Marketing is a different world these days. Just a few decades ago, it was enough to list your business in the Yellow Pages and do a letterbox pamphlet drop with some persuasive copy.
Now, there are dozens of marketing platforms, and the big wide world is just a post away.
But that’s not all that has changed about marketing. The consumers themselves have changed. The way people respond to marketing and what they expect from the businesses they support has evolved.
No longer is it enough to have a snappy tagline and be a persuasive seller. With the digital world at their fingertips, modern customers demand more connection, engagement, and authenticity.
If you want to be relevant and competitive, it’s important to stay up to date with what your audience is after, so let’s talk about how marketing is changing.
How Marketing is Changing
Authenticity Is Essential
Businesses that want to succeed must be authentic. One of the great things about the internet is that there’s very little room for deception. Make one false claim, act out of alignment with your brand values, or pretend to be something that you’re not, and your business is likely to be named and shamed – or at least dismissed – quick smart.
Most consumers are savvy and can see through corporate spin easily. And while we are spending increasing amounts of time in the virtual world, we are seeking more genuine connections and realness.
The bar is set high. Customers are looking to connect on an emotional level with brands that share their values and ideals.
Take time to share real stories about the faces behind your business. Be honest and be yourself, and your customers will naturally be drawn to what you do – as well as what you stand for.
Relationship Building
Marketing used to be generalised. Businesses cast a wide net out of necessity, hoping to reach the right audience via magazines, billboards, television and radio ads.
That style of marketing is no longer effective. In the digital age – the age of smartphones, analytics and automation – there is no excuse not to make your marketing personal.
Forget trying to reach everyone and focus on reaching your ideal customers. And once you’ve got their attention, do your best to personalise their experience with you at every stage.
This is how relationships are built. It’s not enough just to tell whoever’s listening that you’re awesome and expect them to believe you. Your customers must get to know you, see you walk the walk, understand how you operate, engage with you, observe social proof, and come to that conclusion on their own.
Customer-Centric Marketing
Once upon a time, customer service departments were separated from marketing departments. Increasingly, organisations are scrapping that old system and merging the two. That’s because good customer service is good marketing, and vice versa.
The goal of your marketing is to gain loyal, lifetime customers, and that won’t happen without excellent customer service!
Put your customers at the centre of everything you do. When planning your marketing and creating your content, remember that it’s not about you; it’s about the client.
If your web copy and messaging mentions the words “I/we” more than “you,” you have a problem.
Making Modern Marketing Work
When we look at how marketing is changing, it’s clear that what worked a decade ago won’t be effective today. What’s more, what is working today probably won’t have the same impact in the coming years. But instead of letting that be daunting, let it be exciting!
Marketers have so many opportunities to connect with their audience, understand their customers, and provide exceptional products and services. As long as we keep listening to what they want, we’ll always be ahead of the game.
Need some help creating a marketing strategy that works in the current marketing world? Then, get in touch with me today. Together, we’ll connect with your ideal audience and get your business in front of them effectively.