Marketing has become very dynamic. Gone are the days when billboards were considered to be one of the most effective ways to sell products and services. Like most things, technology has transformed marketing forever.
Over the years, we have changed the way we create adverts significantly. Today, the perfect way to boost your sales is to be where your customer is, and that doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical place.
Outdated vs. Ground-Breaking Marketing Strategies
Digital marketing is constantly changing. Just a few years ago, companies became successful in showcasing their products and promoting their brands by explicitly showing them to potential clients, explaining how they would solve specific problems and constantly demonstrating how they are better than the competition. The tables have turned. People have a higher propensity to trust other consumers than product adverts. In other words, the trick is to understand that consumers are no longer interested in buying anything that is quite obviously displayed as a product.
Surviving in today’s highly competitive environment requires you, therefore, to find ways to make people want your product. Consumers are much more empowered, and they want to make purchase decisions based on their own reasons. According to various research findings, well over 70 percent of consumers check out products or services on social media before making a purchase. They want to get other people’s opinions first.
Here are two strategies that marketing experts consider to be effective to showcase your product in an albeit subtle way:
• Telling stories
Watching real-life scenarios, reliving moments from another person’s experience or sharing interesting, emotional, shocking an unusual content can go a long way towards creating engagement between the consumer and your brand. Various big brands do a great job at promoting their products with storytelling. When executed properly, this strategy can work well at creating an emotional connection with your brand.
• Leveraging reviews
It may seem unusual, but consumers often trust strangers for advice. Several research findings reveal that about 85 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as they believe recommendations from personal contacts. By establishing channels for reviews on various platforms, you would be creating a great way to promote your brand.
Authenticity
Another current digital marketing trend is to generate a buzz. The key driving factor here is to be authentic, which is why influencer marketing is growing in popularity right now. To increase engagement, you must focus on showing rather than telling. If you’re authentic, customers will ultimately become your brand ambassadors. One of the best ways to create a genuine passion for your brads is to choose the right persona for your product.
A huge percentage of online content today is video, and this trend is showing no signs of slowing down. This means greater opportunities for YouTube influences as well as the likely possibility that charisma and authenticity will be more profitable than ever.
Here are some of the ways you can leverage personas more authentically
• Measure return on investment (ROI) with promo codes/links
A great way to track whether an influencer you hired is worth the investment is by giving them coupon codes or tracking links. That way, you can periodically monitor the influencer’s direct sales.
• Choose an expert in the field
When choosing an influencer, you need to find someone who will resonate with your audience. You want an individual who will have an easy time communicating with your potential clients. Moreover, people want credible opinions so they can feel related to a brand before they buy. According to research, more than 80 percent of consumers are highly likely to purchase a product or service based on their influencer’s recommendations.
The good news with digital marketing is that it’s highly flexible so if you’re a few steps behind, you still have a chance to revamp your strategy. Create high-quality content that adds value to your potential and existing clients and remember to update your content.
The Evolution of Digital Marketing
Who doesn’t like to feel appreciated? As such, it’s crucial to change the customer experience journey. You need to improve your strategies for both potential and current customers. The old days when brands only cared about customers before they purchase are long gone. Today, the customer journey is a continuous process. Customers, regardless of their position in the sales funnel are integrated into the entire process to help with customer service, the company’s culture or marketing strategy. This current system is based on the client’s ability to give feedback at all times.
We are in an age where you can leverage technology to help you get more of your target audience to like your products. While it may be easy to get more people, it helps to bear in mind that not all of them may be interested in your brand.
