It seems like yesterday we had to find quarters and dimes to make a phone call. When you watch an old movie, it is always fun to see people searching for a phone booth. How quickly markets change.
A recent client asked me to help them redesign and update their brand and website. When I asked them to tell me about their customers, their description felt like something out of Mad Men. They assumed their target audience was mostly white men in the ’50s and that they responded to letters and postcards. They told me their industry hasn’t changed much in twenty years.
Oh, really?
After we did a short survey, we found that the majority of their target was African American women in their late 20’s and early 30’s who used their smartphones to find new vendors. They used LinkedIn groups to get vendor referrals from association groups. How could they be so out of touch?
Companies continue to market as if they live in the past, not the present.
Most business to business web traffic is mobile, not on a PC. Email marketing is far more cost-effective than postcards and letters. Audiences want a few options and simple and clear information. Clients crave human connections.
Are you walking in your customer’s shoes so you know what their life is like? Markets change.
The best marketing happens when you get to spend time with the challenges and issues your client has, and you understand how they spend their day. How can you serve them and provide solutions to their personal or business needs? Where does your product or service fit with their challenges?
Markets change. Stop making assumptions and get some solid data so you understand who you need to reach.
Are you still marketing into a world filled with a payphone?
Does your business need a marketing coach, guide or sherpa? Are you generating enough leads? Is your marketing underperforming? I can help.
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Our initial conversation is free. You talk, I listen. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com or call me. 919 720 0995. Visit my website at www.themarketingsage.com Let’s explore working together today.
