To get a sense for what to focus on and what goals to set, look at the heart of the brand and its values. Figure out your strengths and how to best maximize those to reach where you want to get.
4. Make a statement
From bright patterns and colors to retro styles turned modern, Emily makes a statement with her look, and you can do the same with your CRM. Don’t play it safe or feel content to keep your brand in the background. Bring your focus and dedication to your customers front and center, and don’t hold anything back. Wow them with your personalized, targeted approach that shows you not only know them, but also that you know what they need (and that you have the solution).
Toodles, poodles
Managing your customer relationships can seem daunting, whether you’re stateside or gazing at the Eiffel Tower. But, if you think of them in terms of personal relationships—instead of simply a business transaction—the way you approach your CRM will change. You’ll want to create more personal interactions and go the extra mile to make things right, like Emily often does (especially if she’s the one to do something wrong). Even if you haven’t watched the popular show, you can still take these shared lessons and find ways to incorporate them into your CRM strategy. Au revoir!