When it comes to the world of marketing, it seems that we’re always trying to reinvent the wheel. Sure, as the digital world pushes forward, there is a real need to adjust our tactics to secure a competitive edge. But the root of what we’re trying to accomplish isn’t really changing. Marketing – be it traditional, digital, content, or any other type – is all about developing relationships through authentic human connections. The key word here being authentic.
So why is this so hard? The mistakes made in the marketing world don’t seem to discriminate based on industry, company size, or even experience level. We seem to make the following ones over and over again:
- Skipping the Planning Phase:
The expectation for instant gratification is now practically hard-wired into us, and our attention spans are continually shrinking. But so is your target audiences’. Investing in research and planning on a continual basis will help ensure that you stay agile.
But even the best laid plans still fail. Why? Well, usually it’s because they simply become static word documents stored on a computer. Or they weren’t really a priority and as such, they were developed in a few short hours and informed by the opinions of one (maybe two) staff members that were charged with the task.
So how do you achieve an undefined goal or attract an undefined audience? Well, you don’t – and the results of any digital campaign will show that.
- Jumping on the Newest Digital Bandwagon:
When companies seek out marketing advice, they often want something that just sounds different from what they’ve been doing. Likely, they recognize that what they’ve been doing just isn’t working. The reality is that if you haven’t first nailed down the basics, simply jumping on the newest digital trend isn’t really going to help you accomplish your organizational goals. An upward swing in traffic and click-throughs seems exciting at first – but it can be misleading. And expensive.
- Using Your Online Voice to Over-Promote Rather than Engage:
Simply put people are tired of constantly being sold something. Understanding the purpose of your online channels, as well as developing a social voice and tone,can help create more meaningful interactions. But that’s just the first step.
We’ve all seen posts that were obviously crafted to appear as if they were personalized – but it’s still painfully obvious they’re nothing more than a thinly veiled sales pitch. Insincerity is always easy to discern. Putting in the effort to genuinely understand and engage with your audience is what actually builds brand loyalty – but that takes time that we feel we don’t have (refer back to point #1).
So, what is the solution? Slow down. Accept the upfront cost of doing digital and content marketing the right way – or accept that it will take much longer to see quality results…if you see them at all. Research, plan, measure, refine, and then repeat until it starts to feel like clockwork. Something to consider as you finalize your 2019 marketing budget.
