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The Best Marketing Strategies in 201912/19/2018 The marketing industry is changing now, more than ever. And if you don't keep up, you'll fall behind your competition.. and quickly. Two years ago, for the first time in history, digital advertising outspent TV advertising - and don't expect that to be a fluke. Plain and simple, the ways businesses reach people are different than they were 20, 10, five, even two years ago. That's because the ways people consume content and media have changed dramatically. Hello Netflix. (confession - I don't have Netflix. I just know a lot of people do) So.. gone are the days when TV, radio, and newspaper ads were all you needed. These days you can get right up in someone's grill. No, not that kind... ... this kind. You know.. the thing that's always within an arm's length.. the thing that can ruin relationships.. the thing that people can't live without and have become addicted to.. their cell phones. A huge chunk of consumers are glued to their phones, so it's no surprise mobile marketing has skyrocketed over the last two years. That's why, in 2019, ya gotta do digital and ya gotta make it mobile. Content is KING (but only if people see it) People don't like getting smacked in the face with advertisements. They can smell a sales pitch from a mile away, and quite frankly, they're over it. That's why you need to provide valuable (online) content. People like doing their own research before they buy. So produce content to show you're an expert. Prove you're the best choice for the product/service by giving them valuable information. And when they're ready to make a purchase, they'll remember you. If people have questions, give them answers. If they want more information, give it to them. Now here's the "(but only if people see it)" part. You can produce the best content in the world, but if people don't see it - man, what a damn shame. That's why paid traffic is the way to go. As of this writing, despite recent scandals involving people's personal information & Russian hack jobs, Facebook is still the king of social media/digital advertising. That may change in the near future, but as of right now, FB is still the way to go. Look out for Pinterest and Instagram to step up their advertising/marketing game in the near future. If they do, you better believe I'll be producing Pinterest and Instagram ads for my clients. We're going to stay ahead of the curve. And oh yea, email marketing is a must. I wrote an entire post about that. You can check it out here if you haven't read it yet. Do something WEIRD OK, maybe not THAT weird... But these days you have to be good at what you do. If you're not, your competition will eat your lunch.. and maybe your dinner. Being good at what you do is the very least of what your clients expect. If you're not good, they'll go to your competition and forget you existed. Damn, Mike.. why you being so tough today? (I'm a dad now, so I'm just offering up some tough love. I just want to help you stay ahead of the game, that's all.) That's why I want you to do something weird. Marketing is all about getting someone's attention. It's about staying "top of mind". It's like middle school recess, when awkward pre-teen boys do their best to show off in front of girls. You know what I'm talking about.. I did it back in the mid-90's.. and failed miserably. OK, back on track. Question - what makes you stick out? So you're good at what you do. So is everyone else. What are you doing that's different than your competition? Think about that for a minute... No, I'm serious. Take a minute and think about it. Write it down. Remember it. Implement it. Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies One major hotel chain is known for giving its guests warm chocolate chip cookies at check-in. The comforting offer is just strange/weird/unique enough that it leaves a memorable mark. People rave about the damn cookies. It's what they remember most. Whatever your weird thing is, doesn't have to be extremely strange. I mean, it CAN be if you want it to. But just do something that makes people remember their experience with you. I, for example, offer my clients $50 off a Facebook ad if they do a testimonial for me. I also give my clients 50% off every single ad during our fourth month together. It's a simple way of me saying, 'thank you' for your loyalty. I also give my clients $100 off a Facebook ad for every new client they refer to me. It's not too crazy, but hopefully it's something my clients appreciate and remember. Keeping a client is easier than acquiring a new one. Remember that. So, what can you do that makes people remember you? What I learned in my 1st year of business... I'll keep this part short, because I plan to dedicate an entire post to this topic. But, perhaps the most important thing I learned in my first year of business, is to go above and beyond what my clients expect. It's simply another way to stand out from the rest. I don't nickel and dime any of my clients - because I genuinely want to help them, not hurt them. So ask yourself what you can do, to go above and beyond your clients' expectations. It'll only lead to good things for you (and your clients) moving forward. Testimonials are HUGE People are more likely to buy a product or service if they hear a complete stranger recommend it, rather than the business itself. For example, I can say, "you should hire me because I'll help you grow your business." Or you can read these testimonials from my awesome clients: Having testimonials is a proof of performance. They can reveal results or shed light on your character. Those things help build trust with potential clients. So make sure you use testimonials in your marketing efforts. They work. My no. 1 rule of business As a mentor of mine says, "just be a good sh*t human being." He's right. Just be a good human being. If you genuinely want to help people, the rest will fall into place. Zig Ziglar once said, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." It's true, right? Be a problem solver. Care about your clients. Help them succeed. Get them results. Doing so will make you stand out. And that's what marketing is all about - especially in 2019. |