Let’s get real for a moment. Consumers have changed. Today’s consumers have high expectations, immediate demands, and they are self-sufficient. What’s more, they want an engaging omnichannel experience and meaningful brand interactions.
There are new rules to play by to appeal to today’s digital consumer, and it will take an eclectic mix of old and new marketing strategies.
1 – You need a strong online presence
Consumers judge a book by its cover, and your book cover is the Internet. 70 per cent of your customers’ decision-making is done before they even start to communicate with your business, so for you to get a chance at making a sale, you need to have a great online presence and be where your customers are looking.
How do you make sure you have a great online presence? You need to have a good website with great content that appeals to your target market. You also need to be found in a Google search – and not just in a direct search for your name; you need to be ranking on the keywords and phrases people are searching for. Good reviews and having your content published by other reputable sites and media outlet sites are also really important.
2 – Forget the big corporate brand
Consumers no longer trust corporate brands. They trust personal brands. Individuals want to connect with individuals. They want personalised and memorable service from people they know, like and trust.
Marketing at its very core is about making promises to an individual consumer. It requires a personalised approach and brand personification. Think about it. If your brand was a person, would it be someone you considered a friend or someone you’d be looking to avoid?
3 – Stop doing digital marketing
In recent years digital marketing has become the focus – and many wonder why they aren’t getting the results they want or need. It’s because the approach is all wrong. You need to stop doing digital marketing and start doing marketing digitally.
Many people focus on a channel to master (usually because everyone is doing it) without considering whether it is relevant to their business or market, wasting both time and money. Start with the age-old marketing principles first: knowing the problem you solve, who you solve it for, and how you solve it differently. Once you’re clear on that, look at where you can find the people who have the problem you solve. This will ensure you choose the best digital channels for your business.
4 – The one who adds the most value wins
Consumers want value, so the reality is that the company that adds the most value will dominate. To determine and improve the value you provide, look at how you can solve the problem the quickest, easiest, and simplest with the most return on your customers spend.
Also, look at how you can add value to your target market before they even spend with you to start winning their trust. What knowledge, ideas, inspiration, and answers can you provide them with? What is a vision or cause that they can buy into? Take them on a journey.
5 – There is no longer a marketing department
Your whole business is the marketing department. As stated earlier, marketing is about making a promise to an individual consumer, but your whole business needs to deliver on that promise. Otherwise, you won’t last long.
Everyone in your business is a marketer – and they need to act accordingly. This means they need to be aware of the problem you solve, who you solve it for, and how you solve it differently. They also need to be well versed in your value proposition, brand promise and perhaps most importantly, the role they play in bringing it to life.
So, now that you know the new rules of today’s digital consumer, how do you need to change how you are marketing your business?
