Marketing is something that every single business on the planet needs in order to be successful, but in the ever-crowded world of communications, how does the savvy marketer stand out? Although marketing your business can seem daunting at first, savvy marketers know about the following five tips, tools and associated technologies and resources to get the job done:
1. Branding
When it comes to marketing, branding is one of the strongest ways to define a company and its products or services. Branding involves finely crafting a particular image that pops into consumers’ heads when they think of a company.
Luxury brands like Rolex and Mercedes are great at that, and since the groundwork has been laid out over the years, these companies simply have to mention their names in order to instantly be recognized for quality and sophistication. Likewise, Apple has done a masterful job of branding by making its products part of a lifestyle that conjures up images of affluence, youth and progressive thinking.
In order to successfully brand a company, savvy marketers know that the secret is repetition and consistency across all marketing platforms. This means utilizing a company-wide marketing style guide that details everything from the specific colors and fonts to be used in logos down to specific wording and phrases to be used in corporate communications. When these standards are used consistently, consumers come to know what to expect from a brand.
2. Social Media
Social media was once thought of as the ultimate tool for marketers in the Internet age, and although social media technologies like Facebook and Twitter have become a bit crowded these days, they are still valuable tools to quickly get a finger on the pulse of the consumer and address customer questions and concerns.
Many companies recognize the value of social media and employ entire departments that are dedicated to updating and monitoring various social media accounts associated with the brand.
In order to maximize social media marketing tools, marketers need to update content on a regular basis with interesting and engaging stories. These stories can be told through text, images, video or mixed media, and they need to pertain to the brand directly while also speaking to the customer experience. An example of this would be where a brand assists in a cleanup effort after a natural disaster and creates a video about the experience. In this video, real testimonials can be given through the voices of those who have been helped, thereby directing the viewer to make the connection between the brand, altruism and everyday people.
3. Experiential Marketing
Experiential marketing is one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of a savvy marketing professional as it incorporates ways for consumers to not only interact with products and services, but also to interact with the brand itself. Everything from indoor interactive tech demos to outdoor games and giveaway pavilions can add to the level of excitement and personalized connection that consumers can develop using experiential marketing.
Companies like Tenji Concepts are always in demand by savvy marketers who need customized displays, branded booths and even logo-laden change rooms for things like fashion events. These companies typically work closely with brands to develop and implement strategic branding content that consumers can see, touch, feel and experience in other ways. This approach to marketing blends the benefits of social media storytelling with hands-on and word-of-mouth marketing that can only come from making a real-time connection with a brand and its marketing collateral and associates.
4. Research and Analysis
Marketing fails to serve its purpose when its efforts are not analyzed during and after a campaign, but research beforehand is also vitally important to success. A savvy marketing professional is going to take the time to investigate trends in the marketplace as well as public sentiment revolving around everything from world news to societal issues before creating and implementing a marketing plan. This can be done in many different ways, but in the end, the most important part of the process sits right between the ears of the marketer.
Simply experiencing the world and immersing oneself in a particular culture can do wonders for understanding what consumers want and what they shy away from.
Afterward, analyzing the results of a campaign is important, but this analysis can only be beneficial when done properly. While you can measure things like how many likes or shares a social media post received, do you know how to convert this data into actual business success against key performance indicators? Also, are you analyzing results and then re-analyzing in the future to see where your efforts have made a difference over time?
Keep in mind that savvy marketers use advanced software analysis tools to see trends that otherwise go unnoticed in the short term, but that make an impact in the long term.
5. The Internet of Things
Finally, marketers are beginning to see the real value in the Internet of Things as the concept and technologies become more widespread throughout the mainstream. The Internet of Things refers to interconnected devices, such as lighting systems, security cameras, music players and door locks that use the power of the Internet for control and convenience. These devices, or things, are networked so that they can be controlled from central hubs, usually in the form of smartphone apps, that provide users with control over entire systems.
When it comes to marketing, the Internet of Things looks to become a valuable tool for gathering data (with permission) about usage statistics, travel plans, energy consumption and more. As the Internet of Things grows, marketers may be able to implement technologies such as facial recognition software and machine learning to directly market specific products and services to consumers on a personal level based on a number of unique data points.
Conclusion
Once again, every business needs to utilize marketing in order to be successful, and while tried-and-true techniques often still work today, technology is rapidly changing the way that businesses tell stories to consumers and reach out to customers.
If you haven’t invested in a solid marketing team or created a marketing plan, now is the time to get started so that your business can take advantage of all of the exciting advancements and changes in customer attraction and retention.