We’ve had a lot of experience working with businesses on their branding and marketing, and if there is one thing that we’ve noticed most, it’s peoples inability to embrace change.
It’s important to note what is going on around you, just because you don’t personally agree with things, doesn’t mean it won’t happen anyway. A perfect example of this was the rise of social media and the old vs. new approach to marketing. A lot of business owners repelled the idea of getting personal on social media. A lot of business owners thought that it was a fad. Sorry guys, it ain’t going anywhere.
See, that’s what happens in life, we evolve and grow. New technologies come in and things change. The way we see life, won’t always be the way others see it.
What we’ve noticed:
There’s a huge generation gap in using technology
Older generations often refuse to digitise and do things the new way. Now, it’s definitely a process to try and learn the unfamiliar, but the problem is that you’re making life harder. Digital automation is a great way to streamline services that would often take hours to complete. On top of that, they’re not leveraging the marketing channels necessary to promote their businesses effectively. Unless your target market is?above the age of 70,?chances are you’re missing a huge opportunity.
Email marketing is a great way to reconnect with your previous clients as well as to connect with potential leads. These days, content is king. If you are providing quality content in your emails, people want to hear about it, it also gives you the ability to build relationships.
Social media is ingrained in our lives now, there is no fad about it. Finding the right marketing strategy to your social media accounts can be a huge asset, not to mention hugely cost-effective if done correctly. Understanding the landscape and digital ad platform can benefit your business,?in not only promotion and?sales but relationship building on a personal level, helping to establish trust and build brand loyalty.
People do their research these days based on a website?and social presence. Social media also provides additional insight to customers/clients by showing a business’s?reputation with real-time responses, current news and events and review feedback.?If your business is succeeding without social platforms, imagine the possibility if you had them.
People are set in their old ways
A lot of the time we see people refusing to apply new strategies because it’s not the way they’ve always done it. Now that’s fine, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it right? Well, in this case, it really depends. Different strategies allow for different opportunities. If you always do what you’ve always known, then you’re going to keep doing what you’ve always known. In order to reach new opportunities, you need to step out of the comfort zone and take a risk. Mingle with different people outside of your circles to create new working relationships. Try collaborations, even reach out to competitors, imagine the possibility of scope if you combine your services on a project. You may find that your business can take a completely different direction and reap hugely from the benefits, but unless you embrace that initial change and try new things, you’ll never know.
Misunderstanding the current landscape
Just because it worked 15 years ago, certainly does NOT mean it’ll work now. Sure, old marketing tactics still work, but it’s important to note what types are now considered old hat, or even worse, intrusive. Gone are the days of the old suit and tie marketer, people now want to see genuine and authentic people. Your audience wants a real connection, they don’t want the used car sales approach, because to them, that screams fake. Cue the rise in brands on social media, because it gives the audience that?behind the scenes look into how they run their business. It’s important to note here that this is why so many businesses are investing in solid branding strategies to make sure that their message is delivered to market effectively. It’s not about the follower count, it’s not about selling on multiple platforms, it’s about storytelling. Give people an in-depth look at the brand and let them decide if they want to be aligned with it, better yet, give them a reason to. If you go out with an old marketing tactic that is now considered dated, it can do more harm than good, it will just show how out of touch your brand is.
Stop listening to inexperienced people
We all know everyone has an opinion but there’s a time and a place to ask for one. If you are going to ask for one, be sure the opinion matters. When it comes to things like content, strategies, promotional material, design, make sure that the person you are talking to is either an expert in their field, within your company or someone in the target market. We often turn to those around us in support to make a decision, but that doesn’t mean the answer they give you will be the right answer. Too often we’ve seen people stray from a great idea because someone who didn’t understand the full process made someone second guess their decision. Business means that you must take risks in order to move forward, sure it’s fine to say no, though make sure it’s for good reason. Posting an idea on social media to your friends will get an array of opinions based on subjectivity and inexperience. This also applies to getting people to do work for you that aren’t qualified ‘social media alarm bells’. Content marketing and social media strategy aren’t easy, it’s actually really difficult. Palming it off to the youngest person in the office because they’re good with a smartphone won’t do you any favours. Invest in a creative copywriter, content marketer or social media strategist to help align your goals with your social plans. Read more of this topic on our blog ‘Why your office admin can’t just bang together sellable content‘ by Cherie from The Digital Picnic.
To summarise, don’t let old ways prevent you from moving forward. Don’t let something you might think will happen, stop an opportunity that could change your business direction. Watch, listen and adapt to the market, don’t watch what everyone else is doing and jump onboard at the backend. Be a leader and take charge, YOU CAN DO IT.
If you have any questions or want to know more,?click here?and get in touch. Or check out the?services?page to see what?s on offer.
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