Let the Online & Offline Music Begin
Creating and executing a marketing plan for a new product is rather like being the conductor of an orchestra. You can wave your baton in all directions, but unless the necessary instruments and skilled musicians are present, your symphony will fall flat. Consider your audience and their expectations. Will they be surprised (not in a good way!) to hear Led Zeppelin when they were expecting Beethoven? To avoid this in your new product launch, you must coordinate your online and offline activities so that they are in unison and synchronized to create sweet music.
Certain types of marketing materials will be more static, such as printed brochures, due to the cost and effort needed to keep them current. Instead, consider using your printed matter as a “hook” to pull customers over to your on-line resources, where you can be a lot more nimble. The clear trend towards shorter attention spans is rendering long-winded printed matter increasingly irrelevant.
Take the time to understand the demographics of your target market, and where they hang out. For example, if your target market is 80+ years old, will you really maximize product exposure if all your marketing is online? You are talking to a generation that usually likes to receive a printed catalog and to order by phone or mail. Conversely, an investment in printing and mailing a catalog to the 18-25 year old demographic will succeed only in proving to them how old-fashioned YOU are.
Regardless of the target market demographics, it is still essential to have both an online and offline presence, and for there to be synergy between them. A consistent visual style, brand image and a clear, consistent value proposition are all critical if your customers are to really “get” what you are about.
With all of the above being said, the future is on-line. This means everything you do needs to drive traffic and increase site visits to your website. Even your most internet-averse customers will have friends, family and colleagues who are online sharing your message if they see its value.
Strike the right online/offline balance and make sure your online activities are integrated. If you use email marketing make sure you have “Join my mailing list” buttons on your Facebook page, website and any landing pages that you create. Ensure that your Facebook page has your website address and your website has your social media buttons. If you have documents of value, such as a white paper, drive potential customers to a landing page where they have to complete a contact form before downloading it.
A compelling call-to-action should be part of every page on your site, every email you send, and every offer you make. Your social media posts should ultimately drive customers back to your website where they can make purchasing decisions. A social media word of caution: Build a community with your target market, create a strategy and REMEMBER, he who shouts (sells) the loudest gets unfollowed and unliked!
Have you found your sweet marketing music yet or are you struggling? Join us at www.facebook.com/alignedmarket and share your story.