Marketing… Every company is engaged in it, both online and offline.
Every year, companies invest thousands of euros in their marketing departments. The majority of this is spent on general advertising and promotional materials.
Every week, a dozen advertising flyers roll onto my doormat. I don't even look at them anymore because the offers aren't personalized and the layout of every flyer is virtually identical. I know I'm not the only one who throws this junk straight into the recycling bin. So why haven't companies realized yet that this is a huge waste of money?
What I find worst is not so much that a company doesn't dare to differentiate itself, but rather that companies are not yet focusing on personalized marketing. After all, about 90% of the population in the Netherlands can be found on the internet.
It's time for creativity again! The marketing department deserves to go crazy for a change, because we're already normal enough! My first tip is therefore: Dare to stand out, be unique!
Let's go back for a moment to the era when the customer was still king. You spoke to a casual acquaintance at a birthday party and he turned out to be damn good with a hammer and some nails. Less than two weeks later, you had a luxury shed standing next to your house, and for a reasonable price at that!
Nowadays, you pay a few hundred euros more for the same shed just because the marketing department, printing, promotional materials, etc., have to be financed. So, it's nonsense!
In the year 2011, we live in the Information Age. The era in which the internet is more important than ever before. The year in which social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn become more important than any other means of communication.
Now you might be wondering why he doesn't talk about Google? Well, when a potential customer searches on Google, they are exploring their options or are already interested in your products or services.
When someone makes a recommendation via Twitter or Facebook, and thus acts like a fan, there is a good chance that the people reading this recommendation will also become customers and perhaps even fans! On Google, this is not immediately the case and depends on a company's well-known sales pitch. After all, this is far less credible than that of an existing customer.
In 2011, the focus will be on customer-oriented work and personal contact. This means that, as a company, you should no longer hide behind an advertising brochure or AdWords campaign…
Approach consumers personally via social media and, if necessary, take to the streets to find out what customers really want. Get them excited; create fans!
When you manage to distinguish yourself and take a customer-oriented approach, you will naturally gain fans.
Your following becomes a marketing tool and generates more sales than you ever expected!
Finally; Be unique, approach your customers personally, and you will have no more competitors.
Inspiration for this article: Jos Burgers – No Budget Marketing