Today’s guest post is from Don Purdum, CEO and Founder of The Internet Conference. Don talks about the shift of marketing in the new economy. We’re often bombarded with advertising that feels intrusive to us if we have no interest in that company’s products or services. We see this through TV and radio ads that are shoved down our throats. In this new economy, more companies will target their marketing efforts to people who have interest. These efforts often use digital media marketing techniques as social media and permission based email marketing.
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The Real Purpose of Marketing
Today, I want to talk about the real purpose of marketing.
The job of marketing is to grow the organization and introduce you to new customers. Whatever it takes, right?
The entire cost structure of marketing is built around interrupting people that is extremely expensive. But it doesn’t have to be any longer.
We can market in a very different way.
Are you still trying to reach the unreachable, those not seeking you out? One example is Super Bowl ads where company’s spend huge amounts of money reaching the unreachable.
Or, are you trying to target market and reach those who are searching for your product or service because they actually want to buy?
Are you available where they are searching for you because they want you?
Search engines like Google, websites, social media, etc.
If I want to find something, I can find it. The internet has changed our world. Magazines are getting smaller, newspapers thinner, TV ads are louder.
Instead, you can use a combination of your website, email and social media that is non-interruptive. They want your product or service and you’re not cramming it down their throat when they don’t want it.
Want to use video, use YouTube. Want to get your message out, try blogging. Do you have a quick message, send out a permission based email.
The message will work and the opportunities are out there, you just have to learn to think in the new marketing paradigm.
I’m really tired of the old forms of intrusive marketing. Frankly, it doesn’t make me want to buy a car, or anything else for that matter.
I’m tired of watching the local TV news only to get almost as much commercial time as news time. I couldn’t believe that last night the local tv station ran a segment for less than 45 seconds after coming back from a commercial break, only to have another commercial break that was longer than the segment. No wonder they are struggling financially. How annoying is that?
Lots of companies are still investing heavily in old forms of marketing. TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers just to name a few. They dabble in new media, but only to the degree it supports their old media marketing.
Many websites try to make money by using old advertising forms on their website. How many advertising banners on a website have you clicked lately?
Do you get frustrated or annoyed when you’re looking at something on a website and an ad drops down? Then, you lose your place, find it again, only for the ad to go back up and you experience it all over again. Ugh! So frustrating.
But there are some great companies out there that have not spent one dime in old marketing in any capacity.
What if you could have a direct connection between you and the consumer?
The internet gives you the option.
For example, have you ever heard of www.threadless.com. If not, you have now.
In his book, Meatball Sunday, Seth Godin talks about the achievements of this company. They were founded in 2001 in Chicago, IL and according to Godin they have seen their sales quadruple every year.
Threadless.com is a t-shirt printing company. Threadless does not take an old marketing approach. Never has. They don’t mass market, produce high numbers of shirts at a low cost, and they don’t advertise.
How did they do it?
They don’t design their shirts. Their customers do. Their customers don’t just buy, they design. They engage with and interact with the business.
Threadless holds design contests where the winners win cash and all kinds of unique prizes. The best part, all designs are available for purchase.
In the end, it’s a huge network of purchases, designers, and purchasers. How is that for a sales and production team!
When a prospect or customer contacts them, a real person reads, responds, and interacts with them. That is inbound, permission based marketing at its best.
Consider this, an inbound, permission based email is not just an expense (although it is an extremely low one), it’s also an opportunity for your organization to eliminate barriers and have a dialog with your prospects and customers.
Every day you are likely missing an opportunity to dialogue with a prospect. Every time you run an ad, billboard, get a visitor to your website, you miss an opportunity to engage in a conversation because your email isn’t accessible. Make your email accessible on all of your marketing. Don’t just use forms on your website, but under your staff also include the email address of the business owner or CEO, and key leadership people.
Don’t just ask people for permission to market to them, but give them permission to also talk to you. It will make a huge difference.
There is the distinction between old marketing and new. The old just told you what they want you to buy, the new marketing allows you to tell the company what you want to buy.
The power is no longer in the hands of the company, but instead it’s in the consumers.
So, the next time you redesign your website and copy, remember to start thinking like a customer, tell them your unique story, and offer them what they want to know or purchase. Do the same in email and on social media.
That’s the winning combination!
CEO / Founder, The Internet Conference
Email: don@texstarweb.com