Let’s face it, as business people, we all play the same game: Let’s Get Noticed. We think that if we can get our product or service in front of people, they will buy from us.
This game has been played for a long time. It gave birth to the advertising and marketing industries that used traditional media such as print, outdoor, TV, and radio.
Playing “Let’s Get Noticed” continues to be the motivation of many business leaders today and they play it at many levels. There are those small businesses that only do direct mail, some stick to industry periodicals, while the larger players do national TV or radio. Of course, there are some who want to play, but never seem to have the budget to get in the game.
No matter what level you’re playing at, though, the challenge is to stand out. Getting noticed proves to be a difficult proposition, though, because everyone else is playing the same game.
To complicate matters more, it seems like every business claims to do whatever they do better, quicker, faster, more efficiently, or in a new and improved way. For some, that might be the case. But over the years, consumers have become savvy and desensitized to traditional marketing, so they tend to tune it out.
Unless a consumer is actively looking for a solution that you have, it has become very difficult for businesses to stand out in all of the noise and clutter of traditional advertising and marketing today.
So let me ask, with a tool at our disposable like the internet, why even try?
Don’t play the “Let’s Get Noticed” game. Instead, embrace the idea that “I’m an Expert.”
The internet has changed how consumers are purchasing products today. They are no longer fooled by glitzy ad campaigns. Instead, people are doing research about your product or service, and looking for recommendations from people they trust. Consumers today want to know that they are getting a good value for their money, and they want to see proof that you know what you’re doing.
For businesses, the internet has opened up new opportunities to engage consumers, allowing them to differentiate themselves in a way that was not possible through traditional media.
As consumers research buying options, they also research businesses. They’re looking for clues that your company is credible. This online credibility is called your social authority. What it really means is you have an online reputation as an expert in your industry. This is achieved through a good social marketing strategy that includes optimized website content, blogging and social posts.
Be warned, though, this is not a marketing strategy that you simply turn on and get quick results. After all, marketing is not an event. It is a long-term commitment, as is definitely the case with social marketing.
A big difference between traditional marketing and social marketing is that when the traditional campaign is over, it’s done. The marketing goes away. With social marketing, the results are cumulative. They continue to exist through the social and blog posts that you have made in the past, and each one adds relevance to your story and reputation.
The internet has removed the need to compete in the traditional space. That means there’s no longer a need to spend incredible sums of money playing the “Let’s Get Noticed” game. That game, after all, is nearly impossible to play when you turn the expensive marketing off.
Instead, embrace the idea of “I’m the Expert.” It enhances your reputation, it’s cheaper, and the rewards are longer lasting and more fulfilling because the relationships you build with your customers will be deeper and longer lasting.
Bob Turner is a certified Social Marketing and experienced Digital Marketing professional with Engage321.
