Integrated Marketing Strategy

The Artists Marketing Strategy Conundrum Solved

For artists and creatives the tricky marketing question is: are you producing what the customer want and needs; or producing what you prefer to make or produce; or a bit of both – it’s the ultimate marketing strategy conundrum?

Artist and creatives would say that they make unique products that attract purchasers and that they produce what they are creatively inspired to make. Artists understand that in many businesses producing what the customer wants and needs is critical, however what they make and offer is unique, it is the ‘product’ of their creativity and they never really know who will want it or need it.

Most artists and creatives have their own style and that style evolves often as their “business” become more successful, so by becoming more successful – is the customer influencing the artists style? There is also a set of customer needs and wants in terms of prompt delivery, and price when they chose to purchase from an artist.

Are artists and creatives an exception to the marketing strategy norm because they are driven by their passion to create? How does this relate to classic marketing strategy that suggests that the customers needs and wants should determine what you offer the market to satisfy them?

Many artists and creatives believe they can manage both. The classic example is a Mum who develops her own creative product because she can’t find a product that satisfies her or her families need. Her product is then seen by other Mums looking for exactly that same product. A gap in the marketplace is filled, a small niche market is created – a small business is born. I have heard these words so many times “I just sort of fell into it and it grew from there!”.

So, is it possible to give customers what they need using your skills, knowledge and satisfy their needs with products that you love and believe in? Of course it is.

The most vital step in marketing strategy development for any artistic or creative business is to understand the needs and specific motivations that underlie the customer behaviours you wish to influence. This will only be possible when the artist or creative has sold their ‘products’ to a range of customers. Understanding these customers better will enable the development of targeted promotional goals and greater sales.

Even artists and creatives are constantly getting feedback from customers and discovering what “product” customers are more willing to buy. Providing a range of ‘products’; and the quality and value customers want is a critical first step in marketing. Otherwise, you will be facing an uphill battle if you only provide something that you want to produce; and then always trying to convince someone to buy it.

Ultimately, it is the job of marketing strategy to define how marketing will support the achievement of artists and creatives business goals.

If you are an artist or creative business, I would love to know your thoughts?

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the boss lady of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing and educates businesses to think, create, engage and optimise their marketing effort. She coaches customers in Strategies for traditional and online Marketing; and implementation. If you would like free how-to-do-it-yourself marketing resources or to subscribe to free e-news about all things marketing, please visit the website:

http://www.zenworkz.com/

For daily marketing tips and references, connect to our fabulous community on Facebook:

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Business Transformation / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Marketing Masterclass / Marketing Mix Strategies / Marketing Plans / Positioning / Setting Marketing Strategies — No Comments
9
Nov 12

How to define your Marketing Plan Strategies

In the last ZENWORKZ MARKETING MASTERCLASS, we decided the priority marketing objectives for your business. The next step in the planning process is defining your Marketing Strategies or the ways and means of realising your objectives.

There are two levels working together to form your authentic marketing strategies, they are: positioning strategies and marketing mix (remember the 4 P’s +) strategies.

Getting your product or service into the customer’s hands depends on the product or service itself, on its price, the place (policies for channel and customer service levels) and promotion (advertising, sales promotion, public relations, events, etc.).

If an objective is ‘What we want’ then a strategy is ‘How we get it’.

In developing your marketing mix strategy you need to consider the various market forces that act on your marketing decisions. The important forces include:

The customer and their buying behaviour, motivations, habits, environment, market size and buying power.
The industry behaviour of retailers, wholesalers and any members of the distribution chain and their motivations, structure, and attitudes.
Competitor’s position and behaviours as influenced by industry structure and competition.
Government and regulatory controls which relate to marketing activities and competitive practise.

The marketing planning process aims to develop the best match between the internal capabilities of your business and the external market environment. This recognises that the marketing mix elements are largely controllable by you and that the market forces are largely uncontrollable.

Creative marketing with the four + marketing mix elements dictates constantly questioning existing situations and looking for ways to enhance your marketing mix – deleting existing services or products, selling them at a different price, offering them in different places or distribution, or promoting them differently.

When designing your marketing strategies list and explain what specific actions you will use to meet your authentic marketing objectives for each element of the marketing mix: Product, Price, Place or Distribution, Promotion, Provision of Customer Service, People or Workforce, and Processes.

Once you have a detailed list of what strategies you will take to address the marketing mix elements above, decide when you should start and finish each one. Including:

What to do
When it will happen
How to achieve
Who will do it
How much will it cost
How will you measure success

Ideally you will use your SWOT analysis and a statement of key issues and opportunities to help you choose the market segments in which you will compete, and determine how to position your business relative to your competition. You need to develop strategies to meet those objectives. Provide a statement outlining your approach to the market and how you will create brand awareness.

Consider these questions in developing your plan:

Which elements of your marketing are essential?
Which are preferable but optional?
Do you have a clear understanding of your customer’s needs?
Do you understand your strengths?
How will you differentiate your product from competition?

Next determine your marketing mudget and the time and resources you will allocate to your marketing strategies.

The authentic marketing plan will change as your business changes and grows. Think of your authentic marketing plan as a living document that grows and matures with your business needs.

Recap Process Step: Capture this analysis in a document: save it as My Business Marketing Plan?

Any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a comment here or on Facebook?

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the principle of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing, and is passionate about educating small and medium business professionals to create their differential advantage, attract more ideal customers and create a marketing plan to achieve success. She coaches customers online and by phone – if you would like to request coaching – please contact me.

To participate in MARKETING MASTERCLASS visit and “like” my facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Business Transformation / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Marketing Analysis Tools / Marketing Masterclass — 2 Comments
30
Oct 12

Marketing Masterclass – Business Growth Strategies

Ansoff’s Matrix is a tool that helps you decide your product/service and market growth strategy. It provides a framework in which marketing objectives can be developed under each of the four main categories of the Matrix: Market penetration, market development, product/service development, and diversification. It is used for deciding how to improve the sales of existing products or services, or to develop new products or services and market opportunities.

Market Penetration – Existing products/services for existing markets

This is where you examine how to exploit your current position in the marketplace better. Some of the strategies include, more focused market segmentation, more clearly defined positioning strategy, or better application of the marketing mix elements (remember the 4 or 7 P’s). Typical Marketing Objectives: Stabilise market share through customer retention; stabilise ROI through frequency of use.

Market Development – Existing products/services for new markets

This a strategy where you are seeking new groups of buyers with your current product or service offerings. This is a higher risk strategy because you need to have a good understanding of the needs and wants of very different customers and may require market research before embarking on this strategy. Typical Marketing Objectives: Increase sales; increase market share; maintain ROI; increase awareness to a very different customer market segment.

Product/Service Development – New products/services for existing markets

Customer Research can uncover unmet demand from an existing customer base and this can be an opportunity to develop new products or services or to extend your current product/service with a greater variety of choice. Typical Marketing Objectives: Increase sales; increase ROI; create awareness; maintain or increase market share through the development of new or extended product or service offers to your existing markets.

Diversification – New products in new markets

This is by far the riskiest marketing strategy to embark on because you are not building on your strengths. But it can be a valid tactic if your industry is very mature and subject to limited growth opportunities. Typical Marketing Objectives: Achieve higher ROI; increase awareness; increase sales with new products or services in new markets.

Your analysis and decisions will give you more information about focussing your market intentions and helps you formate your marketing objectives.

Recap Process Step: Capture this analysis in a document: save it as My Business Marketing Plan and let’s continue?

Any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a comment here or on Facebook?

To participate in MARKETING MASTERCLASS visit and “like” my facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Attracting Customers / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Marketing Analysis Tools / Marketing Masterclass / Marketing Mix Strategies / Marketing Plans — No Comments
7
Oct 12

Marketing Masterclass Questions 1 and 2 – getting started!

MARKETING IS EVERYTHING you do to grow your business, from the moment you conceive it, to the point where customers buy your product or service, and keep coming back on a regular basis.

“You can see marketing as a circle that starts with your idea for making a living doing what you love, and completes itself when you have the patronage of repeat and referral customers” ~ Zenworkz Marketing Coach

Marketing includes your business name, determining the best product or service to meet a demand by customers, the colours, sizes, and shape of your product, the packaging, the location of your business, whether it’s brick and mortar or an online shop, the advertising/promotion, the public relations, the sales training, the sales presentation, phone enquires, problem solving, the growth plan, the referral plan, and the follow up. What you see is that marketing is a complex process.

Your business purpose, differentiation strategy, defining your product or service, identifying viable customer segments, unique marketing message or selling point, marketing mix elements, market forces analysis, SWOT analysis …. overwhelmed yet? Well, of course you are.

Because if you try to tackle all of these things at once, you’ll give up. No person can process all of that in one hit. But the good news is I will make it easier through this Facebook series of discussion questions: MARKETING MASTERCLASS, where each of those complex questions can be broken into relatively simple discussion topics and best practice.

Clarity can be gained. Challenges can be overcome. Problems can be solved. Solutions can be put into place. One question at a time, each weeknight, just in time to tackle the next one. When you feel alone and frustrated by the complexity, you can find a community of fellow business owners who can help you with ideas, feedback and support.

1. What is your business purpose?

The point here is just to communicate the essence of what makes you get up in the morning and what impact you want to make for a customer with your work. Your business purpose statement expresses how you want yourself and your business to be seen to the wider customer community.

2. How is your business different?

It is the unique and the different that makes a lasting impression. Never be afraid to be different or take the road less travelled. Do not be afraid to do or say something others will not (caveat: diplomacy and tact take precedence here). Be creative and stand out from the crowd in a positive way.

The goal for MARKETING MASTERCLASS is to ask the hard questions and through your answers, facilitate and enable you to develop a plan to use in marketing your business. The process of planning is based on matching your purpose, skills and capabilities with your customer needs/wants/challenges, in the environment in which your business operates.

Process Step: Capture each question in a document: save it as _______ Business Marketing Plan and let’s get started?

Any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a comment here or on Facebook?

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the principle of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing, and is passionate about educating small and medium business professionals to create their differential advantage, attract more ideal customers and create a marketing plan to achieve success. She coach customers online and by phone – if you would like to request coaching – please contact me.

To participate in MARKETING MASTERCLASS visit and “like” my facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Advertising / Attracting Customers / Authentic Message Creation / Authentic Values / Coaching / Engaging customers / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Keep Calm & Keep Marketing / Marketing 101 / Selling — No Comments
17
Jul 12

Keep Calm and Keep Marketing Part 2 – Focus on Marketing Tactics

Recently I responded to a request to help small businesses that were feeling despondent because of falling sales and general feelings of frustration with marketing a small business in difficult, trading times. In this series of posts, Part 2 will focus on marketing tactics you can do to survive and thrive.

Firstly don’t be tempted to stop marketing! This is not the time to cut back on marketing activity. The key to building customer awareness is to take consistent, regular action. Be sure to keep your marketing activities going at least six months so that you can track your rate of return.

Promoting your products or service, little and often is better than one large, expensive campaign. The more you crop up in potential customer’s awareness, the more they feel that something is drawing them to you. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this from my customers – it was meant to be! Little did they know it is my marketing tactic.

Identify your best product or service by it’s revenue margin; then focus your promotional and selling efforts on this only. Add as many low cost promotional options as you have time for, like Twitter and Facebook Pages to broadcast valuable information about how to solve customers problems or bring them joy. Update your LinkedIn profile regularly with updates about your business and any valuable content such as blog posts.

Work out how you are unique to your best customer and focus on doing this better. Define what your unique marketing difference is and promote that consistently. Being different and finding that difference is easier in a service based business because YOU are unique. Finding the difference in a product market, means adding or augmenting your products with value added services, like lay-by’s, special deliveries, or exceptional customer service – there are a thousand different options. The secret is understanding what you need to do to make your service or product a vital part of someone’s life to the extent that they just won’t be tempted by your direct competitor’s offers.

What makes your marketing message unique is your story, your purpose, and your values. What makes your message compelling is that it is customer focused – it speaks to the customers hot button that your service or product fulfils as a necessary part of their life or business. It must tap into the emotional metaphors: looking good, feeling good, being successful, rewarding themselves – refer to Maslow’s Hierarchy of highest needs.

Finally, recognise that you can’t always do this alone and if you are, not with peace or joy. To be able to hire support, you need to focus on sales and cash flow. You may need support from someone who can guide you? A coach or mentor can look at your business and your progress with an honest and objective eye; and guide you away from costly mistakes and focus on a direction that may well challenge you; but will also bring you the business success you desire.

I’d love to hear your thoughts? Please leave a comment below:

About the Author: Teresa Bassham of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing inspires small businesses to develop and use an empowering Marketing and Communications Plan for Business Profitability … see my full services at www.zenworkz.com and while you are visiting my website – subscribe for weekly e-News updates on all topics related to authentic marketing.

Attracting Customers / Branding / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Marketing 101 / Online Marketing — No Comments
2
Jul 12

Is Facebook Failing Small Business!

Social media promises so much, the numbers online are staggering and everyone’s involvement is on the rise, but why is the average small business finding it so hard to realise the potential of social channels, like Facebook?

Being the beginning of a new financial year, it’s timely to question whether the continued changes being made by Facebook (presumably due to the IPO); will be to the detriment of smaller businesses trying to use Facebook in a cost effective way to promote their business?

It’s very difficult to get any real information about small businesses failing in their social media actions. The predominant voice in the marketplace is overtaken by businesses who make money from those “struggling with technology and digital marketing strategies” and “all you need to know about being success using social media” approaches! We are being so drowned out by the marketing messages above, that small business is rapidly losing their voice (and reach) on Facebook. Why? This “Facebook selling” industry is driving social media and there is no room for facts and data because they are selling a dream (and you should know that by the number of times every day the word “dream” appears in posts!).

It’s time to face some facts:

Social Media is not free and costs are increasing! If you are a business and your time is worth something – time spent on Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn/Pinterest/Youtube has a cost to your business. To be even moderately successful, requires time and commitment, to regularly engage; and keep up to date on your own core subject area, to be able to craft good quality content.

You need skills and knowledge, often about subject areas that are new and ever changing. Mastering these skills takes you away from your core job of running your business. Solution: hire someone to manage social media for you; but these people value their time more than you do and they actually charge for this enormous investment in time.

It’s often hard to gauge this but not every social media channel is right for every business, because it’s depends which channels your customer engages in? Not understanding this fact, is like throwing cow pats at the barn door and hoping some of it sticks!

Very few small businesses actually define “Measures of Success” to evaluate their social media marketing efforts! Is it more sales leads, more likes, great brand awareness? Failing to identify your marketing promotion objectives, means that you can’t measure; and therefore you don’t know if your time and efforts have been rewarded with a measurable result?

Much of what I see on Facebook are businesses talking about using Facebook to promote Facebook. Have you ever thought of not just using social media to promote your website, but instead combining the power of the Internet with traditional marketing concepts?

Marketing promotion through any media, is based on four concepts, commonly referred to by the acronym AIDA: First, you need to attract the customers Attention; you then gain their Interest in your product or service by highlighting the benefits it will bring to them; following this you create Desire (the “must have” message); and finally you motivate customers to take Action (make a purchase). The most effective way to move through each step of AIDA with your customers is by blending traditional marketing with social media marketing.

It is possible to improve your business results in this next financial year using traditional marketing concepts with social media; if that’s the channel that reaches your customer market effectively. This is where the use of an empowering marketing action plan will keep you focused on achieving your business goals, with measurable results from effective and appropriate use of social media marketing channels.

Are you a small business using Facebook? Do you think Facebook is failing small business? Please leave your comments below:

While you are visiting my website – subscribe for weekly e-News updates on all topics related to authentic marketing.

For daily Authentic Marketing updates visit and “like” my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Attracting Customers / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Marketing 101 / Marketing Analysis Tools / Marketing Plans / Mindset — No Comments
25
Jun 12

4 Incredibly Simple Marketing Tips

Without ongoing marketing activity, you will likely experience the feast or famine business cycle – you know the one where you’re busy for one week and worried for three. Consistent marketing activities are the key to steady growth. But what can you actually “do” to get results from your marketing?

Have a Marketing Plan

Marketing planning is a process that helps you evaluate your business capability as a market offer; evaluates the target customer and marketplace; and prepares you for the many opportunities to achieve sales and business success. The simple premise of a marketing plan is bringing together all your relevant information, to set some business goals or objectives. Then, turning objectives into strategies, tactics, and activities, making your marketing to customers achievable and easier to accomplish in small bites of time.

Track your activities and the results

This can be as simple or sophisticated as you want. But for everything you do, make sure your can track results to your specific marketing activity. With time such a precious commodity, you don’t want to waste it on ineffective marketing. Track your results and use your time wisely on marketing efforts that yield results.

Get a new marketing mindset

To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination or purpose. To know where you are headed, is to better understand where you are right now and what steps will be needed to continue in the direction which yields positive results. Foster a marketing mindset of outcomes focus and extreme optimism that will help you create new marketing solutions, and not keep you stuck in a feast or famine cycle.

Leverage your existing customers – ask for recommendations

Ask customers who are happy with your product or service for recommendations, a testimonial or to write a review. Other customers will be positively influenced by seeing people who they know and respect, support and recommend you. Even if you don’t have a website yet, you can place your reviews or testimonials on brochures, emails or Facebook.

If you need support from someone who can guide you – a coach or mentor who can look at your marketing plan and your progress with an honest and objective eye; guide you away from costly mistakes and head in a direction that may challenge you, but also brings you the true success you desire – contact me!

About the Author: Teresa Bassham is Zenworkz Authentic Marketing; inspiring small businesses to develop and use an empowering Marketing and Communications Plan for Business Profitability … see my full services at www.zenworkz.com. While you are visiting my website – subscribe for monthly e-News updates on all topics related to authentic marketing. For daily Authentic Marketing updates visit and “like” my facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Advertising / Attracting Customers / Engaging customers / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Marketing Analysis Tools / Social Media / Uncategorized — No Comments
12
Jun 12

Shaping Social Media Strategy with Tradition Marketing Models – AIDA

The acronym AIDA stands for Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action. This is the most simple and rudimentary of marketing models and is still relevant today when it comes to social media and internet marketing strategies.

Each level of AIDA can help you set your marketing and sales objectives, decide what to measure, and create relationships between each level of the model. Understanding the flow of activities through each level will help you align your measurements and analytics with your marketing and sales objectives.

Here’s some tips on how to apply this model to your social media and internet strategy, and how the model and measurements are evolving in the social media age.

Awareness: Awareness is social media’s greatest benefit. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and other networks are built for generating awareness. These networks are not going to be your point of sale. Instead, they are your communications portal, and lead potential customers back to your sales landing page, blog, and website, where you will be making your sales conversions. The goal of generating awareness, is letting people know about your business products or services; and that you can solve a problem or satisfy a need they may have. At the awareness level, comments, conversations, interaction and valuable content to share, are key measures.

Interest: Now that you have their attention, you need to get customers interested in your product or service. You can improve interest with special offers; compelling reasons why you can satisfy their needs better than the competition; or how you can solve customers’ problems. Benefits (and not features) weigh greater at this level, and social media can help you amplify customer interest. Following a strategy of linking social media posts to targeted landing pages will provide you with metrics, such as CTR (click through rate), retweets (of content, promotions and links), and comment about your specific products or services, that you will help you refine your promotions.

Desire: Social media can help improve desire through engagement, but to facilitate someone’s desire to buy, you need to have a website that makes purchase easy. Potential new customers will give up if your process has too many steps, despite a great offer. The user interface must be built with the customer in mind. Your website makes a huge impression, people will judge your business by it, so take the time to go through your site – improve the presentation and the shopping cart experience. Take the customer from interest to desire with a clean, easy to navigate, information rich, and functional site. Metrics that matter at this level are bounce rate, time on site, pages viewed and incoming links.

Action: Now that your customers are ready to buy your product or service, you need to complete the transaction. While it is possible to purchase from Facebook, if you have several products or services, having a website will be your best option; and while social media can influence the action through the previous levels, it’s not going to have the same influence as your own website. You need to make it easy and obvious for your customer to complete your desired action (purchase, sign up, lead form, etc.). The action is also where you can calculate some of your final metrics, like sales conversion rate and return on investment. This is where you can see how your strategies are performing and the final impacts of your social media promotions.

AIDA’s Flaws: AIDA is only a rudimentary representation of a marketing and sales process and it’s not a perfect model. Keep AIDA in mind as you shape your social marketing strategy. It will help you focus and prioritise your marketing and sales objectives for success.

I would love to know if AIDA works for you? Please leave a comment below.

While you are visiting my website – subscribe for weekly e-News updates on all topics related to authentic marketing.

For daily Authentic Marketing updates visit and “like” my facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Attracting Customers / Customer Research / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Marketing 101 / Marketing Mix Strategies — No Comments
29
Apr 12

The Secret of Pricing Products and Services

The secret of pricing is this knowledge: When the right customer sees your product or service in the right context – price will not be the primary element in their decision to buy!

Before you get to pricing your product or service have you considered all the other elements in the marketing mix (Product, Place, Promotion and People)? Finding out if there is a customer market is always a great place to start. It is surprising how many business’ don’t know enough about their preferred customer.

Do you know what your customer needs and do they want what you sell? Then, what is the right promotional context for your service or product – are you trying to sell coal to Newcastle? What are the prices of similar products and services; and how are you positioning your product and services in the marketplace?

Pricing is a psychological, emotional and confidence decision that you have to make, even before you consider the price your customer will be willing to pay.

The two questions you need to answer:

How much should I charge?
How much am I brave enough to charge?

For customers, when considering the benefits derived, what will they perceive as value for money? When people say they can’t afford your service or product, they haven’t truly seen the value. So, how are you communicating your value?

Here is a pricing vs value matrix to help you consider the right pricing strategy:

	Low Price	Medium Price	High Price
High Value	Give away pricing strategy.	Market penetration. Value for money pricing strategy.	Prestige & quality pricing strategy.
Medium Value	Sale strategy.	Price and value are in balance pricing strategy.	Overpriced: Commercial pricing strategy.
Low Value	Tourist trap strategy.	"Caveat emptor" pricing strategy.	The hit and run pricing strategy.

Attracting customers today is becoming more complex due to increasing choice, economic conditions and a more educated consumer who make informed decisions when it comes to purchasing almost everything. Customers also now have increasing service expectations.

To buy from you they need to form an emotional connection with your business. This means you have to show them the person behind the business. People will buy from those that they know and trust – and from those who have created the right service and product in the right context for just for them.

I would love to hear of any experiences or advice you have to share?

Please feel free to leave a comment or question below.

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the principle of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing, and is passionate about educating small and medium business professionals to research their customer market; create their authentic marketing message; attract more ideal customers; and create a marketing plan to achieve success in 2012/2013. She runs local workshops in Northern NSW and coaches customers online and by phone – if you would like to attend the next scheduled workshops on 6^th & 7^th June, 2012 or request distance coaching online –please contact me. While you are visiting my website – subscribe for weekly e-News updates on all topics related marketing.

For daily Authentic Marketing updates visit and “like” my facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Integrated Marketing Strategy / Online Marketing / Social Media / Trust — No Comments
26
Feb 12

Should you use Social Media for your Business?

The vast majority (80%) of Australian businesses don’t have a social media marketing strategy because they find it hard to see where social media fits into their marketing. From experience with my customers, it’s also because there is too much confusing advice on offer and the technology is changing so fast that the advice is often out of date.

My answer to the question: “should you use social media for your business?” is definitely yes, and …….. Before launching social media I ask my customers: “How are you measuring and responding to the need to build stronger customer relationships and gain trust, which results in increased and return sales?” The answer to this question provides clarity and shapes the medium for communicating to increase relationship, trust and sales.

Most smaller businesses will benefit from using at least 3 media channels for a typical marketing campaign, such as their website, e-mail, blog, social media, and more. Economy, technological advancements, and cultural changes will continue to drive cross-media and social media marketing opportunities. These changes already seen in the USA and Australia, point to the rapid take-up and use of mobile devices and tablets for online research and purchases.

Importantly, new research from KPMG suggest your own website is an important influence for customers. This research also suggests that while people still like to use PCs for social networking; business need to prepare for the growing impact of mobile devices.

Overlooked in discussions about customer communication – Email is often an under utilised medium for direct engagement. As customers increasingly start to expect customised services, email communication can be tailored to foster trust, while reducing the cost of communication technology and without jeopardising the quality of the message. Trust will soon become the most significant differentiator for online businesses.

The converged lifestyle of social media has empowered customers to be vocal about their preferences and demands. Businesses that are able to measure and respond to this evolving customer relationship will ultimately build stronger relationships and gain critical trust with their customers.

While there is now reasonable evidence that businesses utilising social media to engage customers are building stronger, more trusting relationships; it’s important to remember that social media should be a part of an integrated Marketing Strategy, whether it is in print, mobile, online, or social media.

Do you need advice regarding an integrated marketing strategy? Do you think your business should be using social media, but just don’t know how? Have you been using social media but getting no results? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then Zenworkz Authentic Marketing can help. Owner, Teresa Bassham has over 22 years marketing experience, in both on and off line marketing, and is passionate about social media, providing options to do the social media for your business, or coach you to learn how to do it yourself.

If you have any specific questions you would like to ask, leave a comment below or on my Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

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