one little cog

I’ve noticed that a growing number of companies are seeking online marketers — and generally, they are looking for someone who will lead them in the right direction.  Funny thing is that they’ll ask for an assistant or coordinator to take them in the direction.  After speaking with some fellow online marketers, we came to the conclusion that there is a consistent battle between online marketing initiatives and the ironically persistent perception that traditional marketing creates more progress and sales.

The Problem

This mistake in perception is caused by the poor awareness and misunderstanding of the fact that online marketing requires time and patience more than anything to develop for success.  It is the act of reaching out to the customer as opposed to trying to shout at them via an advertisement.

Photograph by Cosmic Kitty

The Circumstances

One of the biggest obstacles to adopting a new approach to marketing is the fact that the traditional business model is still running.  What’s more of a challenge is the fact that employees tend to receive double to quadruple the workload because the company is in transition.

The problem with this approach is that unless a business is willing to take on more employees, the workload exponentially increases.  Unlike traditional marketing is generally where you promote, advertise and forget, online marketing is about listening and changing.  This requires employees to constantly monitor the campaign and make the appropriate changes that suit the visitors or potential customer.  Take this idea and multiply that by the number of products or marketing campaigns you are launching.  There’s that looming pile of work that will crush your employees.

Forgetting about Tie-Ins or Letting them Pass

The more amusing aspect to marketing departments is that despite the awareness and understanding that print advertising no longer works the way it used to, we continue to pour money into it with no way of measuring some form of success and return.  Online marketing very often gets the snubbed because it is viewed as the “new” way of doing things and since it is still “growing up”, traditional advertising is still the best way to get the word out there about the product.  Let’s put it this way with some simple context:

If you set up an ad, how do you know if it is effective?

Set up an ad that contains a URL to your product, you can then determine some level of response to your ad by measuring your website statistics.  No one is claiming this is 100% accurate, but it does provide an idea. The larger companies definitely grasp this, but it appears there are still too many medium-sized and small businesses that don’t.  The concept is so simple, yet marketing departments let it fall through their grasp.

Don’t sell, Just Inspire

Selling will not sell anymore.  As I’ve said to clients, my employer, authors, friends, colleagues, and so many others:

Why should I care about your product?  Why would I take two minutes of my life to look at what you have to offer?  Would I even find this worthwhile enough to share with friends and family?  What am I going to do once I look at it?

One problem with so many products are that they simply exist for people to consume.  They don’t offer something greater — simple inspiration.  Products just aren’t prepared with inspiration in mind and when the time arrives to prepare a marketing campaign for it, there just isn’t anything to inspire with.

As an example:  Check out what this guy thinks of Koodo Mobile.

What Happens?

That same old plan.  Promotions with retailers. Flyers mailed out.  Press releases sent out.  Mass emails sent off.  Include in newsletters.  Pitch to television station producers.  Corporate sales.  Government contracts.  I can keep going.

Why?

Because we are comfortable with what is here and now.  We like to believe and feel that when we buy advertising space in a newspaper, that people actually pay attention to it; remember it; and will potentially go out and buy it.  When we think about how many thoughts go through someone’s mind per day, let alone per minute — that is an incredibly selfish perspective.  If we want people to think about the product we’re trying to promote, we better damn well have something worthwhile to say about it.

Show some respect!  Do you like it when someone’s yelling into your ear constantly about nothing worthwhile?

Photograph by gwaar

How?

Michael T. Kanazawa stated in the best manner possible in his recent manifesto on change.  Do more on less. NOT do more with less.  Focus on marketing fewer products.  Ditch the rest that just aren’t up to par.

To businesses, managers, and leaders who are reluctant in putting resources into online marketing initiatives or continue to perpetuate that same old plan, I challenge you to let go of it and develop a unique, innovative, and inspiring campaign for each of your products.  If you or your staff aren’t inspired by your products to inspire others, then I’d say you need a new product.

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