Marketing Your Website in 2015 – Part 2

As we approach the end of the year, I just want to build on some of the things I said in September about the direction online marketing is heading in 2015. If you didn’t catch the article you can read it here – https://carrieannsudlow.co.uk/online-marketing-and-seo-predictions-for-2015/
It’s obvious to me the internet just hasn’t benefited businesses. It’s also been good for consumers who have become more discerning about the brands and businesses they trust. Social media gives every customer a voice.  This should be embraced and has profound implications for how you should approach your online marketing regardless of whether you market to businesses or consumers.  Ultimately, both involve marketing to individuals.

Being Authentic, Be Human and Be Transparent

Social media demands businesses act in an authentic way. Every brand has a voice and social media platforms such as Facebook allow you to express this aspect of your business’s brand personality. Customers and prospects are more cynical than ever before. You have to give them reasons why they should trust you. If you run your Facebook page, for example, in an open way, dealing with both delighted and angry customers in an equally honest and professional way, you will win people over. It’s never been more important to act on the basis of a problem also being an opportunity.
Customers do want to know they are dealing with a real person. I’ve said before be human but not annoying. Don’t get into a dog fight with a customer. Be nice. Super-please when there’s been a genuine error.  For those of you reading this whose businesses have developed brand values, you’ll appreciate actions should always support these, not detract from them.

The Rise of B2P and B2I

I am always mentioning persona. This has got me thinking the terms B2B and B2C have been in the marketing vocabulary for too long.  The evolution of internet marketing and social media in particular allows businesses to converse with customers on a one to one basis.  All marketing whether aimed at businesses or consumers’ is ultimately targeted at individual people, isn’t it?  You want someone to make a purchasing decision. While consumer based businesses can’t in practical terms undertake all marketing on a 1 to 1 basis, they can market to different personae.  I would suggest this is the correct basis for consumer internet marketing, hence B2P above. Marketing psychology is the new driver of internet marketing. This brings me nicely to B2B businesses. These have traditionally had a better understanding of promoting themselves to markets of 1 but typically in a business development context. Now I would suggest the marketing tools are available for B2B businesses to think about marketing to individuals, within individual businesses.  Marketing at its most tailored.

The Extension of Collaborative Marketing

More than ever, its important marketing touches all sides of a business. A good example is the way problems are dealt with on social media pages. Often the only person who has the authority to respond to a problem is the person in charge.  While the management of a Facebook page may be outsourced or handled by in-house marketing people, it’s only going to be effective if they have 24/7 access to the person who has both the authority to make decisions and who can use their discretion for the “funnies” that come along. Collaboration, ultimately, helps business reach out to customers.