Of all the industries that have been disrupted by the digital age, marketing is one that has changed the most. Gone are the days when an advert in the phone book or local newspaper made the phone ring. The principles of marketing are still about understanding your customers and defining the problem you solve for them. The thing that has changed is how you reach them, and how they find you!
In fact, modern marketing is more granular. Using digital marketing you can be more targeted and more responsive. Traditional advertising such as billboards and direct marketing are still effective methods but if you are looking at a digital campaign, think about the following questions before you spend your precious marketing budget.
Do they know they need your product yet? – If they are not actively searching for your product you want to make sure you can get your message in front of them in a way that motivates them to buy or find out more. At this stage it might be positioning your product as the right choice when they are ready to buy. You’ll want to reach your potential customers in the places they already are. Do they use Facebook, are they on Instagram or prefer LinkedIn? Or, you could advertise on their favourite websites, YouTube channel or apps?
Are they already searching for the product or solution you offer? – Getting in front of these people is gold. If they are already searching for your product or service already, you can benefit from being there at the right time and right place. (You’ll still need to convince them that you are the best solution for them of course) Advertising on search engines such as a Google Adwords campaign is a good place to start. Think about the types of words they are using in the search bar (keywords) and target these keywords in your advert copy.
