Include Empathy in Your Marketing

 Being an empath, it’s hard to understand how others operate.  And those who are not empaths probably don’t understand how I operate. 

Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is, the capacity to place oneself in another's position.   This is difficult for some individuals to wrap their minds around…and even more so for businesses and corporations to incorporate into their marketing strategy.  In today’s world, it is essential to not just appear empathetic but to showcase your company’s empathy toward everyone – your customers, in particular.

Your business should employ empathy marketing at all times – not just today.   During a global pandemic, the last thing any company or brand should be doing is thinking about themselves and their profit margins without concerning themselves with the wellbeing of the public.

Yes, it is important for businesses to continue to succeed, to be able to retain and pay their employees, to keep their workers safe, and to move forward during this crisis. But an unexpected result of this global pandemic is that it is challenging businesses to innovate and evolve.

Event companies are creating virtual events, doctors are chatting with patients online, restaurants are sharing their recipes so people can make their favorite dishes at home, Zoos are sharing a behind the scenes look at the animals, museums are creating online learning programs to keep kids engaged, and people are attending drive-in raves.

Empathy marketing shows consumers that businesses not only care about their customers but they also understand and can relate to them.

So how do you market your brand with empathy?

Stop the Presses: Scheduled Marketing Campaigns
The first step for many large brands who have scheduled their advertising campaigns for the next quarter, or more, is to pause those advertising campaigns - if you can. Each time a consumer sees an ad for something being sold as if it is pre-pandemic will rub consumers the wrong way.

Be Creative: Plan a New Marketing Campaign
Decide if you are going to repurpose your existing marketing campaigns or create entirely new ones. To truly create an empathy marketing campaign, starting from scratch is likely the best option. You don’t want consumers to recognize cuts from previous ad campaigns and infer that the brand just changed some words around.

Don’t Be a Dick: Don’t Take Advantage of People During This Crisis
It might sound like common sense – at least to an empath - but it has to be said because it can be a real problem. Having a COVID-19 sale, or showing off how your company is still succeeding during the crisis is disrespectful and will turn people off to your brand.  Pushing something like a vacation getaway or something that is not essential will turn those off who were laid off or are struggling to make ends meet.

Delete That Old B-Roll: Visuals and Positioning
Try to keep any visuals or messaging in line with what experts (experts like your doctor, the CDC, local hospitals, etc) are recommending. Showing old footage of people shopping in your store without a mask or gathering in groups without social distancing – demonstrates that your company is out of touch with the times. Reinforce what the experts are saying like staying at home, wearing a mask, and washing your hands.  And highlight how your business is adapting to these new norms.

Be Inspiring: Give People Hope and Show How Your Brand Can Help
Hope is a powerful thing, especially when people feel like all hope is lost. Instead of being an alarmist or focusing on the negative, focus on the positive, and tap-in to your brand’s human side. People will feel more connected to your company and your brand if they feel like you actually understand and want to help them.

Start by giving people the tools they need to survive this pandemic. Try to find ways to bring your product or service to consumers in the most convenient and safe manner possible. And how can you save families money?  How can you provide a fantastic experience for minimal cost? How you do this will leave a lasting impact on customers well after the pandemic is over.

Empathy Marketing Isn’t Just for Pandemic Times

The only thing constant is change, right?  Businesses need to take note – everyone needs to be willing and able to adapt to the times.  Perhaps the most important marketing lesson COVID-19 has reminded us of…is that customers should always come first.  With so much loss in the world right now – time with friends and extended families, jobs, life – how your business approaches its messaging, outreach and all-around marketing strategies should address reality while offering hope in the form of a solution. If your company is not ready to embrace empathy marketing in times like these, don’t expect customers to embrace your company when the pandemic becomes a part of history to which we hope will never be repeated. 

Finding the New Normal in Marketing

We are all feeling it– the devastating impact of our current state of affairs.  First, the COVID-19 pandemic – which is still in full swing, then the riots following George Floyd’s murder – causing many cities to shut down marketplaces and businesses to be looted and burned to the ground.  We are seeing an economic and social down-spiral that leaves many of us to wonder – what do we do next?

\As far as the economical impact, it is safe to say the business landscape has drastically changed.  But, businesses can still sustain themselves and recover from today’s economic crises by changing up their marketing strategies to reflect new consumer habits.

Along with impacting human life, today’s crises are negatively influencing the global business and economy. It’s a challenge to market during a crisis and at the same time plan for the future. Industries are not able to operate effectively in this challenging situation. This has made marketing more critical and complex than ever for many businesses.

We have already seen a behavioral shift - people spending more time at home and on the internet. Since people are still semi-quarantined, there are more eyeballs browsing online than before and people are consuming more digital content on all fronts.

In general, keep up the following and your business can continue to thrive.

Be smart

Work smart and be ready to tackle the challenges ahead and retain existing customers. This is a unique time, when a small allure can result in huge gains for business. This is not the time to panic. Many big companies are using smart marketing and advertising campaigns to promote positivity and communicate important messages.  Small businesses should too.

Be social

It is essential to keep in touch with customers. It's cheaper to retain an existing customer than acquire a new one.  Everyone is glued to social media right now! With increased reach, engagement and time spent on social platforms, businesses should NOT pause their social media efforts. Social media helps put you in front of where your target audience is already browsing.  While doing this, connect with your customers with compassion and empathy. Start an awareness campaign that may inspire, ignite people to cope with the current situation.  And please refrain from the “We’re in this together” statement.  It is overused and actually false. (Are you in the same boat as Fortune 500 CEOs?)

Be visible

It’s the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality.  If you stop marketing, you’ll be forgotten.  While consumers are scouring digital platforms, this is a great opportunity for your business to improve its online visibility, which means driving visitors to the website to capture future sales. If you haven’t updated your website to meet today’s marketplace, that should be your first investment.  Consumers will bounce right off your homepage if they do not like what they see or read.  One of the best times to get found by potential clients is ensuring that they can find what they want at every point of the purchasing lifecycle.

In a recession period, some choose to make the unfortunate decision to cut or eliminate their SEO budgets. Their rankings will hold for a few weeks and then start to slip as Google's algorithms begin to recognize that there's nothing new or interesting happening on their site. Every time a site drops in rankings, another one moves up. DON’T cut your SEO and SEM budget because it will eventually help to reach customers in a more cost-efficient and quicker way.

Be strategic

There is no one-size-fits-all method in the digital marketing domain. Consumer sentiments and behavior has changed and will continue to change. Be strategic when planning both for the short and long terms. Your plan should be implementation-ready no matter how much notice you have to put it into place.

Be measurable

Measuring means tracking marketing spend. Brands need to be measured against success criteria: sales, numbers of hits, queries, numbers of leads, or referrals etc.  Utilize Google Analytics, social media ROI and any other analytical tools you already have in place to get a comprehensive picture of your status. 'If you don't measure, then you can't manage'. And if you're not managing, then you could be pouring money down the drain.

Be creative

'Necessity is the mother of invention'. Measure success and learn from the experiment. If marketing budgets are tight, then knowing what works makes it easier to make the decision of where to invest. Whatever experiment we do; it should be quick, cheap, and easy to deliver.

Be truthful

The real opportunity is for businesses to really focus on developing transparent messaging across the board.  If you want to stay in the minds of your customers, you need to be proactive and aware no matter the crisis we/you are facing.  For now, that means keeping messages fresh and reminding clients that your business is still in the game. Make sure you are delivering the right message to the right person at the right time in an honest manner.

Be smart

When the economy seems to be crashing, some businesses seem to go into hibernation mode. But, you should take this time to re-think, re-adjust, re-define and upgrade marketing efforts. Now is the time  to enhance digital communication and deliver great experiences at each point of the customer journey.

As the “new normal” continues to define itself, so should your marketing tactics.  We are all becoming more and more accustomed to adapting, your marketing should be adaptable too.  Not sure how to readjust your marketing priorities during this exceptionally unique time? SK Consulting can help!

How You Act During the Pandemic Impacts How Customers React After the Pandemic

As we have all heard in every commercial, campaign, business impact statement - COVID-19 has and will continue to dramatically change consumer and business behaviors. Many of these behaviors will remain long after the diminishment and defeat of the virus.  In other words…there is no ‘going back to normal’…there is just creating the new normal.

New behaviors become more permanent the longer they are in place. Because of this, organizations must consider how the current crisis will change long-term social interactions, events, personal contacts and what products and services will better serve customers in the post COVID-19 world.

If you’re not ready for post-COVID-19 consumer behavior, you’re not ready to ‘re-open’.

Many people will certainly have higher sensitivity to germs and the risks of spreading infections. This behavior alone will change many industries.

Customers and workers will be more skeptical of close contact with others. Consumer travel, dining, entertainment and product preferences will be different. How consumers shop will also be altered and businesses need to be prepared.

The number of behavior changes will grow depending on how many people are directly affected, how severely and for how long. Many new behaviors will be normalized as customers practice them repeatedly over months.

How will behaviors shift in your industry? Customer behavior changes will require new or modified products and services. New market leaders will emerge while some past leaders falter. Many companies will struggle post COVID-19 because they haven’t adequately adapted.

Take a proactive approach to survive and thrive past COVID-19

Knowing your marketplace/customers/consumer needs is always the best way to meet market demands and win—but what you knew before may not benefit you in an altered tomorrow.

Smart companies will adopt a proactive approach to understand what changes will occur and be ready to adjust their products, services and strategies quickly to meet current and future customer needs.

What you can do now:

1) Debrief

Convene key members of your team and debrief them on what they have been hearing from customers. Have a work session to identify what might be changing and how you could and should adapt.

2) Gather insight

Develop a plan to “take the temperature” of the marketplace. How can we validate new behaviors we are seeing and hearing, and gather the information we don’t know? Don’t assume anything. Your customers can tell you what they will need, but you must ask them.

Conduct customer interviews, surveys, market research or customer feedback by other means. Gather the comments, attitudes and data, then analyze. Be open to things you may have never thought would occur, and to how it can impact YOU!

When interacting with customers during this time, train your staff to open conversations with, “How can we help you get through this?” not, “Here’s what we’ve got.” In other words, lead with empathy not competence. Try to be part of the solution to their crisis.

3) Re-plan

You have your 2020 plans, but clearly COVID-19 requires forward thinking, new strategies and re-planning on many fronts.

Understanding what your customers will value in the post-COVID-19 business world and acting on it will ensure your survival and success and put you ahead of competitors. This cannot be over-emphasized. Knowing your current and future customers will sort the post-COVID-19 business winners from losers.

Remember that customers buy VALUE, and value comes from meeting their needs, which comes from understanding their needs, in their words and actions. Focus on providing Value, and Revenue and Profit will take care of itself.

Historical post-COVID-19 business impact

History provides validation that major changes will continue to occur. Look back at 9/11 or even the financial crisis of 2009.

The post 9/11 world brought us tighter airport security, the creation of the TSA and Homeland Security, and increased security at everything from sporting events and concerts to large office buildings in major cities. (At least for a while) Behaviors changed, industries were changed and created, and they will be again.

It is no question that COVID-19 will affect millions of people and businesses directly.  It will probably have a further reaching impact on businesses of all types than another other crisis in the past five decades.  Are you ready for it? 

Bottom line

Change creates opportunity. Business leaders who act now, communicate with customers and take a proactive approach to their changing markets will do much better than those who don’t.  Those who sit back and don’t adapt, will be sitting back while their competitors forge ahead.

Change, Don’t Stop, Your Marketing During a Pandemic

We all feel it.  The Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has negatively impacted business across the country and around the world. Companies of all sizes are being forced to make tough decisions on how to keep their business afloat.

Some think the first step is to cut out marketing departments, but consumers are too invested digitally to stop ALL marketing. You can cut your marketing budget or outsource marketing if you really want to save money, but do not stop interacting with your customers. Now is the time you want your customers to see you - and see you in a gentle and caring way. Focus on your message and what you want your customers to think about you - this is your BRAND.

Use the COVID19 Downtime to Focus on Your Company's Brand

Whether using Google, Facebook or another online platform, you can reach out to current and potential customers with customized branding methods. What is your business doing to help the community? How do you want your customers to think of you during this crisis? What are you doing to make life easier for your customers? What solutions are you providing?

By replacing your branding and messaging from sales-driven to those of general concern and care, you can impact the thoughts consumers have about your company. An effective branding campaign draws attention, stirs curiosity, and although not immediately, when customers are ready, they later convert.

Prevent Losses with Smart Marketing

During this time of widespread quarantine recommendations, it’s important to keep your budget trim and reduce any unnecessary overhead expenses. The goal is to get your business through the event and prevent any long-term damage to your brand or your customer base.  That means making strategic marketing decisions. While you may be desperate to save money anywhere you can, it’s important to maintain a coronavirus digital marketing plan to stay relevant.

Review current ad campaigns and suspend any that no longer make sense, or make adjustments to your advertising strategy. One business might increase targeted ad spending on social media platforms to highlight a new delivery service or video chat option. Maybe your business was able to go virtual or online.  You have to market the shift or nobody will know about it. Now is a good time to get back to basics with your SEO digital marketing. 

You can boost your site’s organic reach by updating webpage titles, H1 descriptive headers, and meta tags. Refreshing your page content with new information and updated backlinks will help keep your brand at the top of search engine results when your customers naturally come searching for your products or services. Building your organic search traffic can have huge benefits to your business. While your competitors may be drawing back, it’s a great opportunity to go after their market share. 

Spend some time researching your competition. It’s not just good advice for businesses during a coronavirus outbreak - it’s good advice year-round. Find out what your competitors are lacking, and what they’re offering that customers are searching for. If you can identify their market audience, you can take advantage of that information and use it for competitive ad retargeting.

Pivot to New Markets and Services

Some businesses will thrive during a pandemic. Food delivery apps, meal kit companies, and e-commerce sites (and toilet paper companies) will have the most to offer during a pandemic. After all, today’s instant gratification consumption culture means people are accustomed to getting what they want…fast. In normal circumstances, everything from groceries to personal care items, medications, and meals can be at your front door in under an hour. Companies that are able to capitalize on the high demand for online shopping and deliver convenient service will see exponential growth, especially during a viral outbreak when people are stuck inside. 

If you are experiencing the economic impacts of COVID-19 on your business, it could be a great time to pivot. Stay in touch with your clients and let them know about any changes or precautions you’re taking. Remind them that any temporary setbacks will end and business will eventually resume as usual. If you’re able to jump into rapid delivery or online shopping options, use this as an opportunity to capitalize on the increased need for e-commerce and porch-side service. Let your audience know you’re being proactive and working hard to provide the products and services they rely on, all while protecting the health of employees and customers alike. 

Spend some time brainstorming how your company can create new content for new platforms you haven’t reached yet. Informative or entertaining video clips, articles or blogs, and photos for social media stories can all help boost your organic reach and even monetize your digital marketing efforts. By creating engaging content, you’ll stay fresh in the minds of an audience actively seeking out new media. 

Obviously, people are spending more time at home, which means fewer customers walking a brick-and-mortar store. Leverage e-commerce technology to meet the demand for digital sales, and get strategic with your advertising budget to minimize the economic impacts on your business. Utilize SEO techniques that keep your brand in customer feeds and build organic reach with fresh content. Your clients will be looking for shopping and entertainment outlets online, so think creatively about providing new media like blogs or videos, and offer new services whenever possible to meet the needs of those stuck in quarantine. The businesses that cut back on digital marketing during this time will suffer the most from the coronavirus outbreak, and maybe even go under.

We understand that we are in unprecedented, scary times.  But now is not the time to give up.  Now is not the time to stop marketing.  Now is the time to get creative, to assess your brand and stay in the forefront of consumers’ minds.  Break through newsfeeds inundated with Coronavirus updates with messaging your customers want to hear.

We’re here for you during this pandemic.  Together we can weather the storm.

Which Comes First – The Branding or The Marketing?

Too many times, individuals use the terms branding and marketing interchangeably (and marketing and advertising – but that’s a topic for another time).  Yes, sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference between branding and marketing but the more they are used as substitutes for one another, the more confusion there is.  Both are vital to the success of your business, but for different reasons.

Difference between Branding and Marketing

Branding is why. Marketing is how.

Branding is long-term. Marketing is short-term.

Branding is big-picture. Marketing is strategic, focused and single-minded.

Branding is strategic. Marketing is tactical.

Branding begins inside your organization. Marketing begins with the consumer.

The most successful companies – regardless of size – focus on both branding and marketing. The combination is powerful. The order in which branding and marketing is approached matters.

Branding comes first. Marketing comes second.

It’s tempting to jump right into marketing. After all, your ultimate goal is sales, and marketing is the strategy used to optimize for sales. But if your strategy is based only on the quality of your product and service, you are at a serious disadvantage. Competitors can offer the same or perhaps a superior product and service.

What is your differentiator?  What is your why?  Who are you and why should consumers care?

Building awareness is important. Consumers need to understand how your product or service solves their problems. You need to figure out how to connect with your consumer, and the sooner you can figure that out, the sooner the cash flows. But at some point, the consumer will look past the hype to see if the brand truly matters to them.

Marketing is your message. Your brand is who you are.

Your brand lives in the hearts and minds of your customers and your prospects. It’s what they think when they hear or see your name. Your brand is based on a wide range of experiences and perceptions, some of which you can control and some of which you can’t.

The ways consumers interact with and assess products and services has changed dramatically over time. Consumers are increasingly tuning out marketing and advertising and are digging deeper to better understand the brand behind the product or service.

If you invest time and effort into understanding your brand, the ways it connects with consumers on an emotional level and how to effectively communicate it across the customer experience, you are much more likely to see a return on your marketing strategies. The more emotion consumers have invested in your brand, the more likely they are to buy from you.

Brands that engage with consumers, showing their personality and sharing their values, surpass their competitors. These brands hear their customers, and ultimately the customers hear the important message – our brand matters because….

Marketing helps find and motivate buyers. Branding creates loyal customers and advocates.

Your brand is your promise to consumers. It’s about the experience they can expect when they interact with your brand. Your brand allows consumers to anticipate future behavior because it is built on consistent behavior. In fact, the more consistent the behavior has been in the past, the more quickly the brand can convince consumers they “understand” what your brand is all about.

Remember, marketing is what you do to attract people to your brand with your message or brand promise.  Your brand is how you keep that promise with the brand experience.

Need help determining your brand and developing a strategic marketing plan?  Contact SK Consulting today.  From concept to creation to implementation – we’re there with you every step of the way.

How’s Your Branding and Marketing Working For You?

We’re more than a month into 2020, which is a good time to take a look at your marketing and branding efforts. Is it still relevant or does it need revising? Are you spending what you should or are you spending too much/too little?  Is your messaging clear and consistent?  Are you utilizing the right marketing channels to effectively reach your target audiences?

You could spend thousands of your marketing dollars on advertising placements, media outreach, and marketing efforts, but if you’re not delivering effective messages in effective ways, that money, time, and energy is all for nothing. Is your branding and messaging resonating, effective, and helping your organization meet key objectives? Is it reaching your primary audiences? Does your brand convey your company’s mission?

So many questions!  But, to ensure your company stays innovative and agile as it grows and thrives, take time to review messaging and consider revising or rebranding based on what you discover.

Check for consistency: Are your language and visuals consistent across multiple platforms of message delivery? All of your messaging should sound like one, consistent voice that speaks to the same key points. If language is inconsistent or unclear, your messages can be confusing to your audiences, thus far less likely to be understood and retained.

Take an internal audit: How do your employees view your messaging? Is there employee buy-in? Do they feel comfortable and able to communicate your company’s story, mission, and messages with clarity? What are they hearing from customers, partners and other key audiences? Do they think it’s clear and concise or are they hearing otherwise? This is a great opportunity to involve your team, collect feedback, see if anything pertinent has changed, and make revisions where necessary.

Survey target customers: Go right to the source! Create a brief survey to ask customers how your messaging appeals to them. This is a great opportunity for an additional touchpoint with your customers. Ask open-ended questions to gauge what customers’ takeaways are and invite suggestions.

Analyze social media metrics and feedback: Which campaigns or messages have generated the most engagement? A look through social media analytics can help identify a direct correlation between types of news or posts that initiate a higher volume of responses. Determine what language, topics, and other information is resonating well and what needs to be changed or eliminated based on the popularity of particular types of posts. Pay attention to what types of images impact engagement, as well.

Review web analytics: It is a good idea to have some type of website analytics set up (e.g., Google Analytics) to track and monitor web traffic, bounce rates, visitors, etc. This information is valuable to understanding how certain pages affect certain behaviors. You can also look at the overall picture – what promotions are you doing to drive people to the most viewed pages, etc.

Conduct a competitive analysis: No need for an extensive 25-page report, but it is important to review the competitive landscape and assess where your company stands in the marketplace. Do you know who your top competitors are? What language and visuals are they using? Are they getting significant attention or media coverage? Do you clearly convey what sets your company apart from the competition?

Your company’s branding and messaging should stand out from competitors, resonate with key audiences, inspire new business, and create repeat customer transactions. Your brand should you’re your target audiences feel something.  It should tell a compelling story that inspires them to take action. Perform a truthful assessment and revise and implement accordingly.  After all, if you continue to do what you’ve always done, you’ll continue to get what you’ve always got.  

If your branding and messaging aren’t producing results now is the time to make a change!

Creating Demand Through Effective Marketing

How do you know what your customers want?  Many times, a business owner and executive team make the mistake of thinking what THEY want is what the consumers want.  But, we’ve all heard the phrase, “consumers drive market”.  So, why do so many ignore that?

Before investing any money in marketing, ask yourself: Do you know what your customers want? Do you think your customers trust your products? Do you have reviews confirming what they think?

The answers are directly related to marketing.  

How you market your business determines if the enterprise will be successful or not. In turn, what people truly think of your product or service determines how you should market. Marketing is a tool used to create and maintain demand, relevance, reputation, competition and more.

1. Marketing Is an Effective Way (if done correctly) of Engaging Customers

It’s important for your business to engage its customers. The right marketing helps to keep the conversation going.

Engaging customers is different from pushing your offers. Engaging involves furnishing your customers with relevant information about your products and your business as well. Tell your customers what they don’t know. Let it be interesting and worth their time.

Social media is one of the best platforms where you can engage your customers. Some organizations use short videos and other humor-laden tricks to engage their customer base. Do NOT use social media to just announce deals, events, new products, etc.  Use it to engage and get a feel for what the audience wants.

Marketing gives your customers a sense of belonging when you engage them.

2. Marketing Helps to Build and Maintain your Company’s Reputation

The growth and life span of your business is positively correlated to your business’s reputation. Your reputation determines your brand equity.

A majority of marketing activities should be geared towards building your brand equity.

A business’ positive reputation is gained when it effectively meets the expectations of its customers. The customers become proud to be associated with your products.  And expert marketers use effective communication, branding, PR and CSR strategies to ensure that a business’s reputation is maintained.

3. Marketing Helps to Build Relationships

Businesses need to build a relationship of trust and understanding with their customers. Marketing research segments should be based on demographics and consumer behavior.

Segmentation helps the business meet or exceed the needs of its customers. This makes the customers brand loyal. Loyal customers will have the confidence to purchase more products and services from you.

4. Marketing Is a Communication Channel Used to Inform Customers

Marketing informs your customers about the products or services you’re offering them. Through marketing, the customers get to know about the value of the products as it pertains to them. It helps create brand awareness and makes the business stand out.

There’s stiff competition in any industry and you need to be a constant voice to convince the customers that you are the one to choose. Through communication, marketing helps your business become a market leader.

5. Marketing Helps to Boosts Sales

Marketing utilizes different ways to promote your products or services and arms the sales team with a consistent, cohesive message and collateral material.

Customer are more apt to become brand ambassadors when they are happy with your sales agents, products and services. They will spread the word and your sales will increase.

Ensure you offer high-quality products and services and a great customer experience to complement your marketing efforts.

6. Marketing Helps Your Business to Maintain Relevance

Every marketer understands the need for disrupting a potential consumer’s opinion about other products. Most businesses assume that they will always remain the client’s favorite brand because they’ve never expressed a complaint. Wrong. You need to find ways to remain at the top of the client’s mind.

Every relationship needs to be maintained. Marketing helps your business to maintain a good relationship with customers by helping you remain relevant.

It’s a lot harder to gain new customers than keeping current ones.  Shift the focus to making current customers happy and they can become your brand ambassadors.

7. Marketing Creates Revenue Options

During the startup phase, your options are sparse since you’re mostly cash-strapped. This means marketers need to be creative and frugal in getting you and keeping you in the forefront of customers’ minds.

As your marketing strategies generate more customers and revenue opportunities, you’ll begin having options.  New options will lead to the ability to penetrate new markets.  What’s more?  You can start weeding out the clients who are too demanding or just ‘don’t get it’.

8. Marketing Helps Management Make Informed Decisions

Every business is confronted with problems such as to what, when, for whom and how much to produce. Businesses should rely on marketing mechanisms to make these decisions.

Why? Because they serve as a reliable link between your business and society. They cultivate people’s mind, educate the public and convince them to buy.

Marketing Can Give You Competitive Advantage

Your competitor is actively marketing their product. So should you. The only way to gain a competitive advantage over your competition is aggressive and strategic marketing.

Don’t be sleazy or negative against your competitor. Simply conduct research on what your target market is expecting, and then find ways to deliver better products, services and customer experience.

Get Your Head IN The Clouds – Tips to Marketing Your Cloud Communications Business

Basic marketing principles can and should be implemented by all businesses in every industry.  However, some fields require extra thought – about industry growth, competition, end users and analytics – and your marketing team should be in the know if they want to effectively and efficiently market your business.  Let’s take cloud computing and software – not a sexy topic, but a booming realm nonetheless. As new cloud applications emerge and the landscape evolves, vendor collaboration will continue to emerge as hybrid solutions unite public and private infrastructures under one management framework.

For marketers, these shifting buying habits means untapped opportunity. Ready or not, there are insights and tactics marketers should take advantage of — and win over — the changing cloud marketplace.

Before diving into strategies for cloud providers to succeed in their marketing efforts, here are a few unique challenges to consider when it comes to your customer’s shifting approaches to Cloud Service Providers.

1. Strengthening decision-maker relationships

It’s extremely difficult to win over the entire buying committee. If your organization does not have existing relationships with primary decision-makers and influencers, breaking outside of the IT room can be difficult.  So, start small…start now.

2. Meeting new security risks and demands

Cloud services have a bad reputation when it comes to security risk. It’s your responsibility to proactively address concerns early and often with prospective clients. Start by sharing exactly what measures your organization is taking to create high-quality, secure cloud network.

3. Storytelling

The cloud technology market is flooded, and it’s tough to cut through those leading the pack to tell your unique story. Hone your pitch into a few pieces of engaging and concise content that is easily consumable. This takes time, money, and bandwidth that many marketers do not always have. The best content is educational — cloud buyers span multiple verticals and levels of expertise and it’s your job to bring them up to speed.

4. Falling behind the curve

Products, services and initiatives are constantly changing in the market, and these shifts are not slowing down. For cloud-based companies that get caught behind the times, the results could be disastrous. Keep educated on the direction the industry is headed in order to stay ahead of the curve.

Stand Out and Stand Above Competition

In order to overcome the aforementioned challenges, you must find ways to stand out in a robust and ever-changing market.

1. Position your company as more than a cloud vendor; position it as a differentiated IT partner

 Consumer CSPs have essentially made cloud computing a household name, but more can be done with cross-model expertise when it comes to public, private, and hybrid solutions. As CSPs become an integral part of IT strategy, companies must make known that they are more than just another vendor. Show how your product will lead to stronger, more successful organizations — and showcase your differentiating factors. Is it data encryption that is compliant with industry regulation? Is it speed and business availability when data recovery must be done quickly? Is it location and storage power? How important is your customer experience and transparency? Offering remote management and accessible support teams will put executives at ease and put you above the rest.

2. Leverage Account Based Marketing (ABM) to target both prospects and customers to upsell and grow your business

Adopting an Account Based Marketing (ABM) strategy is a powerful way to increase your brand’s relevance and drive ROI from your marketing efforts. Find ways to get you in front of the contacts and decision-makers that matter most, enabling you to become a stronger, more visible force within cloud’s competitive landscape.

3. Help customers understand the level of security your cloud service can provide

Many consumers still believe that cloud services do not have the same level of security that the data center does. Your company needs to help customers understand that this is no longer the case. Educate them on the ways that your solution can provide enterprise-grade security that extends beyond the capabilities of the data center.

4. Fill in your customer's storage gaps

Again, position your organization as a strategic IT partner. Your customers may have holes in their offerings around storage, and you can provide the platform for marketing and selling their data management and hosting services. By understanding their unique needs, you can fill the gaps and provide a more holistic service.

Cloud marketers have a huge responsibility, which is only going to increase in complexity as new solutions are introduced to the market and competition continues to roar. Companies need to stay ahead of the curve and continually seek to understand the changing cloud market and find new and innovate ways to reach and educate target audiences.