Gone are the days where marketing can be done by just buying a small ad. Business cards are no longer attracting customers and sending mail or postcards may not get you new clients. These are traditional marketing strategies. We used to witness how these strategies helped entrepreneurs to manage their business. But this is no longer the case.
We may say that all these traditional models of marketing are obsolete. If you are aspiring to get high profits, more clients, or to establish more sales, or generate a lot of money; then it’s time for you to move on to higher levels of marketing. If you are still thriving on the traditional marketing strategies, then you are just wasting your time. Traditional marketing practices are already worn out. What you can do now is focus on some strategies that are working, are efficient and alive. Make a difference in your marketing strategies and ensure that it goes along with the modern demand of the market.
Most entrepreneurs are using the media with the belief that it has a strong influence on society. The media can reach potential customers, but if you are placing ads and using media in a traditional way, then you are doing it wrong. Stop thinking about where you should put your ad, instead think of your audience. Associate the media with your potential market, and with the correct combination of media, potential customers and placement of ads, you will surely get people towards the doorstep of your business.
Marketing will never be effective if you don’t have compelling reasons to persuade people to support your business. Marketing is just the front end. Marketing is not what makes people buy what you are selling. It is still the quality, the efficiency and the truth behind your marketing campaign that makes people buy what you are selling. Marketing is important to attract customers, but it is your commodity that should persuade the customers.
Do not do business with anyone else. I mean, if you are following in someone else’s footsteps, or somebody is following you, then that would be foolish. You must declare that you are the only option. Your prospect customers should see your difference among any other kind of business. Make the decision making easy for your customers. Claim that you have a unique business and you offer excellent products and services, and then show them that they could not get that in another company.
Marketing could be very easy, but make sure the marketing strategy you are using is something new. You don’t need to spend money on marketing or advertising, for this will make it traditional. Marketing should reflect your ideas supported by testimonials and persuasive messages. This is what customers are looking for in marketing.
The information is still of great value. You should market your business in such a way that people will learn something about what you are offering, and in learning these things, you can be able to provide solutions to their problems.
This are some great points Amanda! There are some great things about traditional marketing not working anymore, such as price. New marketing methods like social media are free, whereas traditional marketing methods- like print ads- cost companies lots of money. It’s definitely important to make your business stand out but not be too snobby about it.
Amanda, excellent points! You raise a really important distinction in that it’s not simple the methodology or distribution channel but the mindest and approach that must change. Can you still reach people via traditional methods? Yes, however what does not work is push marketing. Whatever the channel you have to have an absolute focus on your target community from end to end.
Amanda, your distinction between the old face and new face of Marketing is spot on. Marketing is a discipline that encompasses a vast range of categories,from market research to advertising to marketing communications to content marketing, each practice area is only powerful with a viable and stellar product/services offering. In concurrence with Karen Swim’s comment, focus on the right target community, coupled with the right hybrid marketing mix and distribution channels is truly the best strategy.
Be relevant in your advertising to your audience. Speak to their values. Market to those who align their buying decisions with your brand’s core values. Be authentic.
Have you read Stefan Engeseth’s book, The Fall of PR & the Rise of Advertising?
Embracing change is difficult for many people, but you hit the nail on the head; change or become obsolete.
Amanda, excellent points. You don’t need to buy expensive marketing campaigns, you just need to know how to sell yourself! really good, thanks!