Tag Archives: online

A Strong online presence is just smart business.

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

Can your customers find you – online?

No one ever said that change was easy. I referred to the need for established businesses to adapt to the changing environment on a previous blog, but for some SMEs the necessity of having an online presence and using social media for word of mouth referrals, is not being taken seriously.

Unfortunately, the result is that some businesses, having spent years building up their reputation, are beginning to lose out, evidenced by a drop in natural ‘footfall’ or even word-of-mouth referrals. They then approach us, wondering what is happening to their market share and how can they fix it.

We explain that in the main, it is because the general public has more choice available to them with the emergence of ecommerce. In addition, they also now have the means to and are choosing to, block out commercial messages that aren’t relevant to them. If your company is not at least on the online playing field, your chances of being found by prospects are slim.

Let’s face it if I’m in the market for a particular item / service, my first port of call is probably going to be a Google search. Just like years ago, if we needed a tradesman to call to our home, for instance, we looked up the Yellow Pages. Nowadays, even if a friend or a family member do give you a referral, you’re more than likely going to start your research with that referral but will still browse further to see what other comments people might have made about them. So, what happens therefore if I can’t find your website or any mention of your brand on social media? Well, I’m probably going to go with a competitor who is online and whom I can check out. And I can do that, wherever and whenever I want to – on my phone.

This post is not meant to be a technical one so I’m not going to delve into Search Engine Optimisation, (SEO) or mobile responsiveness, but SMEs, in particular, really need to be a bit smarter about managing an online presence. When done right, at least it can help create brand awareness and at the top end, develop brand advocates (people talking about how good you are).

In no way am I suggesting that all the ‘old ways’ are bad (or dead), however I am saying that change is always going to happen. If your customers are changing how they purchase, well then you need to change with them. When you think of it, what being online does is it facilitates your interaction with existing clients and prospects and why would you want to dismiss that.

Integrate your marketing activity.

It is probably worth noting at this stage that being on social media or having a great website is not going to solve all your marketing requirements. It also depends on how you integrate all of your marketing activity and how you use the various online options available. For instance, we have noticed some SMEs that join Twitter, for example, operate it just like they would a direct mailing programme or a regular advertising campaign. This is totally the wrong way to approach your online presence, and it will not work. The only reason, in our opinion, for businesses to use social media marketing is to build relationships by networking. This way, prospects will get to know you, like you and even trust you, over time.

Another error that SMEs appear to make online is that they treat social media activity like a separate marketing campaign. They become distracted by the ‘new tools’ and forget that whatever your brand message is – it should be used consistently across all media, including social. It is still you!  Consistency of brand message is a must because everything, when aligned, paints the picture of how you want your brand to be perceived.

You’re probably sick of hearing this, but people don’t buy from brands – they buy / connect with people. If you are not being yourself on social media you will get lost in the melee of brands wasting their time. Let yourself shine through, and people will learn about what you do, because they will be interested to find out. Solve a problem for them and bingo – you have a new customer.

Tips and Timesavers.

Here’s what we suggest you do, right now:

  • Don’t treat your business like nothing is changing – be smarter than your competitors.
  • Stop making excuses to not have an online presence – start in a small way, at least.
  • Don’t worry about having the expertise – up skill a colleague or outsource (to us).
  • Plan to include online activity – don’t just repeat last year’s marketing activity.

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

 

Are you using digital marketing, or still renting eyeballs and ears?

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

Build your own audience based on relationships.

In recent days I’ve been hearing and reading that the Irish economy is bottoming out of its economic downturn. Whilst the retail sector is still struggling, many of us SMEs are starting to think about long term plans.

One of the areas we should closely examine is digital marketing because online spending is the one sector of the economy that is actually growing year on year. It does appear however that investment in this area by Irish brands have not kept pace with the extraordinary growth due in the main, I suppose, to lack of positive sentiment and the usual cutting of marketing spend by businesses in a recession. This needs to be addressed ASAP because online spending is due to grow to 7% of all expenditure in the next three years. We all need to be ready to capitalise on this growth.

Renting eyeballs and ears is so last century.

In fairness though, some SMEs have at least started the online journey. Either through their own sources or from outsourced advice, it is slowly dawning on them that instead of borrowing audiences from traditional channels, being online is enabling them to go directly to customers and prospects. The changing marketing environment means that there is not a need to just rent eyeballs and ears with TV, radio, print and promotions. Now they can work on building their own audience online (and offline), based more on direct relationships. The online element is an opportunity to expose the real  brand  story by posting timely, useful, and sharable content for their customers and prospects.

A Valeria Maltoni blog here  (from an Economist Unit report#) has some interesting trends in this regard. The chart below “shows how most companies (57%) are still relying on their website as their main communication tool, followed by e-mail (37%). Only 27% are using social media, with just 13% using mobile apps. That mix will change over the next three years. Companies in the survey say social media will become their number-one channel (43%) and their use of apps will leap fourfold.”

which-channels

In general, I think that we are moving in the right direction but the reluctance to fully embrace digital marketing here in Ireland seems to be that SMEs are not sure which horse (channel) to back from the plethora of options open to them. In addition, quite a lot of, self appointed, online gurus with no marketing background, sometimes are advising which technologies to use based on personal preference rather than what’s best for the SME. Choose your marketing partners carefully.

Tips and Timesavers.

Obviously, everyone with a smart phone and an internet presence effectively becomes a content creator, these days; however for all of us it is imperative that we adhere to the basic tenets of marketing.  – *know yourself, *know your customer, *know what they want and *know what your competitors aren’t doing – . Thereafter your brand story or marketing content should be filtered through your business objectives. That’s where a digital content strategy comes in.

Do you recognise some or all of these challenges?

  • You are engrossed in the operational side of the business not marketing.
  • Managing external agencies together with internal colleagues is not always easy.
  • Traditional mass marketing was easier – now relationship building needs different skills.
  • There is so much information available; it seems hard to know where to start.
  • Some online gurus are focused on the tools rather than the business objectives.

To conclude – I think the good news is that there are opportunities to grow your business using digital marketing. Also, it is starting to emerge that companies who embrace short and focused online campaigns as an integral part of their overall marketing activity will reap the rewards. Those that continue with big, mass market campaigns will be left behind by their own customers, who have completely changed their expectations.

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