So much has changed with marketing tactics and technology in the past five years. At times, it may be tempting to throw up your hands and say, “Too much! I’m going to go live under a rock, with my trusty fax machine.” But you must resist this urge. Because although marketing tactics and technology have been in a constant state of change for a while, the basic principles remain very much the same. And your family would miss you.
Marketing has changed—or has it?
Time is short, so we’re not going to try to cover everything in this post, but instead highlight three concepts we view as essential for today’s marketer to keep in mind.
- Have a content strategy
- It’s a small world
- Analytics are your friend
Before we dive in, let’s backtrack a bit to define what marketing actually is. According to the American Marketing Association, marketing is:
“the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
Broad, isn’t it? Note, as you read the definition, what’s NOT there. Nothing about PowerPoints, booths, brochures, or pamphlets. Marketing ≠ deliverables.
There’s also nothing about advertising; digital, social or otherwise. Marketing ≠ channels.
Marketing is a big, strategic-level practice—one under which more accessible and easily-defined functions fall; Marketing Communications, Advertising, and Sales / Business Development, to name a few.
Since marketing is such a big subject to cover, we’re painting broadly with the three concepts we’re sharing with you today. Think of them as a primer—an abridged guide to help spur your thinking as you take stock of your own organization.
Have a content strategy
The phrase “Content is king,” is clichéd, but for good reason—it’s true. While the term might immediately call blogs or social media to mind, it’s a much bigger topic than that. Every slogan, image, post, video, gif, meme, or other form of communication your brand puts out is content—and taking a proactive, mindful approach to your content strategy will save you loads of grief down the line.
- Do you have verbal brand guidelines?
- Do you have visual brand guidelines?
- How do your messages correlate with each audience/medium?
- Do you have/use an editorial calendar?
It’s a small world
It’s no secret that a significant portion of the world’s commerce (and thus, marketing) has moved online. According to Hubspot, 81% of shoppers conduct online research before making big purchases—whether they ultimately happen online or in person. So, it’s important to consider your messaging holistically. Does your brand sing harmoniously across all touchpoints? Let’s take a look at one example to illustrate.
Trade shows and congresses are great opportunities to put your entire multi-layered messaging plan to work as a cohesive whole. If executed well, they can provide a lot of valuable exposure for your brand. Consider the following to get the most value from your investment.
- Utilize all communication (pre, during, and post-show) to tell different parts of the same story
- Lay the groundwork by reaching out to key individuals ahead of time
- Use the physical space to draw your audience into a self-directed interaction
- Lose the keychains—surprise and delight your audience with an unforgettable experience
- And as always, make sure to follow up with your amazing new connections
Analytics are your friend
One of the most prevalent myths in marketing today is the outdated notion that significant waste is a necessary part of the process. Back before a lot of today’s now-ubiquitous technology, marketing ROI was anyone’s guess. Weak correlations could sometimes be drawn based on things like sales and revenue, but organizations were left in the dark as to which messages resonated with their audience, and which were—at best—just noise.
Today, however, we have objective measurement for almost everything we do. Messages, platforms, all types of social media and blog posts, websites, search ads, etc. can be tested against each other, and tracked for real-world performance. It’s never been easier to tell what works, and to use a little bit of tactical know-how to turn analytics into profit.
- Are you tracking social analytics (e.g. likes, post views/clicks, conversions)?
- Will the data you’re tracking lead to insights that are actionable?
- Do you notice a strong relationship between impressions/clicks, etc. and sales?
- Do you have people on your internal team capable of gathering and interpreting these insights?
As you continue to develop your marketing strategy, remember to keep in mind that content, continuity, and analytics are critically important to your success. At Tamooz, we work hard to equip our clients with strategically-resonant messaging that tells their ideal story—no matter the audience. If you’d like more detailed information about marketing, branding, or exhibiting, be sure to follow our blog, and visit us on Twitter or LinkedIn. Or—to get better acquainted—give us a call at +1 612 234 1153 (US), +44 7 835 160 205 (UK), or +972 3 681 8885 (IL).
