So, You’ve Decided You Need to do More Marketing… Now What?
The first step as you begin your marketing
effort is obvious. Unless you want your brand to look like a homemade project,
you must hire a professional graphic designer. But once you’ve selected a
qualified designer, what will your approach be? Print marketing? Digital media
marketing? Social marketing? Web marketing? Where and how will you start? It
can seem overwhelming right out of the gate… and this is exactly why most
business owners never really get their marketing efforts off the ground.
There is so much free and conflicting advice
floating around online that you become more indecisive the more you read! Come
to think of it, this very article is a prime example of free online advice,
isn’t it :)
It is this author’s opinion that balance is the
key to a solid marketing strategy. Even if your business is a 100% online sales
machine, online marketing, print marketing and good ol’ face-to-face grass
roots selling must all be included in your over-all plan. Here are some things
to consider as you decide where to focus your business marketing efforts.
WE AREN’T ONLINE ALL THE TIME!
Contrary to popular belief, not everyone is
online 24/7, nor should they be. Cell phone batteries die, service is interrupted
and lately more and more people are trying to disconnect in order to enhance
both personal and business relationships. What happens when we are down or
decide to disconnect for awhile? People actually start picking up magazines,
books and brochures. They end up reading more signage and looking at their mail
more closely. They listen to the radio more, create more conversation with
family, friends and colleagues. It’s amazing!
NETWORKING FACE-TO-FACE
As long as human interactivity is still around,
and I hope it is around forever, it’s unlikely that traditional print media
will ever completely disappear.
Sure, we will always surf our phones, tablets
and computers for websites and information, but without giving a business
prospect something to hold onto, they are much less likely to remember you
later. Even a simple business card can make the difference between creating a
long-term business relationship or a forgotten first contact. A well-crafted,
memorable business card design is a great way to merge print marketing with
your online efforts.
ADDITIONAL POINT OF CONTACT
Let’s face it, you can’t force a prospect to be
engaged. Whether it is an online experience or traditional marketing
interaction, keeping a potential customer’s attention is difficult. If there is
the least bit of interest on the part of the prospect, conversion chances
increase greatly when they have a tangible piece of your branded marketing
materials in their hands. Look at it this way, if they have any interest they
probably wont discard your brochure as they run across it multiple times, and
each time they see it reinforces your brand. On the other hand, if they ran
across your website once upon a time, they just might never make the effort to
return?
We all underestimate how difficult online
marketing is. A good online marketing plan requires full-time monitoring,
updating and management. I agree a good website is the best way to deliver
information to your prospects and customers for sure. But the best way to stay
“in front” of your customers is with traditional marketing efforts that
continually support and drive traffic to your website and other online
marketing channels.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
To me, nothing feels better than receiving a
hand-written thank you note from a client, friend or vendor. It really says to
me “wow, they took the time to actually write to me and mail this personal
note!” We are all bombarded with emails, texts and phone calls these days. It
seems that the information age has become the SPAM age. If you stop and really
think about it, sometimes the only way to differentiate yourself from the
competition is to add a personal touch to the relationship. A personal sales
visit, taking the client to lunch, shaking their hand at a trade show or event
or with that personal piece of print communication. There are some things a
website just can’t do.
In our experience, clients who focus on both
digital AND traditional marketing rarely lose clients. On the other hand, those
who rely 100% on digital online marketing tend to suffer from attrition when
their competition becomes better than they are at creating solid customer
relationships out here in the real world.
What’s the moral of the story? Stay on line…
but don’t get lost online. When it comes to building relationships, a handshake, personal note, or a phone call beats an email every time!
Want to learn more about building and marketing
your business? Contact Tower Media Group at 480-835-0003 or visit our website
at: www.TowerMediaAZ.com
