Question: All we keep hearing is that we need more social media and more content marketing, but I’m not sure that is true. Does every business have to use these channels?
It would be so easy for me to start rattling off a whole bunch of data about the number of people on social media and how content marketing is key in the buyer’s purchase decision (which is true) but I’m actually going to start this article out with a bit of self actualization.
The truth is that not every business needs social media or content marketing or SEO or any of these types of services. What your specific business needs really depends on your goals, your products, your services and your customers.
For instance, if your goal is to be an ultra local specialty craft store then doing a bunch of social media and content optimization may not make sense or prove to be a great way to spend your time. For a small business like that the only real need may be a local listing online and a basic page where people can learn about what you do.
Or perhaps you are an Ice Cream Chain. Do you really need a sophisticated blog or white papers? Of course not, but you may benefit from some local online promotion and search.
Another example may be a company that works by referral only. If all of your business is inbound and you are at capacity then doing a lot of lead generation or promotion may not make sense. Maybe.
The real answer to this question is that most businesses can benefit from some type of digital marketing, but what is for sure is that there is no one size fits all approach to marketing. For each business there are certain needs and requirements and your marketing and social programs should align with those goals.
Since business is usually more evolutionary than revolutionary the real key to marketing programs is creating a drip that builds your baseline audiences. This can be done by consistently educating customers with content and connecting to them in social spaces in a way that creates an affinity for your brand. As you build a stronger baseline then you can sprinkle in campaigns to drive spikes in traffic and interest based on short term goals.
But for most businesses, the key is to put first things first, focus on where your customers come from and the channels that are most attractive. Marketing is never one size fits all. Make sure to remember that when putting together your sales and marketing programs. Now, question for you… how are you finding and keeping customers?
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