Marketing a business is a tricky mix between science and art. Sure, there are proven methods that can work and get results – that’s the science behind it. But every marketer knows that creativity and nuance are just as important to a successful marketing campaign, and that all comes down to going with your gut. This is where the art side comes into play.
A successful marketer knows how to combine these two aspects of marketing into something unique that can really drive a business forward. But, how can you do that? It’s all about knowing what does and doesn’t work. With that in mind, here are 20 do’s and don’ts about business marketing that can help make a difference for your business and brand.
DO Use Multiple Platforms
To market successfully, you can’t put all your eggs in one basket. In today’s day and age, most people immediately assume that social media is the end-all, be-all of platforms to use. While social media is an essential part of any marketing strategy, it is definitely not the only way to go.
More traditional digital ventures like websites and blogs are also important, as well as email campaigns. Lastly, don’t forget even older marketing strategies, such as mail-outs, television, radio and billboards. In short, the more avenues you use to send your message out, the more eyes will see it and be able to respond.
DO Understand SEO
Of course, digital marketing is the most common type of marketing today, and for good reason. But there are right and wrong ways to use digital platforms. Whatever way you choose, it’s important to know how to use it correctly.
Constructing your content for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps to ensure that your name and brand will be prominently displayed when potential customers use Google and other engines.
DO Use Google My Business
In addition to SEO, another great way to make your business easily findable is by using Google My Business. This is a free service that lets you update your business information, including contact info, location and more.
When people in your area use Google to find a business, a listing on Google My Business makes it more likely that your company and brand will make it high on their search return.
DO Use Multimedia
Regardless of what digital platform you use, remember that today’s audience has been conditioned to expect more than just words and slogans. Pictures are great, but video is even better.
However, don’t make it too long. With platforms like YouTube giving viewers the option to skip advertisements after a few seconds, it’s important to make your message as compact and quickly digestible as possible.
DO Have Great Copy Content
All the flashy digital media in the world won’t matter if the actual writing does not do your brand justice. Having the right copy can be difficult, however.
Knowing how to set the right tone, use the perfect words and paint the most desirable picture is a skill that takes time to develop – time you’ve most likely spent building your brand in the first place. Hiring expert writers like those at BME and Copywriter Today is one way to ensure you have the best copy possible while freeing you up to focus on your business and brand.
DO Make Your Content Easy to Share
Having great content helps, but much of today’s marketing is through word-of-mouth. When something noteworthy pops up on social media, a user’s natural reaction is to share it with friends.
This is how content goes viral. It can happen with anything, including a great piece of advertising. However, you put the content out there, make sure users can pass it along to others easily, doing half your marketing for you!
DO Optimize for Mobile
Remember that most of your audience is going to be using their mobile devices when searching your brand. Having digital content that isn’t optimized for a mobile experience is practically unforgivable in this day and age. Luckily, it’s an easy fix, as most digital platforms come with mobile optimization as an inexpensive option.
DO Emphasize Your Differences
Good marketing is all about setting your product apart from everyone else. No doubt there are a lot of companies out there that offer something similar to yours, and that’s okay.
The key is to separate you from your competitors. What is it about your good or service that no other company can offer? Answering that question and making sure your customers know that answer is the key to a successful business marketing.
DO Brag (But Do It Humbly)
It also doesn’t hurt to brag a little. Customers want to know their confidence in your brand is well-placed. If your product is worth their money, then they need to know this.
The key, though, is to brag without sounding too boastful. Make sure your customers know why they can rely on you and your product to meet their needs without going overboard.
DO Have a Target Market
While you want your message to get out to as many people as possible, remember that it never hurts to have a specific target audience for each piece of content you create.
You can focus all of your advertising on this market, or you can vary your target audience depending on the platform and message. Either way can work.
DON’T Assume Your Audience Is All the Same
While having a target audience is important, it’s also equally important to remember that, even in the same demographic, people are all different. Lumping everyone into the same group gets awfully close to stereotyping. At best, it ignores those in your audience that don’t fit the mold. At worst, it can turn people against you.
DON’T Ignore Design
Some marketers make the mistake of focusing on copy to the extent that they sacrifice overall design. Don’t make this mistake.
The art here is in bringing the balance between style and substance. Obviously, you don’t want a platform that looks great but says nothing. You also don’t want to have a real message that is displayed so poorly that no one will pay attention to it.
DON’T Overdo It
Having a great design scheme is essential. However, it’s possible to put too much into it. Some web designers like to get overly cute, which results in sites that look interesting, but don’t function too well. Don’t sacrifice an easy-to-use page for a trendy design element.
DON’T Imitate the Competitors
Remember, you want to set yourself and your brand apart from everyone else. This is true for your pitch, but it’s also true for your overall design. Don’t build a platform that looks like someone else. Be unique in every aspect of your marketing, including both visual and verbal elements.
DON’T Be Too Obvious with the Pitch
It’s important to make sure your audience knows what it is you’re selling and why. However, it’s also important that you don’t come across as a pushy, over-the-top sales person with an in-your-face message.
This sort of message falls flat because it makes you seem like you’re selling snake oil – and you’re more worried about making a buck than you are about having a satisfied customer.
DON’T Ramble
Good copy is all about stating the most in the most efficient way possible. Just because you can use hundreds and hundreds of words to say something doesn’t mean you should. Learn how to say what you need to say without beating around the bush or going off on tangents. Get in and get out, so your customers can get on with making their purchase.
DON’T Sound Too Good to Be True
While bragging about your product is good, there’s a fine line between stating the positives and overdoing it. Customers are always wary about something promising more than it can deliver. Make sure you keep your statements and promises realistic, so you don’t inadvertently drive potential business away.
DON’T Forget Your Call to Action
While you don’t want to be too obvious with your pitch, you also want to make sure to give those in your audience all the information they need to know how and where to act on your product. Many marketers feel hesitant about adding a call to action; they feel it makes them sound too pushy.
However, if the audience has no way to act on the information, how are you going to make the sale? Be sure to have an easy-to-follow CTA at the end, complete with whatever links or contact information the audience needs to act.
DON’T Have Annoying Design Elements
Say it now: People HATE pop-ups. If you have a page full of pop-ups, banners and other annoying elements that make it hard to read or navigate, just assume that most of your intended audience will click away before reading anything. Avoid these at all costs.
DON’T Leave Them with Questions
When it comes to marketing, the phrase “less is more” doesn’t really apply. The last thing you want is for your intended audience to see your whole sales pitch and not have enough information to make a decision.
If this happens, they will most likely click away and go somewhere else where they can find the answers they seek. Don’t overload them with information, but also make sure you anticipate all questions and provide those answers.
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If you would like to know more about how to build the perfect digital marketing campaign, please contact us at Business Marketing Engine today.