“We want to create value for you by sharing marketing tips and timesavers” – O’C&K.

Small to medium sized businesses, in denial, need help.

What’s influencing the customer? Well, other than a growing distrust of authority, brands included, connectivity is facilitating massive changes in how people shop. As a result of technology, customers are more connected, agile, and discerning. Unfortunately, many marketers and small businesses aren’t adapting their marketing practice to this new environment. In fact, because the shape, size and impact of traditional, segmented audiences are changing so rapidly, there appears to be a sense of denial amongst business owners that the customer’s perspective has altered at all. Accordingly, many treat the new scenario as a somewhat temporary blip!

SMEs are slowly starting to realise that, how they build relationships with customers and prospects needs to be re-thought and implemented from a completely different viewpoint – that of the customer. Not radical stuff, I know but those same SMEs need to adapt smarter business models and some may well need outside help to make this adjustment.  Beware though, there are some gurus out there that appear to be taking the shiny new tools available and applying them in the old ways. That will not work in the long term.

Tips and Timesavers.

It won’t work because it’s not about new tools (although technology does play a part), or buzzwords or fashionable terms, it is about customer expectations. It is about the customer expecting someone to solve a problem for them quickly, easily and decisively. They don’t mind who does this by the way. My own teenage daughter reminds me that,

• she only sees advertising if she agrees with it
• she gets her information mainly from mobile devices
• she only accepts information if it’s relevant and/or funny
• she’s not marketing adverse if it is relevant and authentic
• she only gives brands a once off chance to build a relationship with her
• she’s much more ‘community’ focused than previous generations

I’m sure that you’ll agree that  those who adopt smarter business models more quickly will be those that will survive into the future.

Of course, there is a limit as to what people value from a brand. Really, it depends on the context of the relationship and what the public wants from it.

Therefore, if relationships are the foundation of business, the role of business is to have something of value to share and thereby build those relationships. Thereafter, it is the role of communication to reinforce relevancy and authenticity.

If you have any other tips or timesavers please leave a reply below. If you’d like to receive similar content, just subscribe by clicking through the pink button, on this page.  Of course if you want to get in touch, leave your details and perhaps we might meet for a chat, cheers.   Jim – O’C&K