Many clients begin with us talking about what they perceive as the most needed element of their marketing house–SEO. It isn’t, it’s misplaced. If you are a human, have good human writers, speak on the topic you are an expert on and can participate in like-minded communities SEO comes naturally.
Marketing is Diversity
What we typically find is a firm or small company that knows a website is necessary but often forget the rest of the marketing landscape or the true intention of what they are trying to achieve. More happy customers.
How do we attract, make, and keep happy customers? Through a lot of efforts, not just one. You have to attract and persuade a customer to try you, then you have to keep them coming back, expanding through their network while simultaneously looking for new customers though as many mechanisms as you can spend time on.
How Many Marketing Options do You Use?
- Public Relations
- Customer Service
- Special Events
- Charitable Events
- Customer Service
- Staff Training
- Advertisements
- Direct Mail
- Print Materials
- Website
- Social Media
This list could go on and on (distribution channels, broadcast media, etc) but these are a few key points. As individuals we tend to concentrate on what we perceive we can handle. Technology gives us everything at our fingertips but its a double-edged sword.
Technology is the Solution, Right?
It’s always been a misnomer that technology saves time. It aids in speed of tasks but creates a mountain of new tasks as well. When a client asks to learn social media we talk about the time investment–message, broadcast, listen, respond, reciprocate. The reality is that it can takes enough time to warrant a part-time employee in most respects.
Technology has utility but it should never occlude the rest of the landscape and options available.
Get Back to Basics
A web presence is good. A social media strategy is good. However don’t forget all the ways your customer likes to work with you, utilize you, and can be reached out to. A great direct marketing campaign can do wonders. Flyers at reciprocating shops can add a quick boost to your local presence. Cross promotions by supporting your local charity goes a long way.
A Diverse Environment
We live in a diverse environment and it’s time like these that we’re happy to remind that our marketing should be diverse too. Yes, it’s one more barrel of monkeys to handle but it’s better to know the ecology of your marketing as a business than to be blind to what you can (and probably should) be doing.
Make more customers by finding them online and off, making them happy, and capitalizing on your efforts.