The way we do business has already dramatically shifted from the old era of cold calling, travelling salesmen and the need to run around town in a stressful hunt for “that thing you need”. Nowadays, consumers are bound to quickly look it all up on the web and see exactly where they need to go, or even just buy online.
Aggressive digitalization and a rapid surge in development of the Internet of Things have both redefined the way marketers use the space around us to offer their products and services. The game rules have changed, but the marketing goal ultimately stays the same – generate more leads and more sales. If you need a hand with that, check out these useful tips:
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Marketing tip 1 – Social media and online communities
Every good marketer knows the raw potential of social media platforms – billions of users in one singular space, not influenced by international borders, ready to experience and absorb what is served to them. However, they won’t bite for just about anything. Social media marketing revolves around the word “viral”, and the best way to leverage that power is to feed your customer base with focused, original and engaging content – something they will care and talk about and be willing to share within their social circles. Make yourself a part of their family, be a pillar of their online community, but remember – never, ever be intrusive.
Marketing tip 2 – Website optimization and SEO
Having a website has become informally mandatory for anyone aiming to succeed in the modern marketplace. However, there are a few things that distinguish great websites from the rest. Visual advertising and association is one of the primary marketing tools, which means you need to imbue your website with clarity and useful information, make it easy for customers to navigate and buy through it – having lots of photo or video material is great, but be sure to avoid clutter. Rely on the power of SEO to position yourself closer to your target customer group, benefiting from backlinks and methodical referrals, and better overall web presence.
Marketing tip 3 – Email Marketing
Two words: inbound marketing. Your goal is to earn the consumers interest and trust, and not to simply bombard them with email offers and expect them to reply. Email marketing still has a very important place in boosting sales and leads, but it requires a different approach. Be it B2B or B2C, it is wise to use email marketing as a supplementary tool in your mix. Make it non-invasive and non-aggressive: when you generate a sale, you can ask for that customer’s consent to receive specifically tailored, personalized offers via email. This way, they will be more likely to engage your content and come back for repeat business. Make use of big data processing, identify trends and create complementary offerings accordingly.
Marketing tip 4 – Integrate marketing with sales and customer care
Make your departments complement and learn from each other – more information, more knowledge, better ways to meet and appeal to customer needs! Keep people in the loop at all times and give them incentives to synergize. You can organize regular cross-department brainstorming sessions, where you can create action plans and instructions for your core goals and procedures, as well as record meetings and ideas for further polishing and tweaking.
Marketing tip 5 – PPC advertising and performance analytics
Pay-per-click advertising still has a powerful impact in the digital business world and has indeed proved to be an asset in generating leads. For all those people unwilling to look beyond the first Google search result page, what they see in the top few picks is likely where they will go and buy. If you think your business can benefit from PPC and you’re willing to pay for this ad type, make sure to follow up with performance analytics – see how much bang you’re getting for your buck.
Marketing leads and sales might have moved towards the digital, but they are still being created by real people, for real customers. Don’t get lost in going “all out” on the web and end up sacrificing your contact with the tangible world outside. Marketing boils down to psychology and sociology – understanding who works for you and what you all work for is what brings success in the long run.
