Marketing and Sales looks drastically different than it did 15 years ago. In my very first professional job (copier sales in Northeast Philly), we were trained in disruptive practices. I’d drive uninvited from store to store, knocking on doors, talking to office managers about their “paper workflow”… riveting, I know.
But then a handful of years later, Inbound Marketing really started to take over. It was great for introverted communicators. Emailing was starting to fade, and most companies in the digital world were focusing on blogging, social media, retargeting ads, PPC, and SEO. Mostly behind the scenes practices were facilitating consumer education online before they consider spending money. Makes sense, right?
Now that most organizations have consumed the digital marketing Kool-Aid, though, it’s time for communications strategies to evolve again.
Inbound Isn’t Enough for Everyone
In 2005, Inbound marketing was introduced and now in 2018 it’s being more rapidly adopted than ever. This is the practice of getting all of your industry intel digitally available to your prospective buyers before they make buying decisions. As a consumer, you’ve surely noticed all of the blogs, digital video channels, eBooks, and other free resources where you can educate yourself while you’re in the market for anything.
When blogging first became a part of the marketing scene, companies were hiring freelancers to write hundreds of articles using specific keywords X amount of times in each piece; no matter how awkward or clunky it made the text read. SEO was the game, and organizations were in a dash to win the battle. Search engines got smarter, buyers became blind to it, and now we’re presented with the need to pivot.
I’m not saying that inbound is dead, I’m a blogger, and social media fanatic; I definitely don’t believe that. However, I am absolutely arguing that inbound marketing alone is not enough for everyone, especially in a landscape where everyone on the Internet is sharing free information every single day.
Disruptive Marketing Is Alive and Well
While I agree that there are antiquated practices that just need to die already; some disruptive sales & marketing tactics still have an extremely relevant place in communications strategy. Each industry is different but here are a couple of examples where disruptive practices have literally moved me down the buyer’s journey and influenced my purchasing decisions.
- Mailers – When I moved to a new state and was totally unfamiliar with my surrounding doctors’ offices, physical mailers introduced me to my now primary care doctor, and my dentist. There are a hundred holes that can be poked in sending physical mailers, and it’s super difficult to prove ROI, but if you can segment your lists strategically, then this could be effective (ex. new residents who are likely to be looking for new service providers, etc).
- Surveys – Inviting prospects (net new and up-sell) to participate in a survey is a great way to gain intel on the climate of your desired audience’s wants and needs. I’ve had success with offering a cool tech gadget to the “winner” of the survey (which diminishes the annoyance of being disrupted), but that could be because I’m in the technology industry. Think about your prospects and what would be enticing to them. Offer a prize that is tantalizing (and not necessarily branded).
- Personalized Emails – I don’t ever read irrelevant emails from people who “know I’m a busy woman” or are “not sure if I’m the right person to contact”. Emails that are obviously just en masse with a personalization token for my first name and company name earn an automatic delete. But if someone has clearly done their research and is reaching out to offer me a specific opportunity that’s directly related to my responsibilities at work then I’m likely to actually read it.
- Referrals – The fastest way for a company or an individual sales rep to gain my trust is through a referral from someone I already trust. Believe it or not, trust can be transferrable in the right situations. If you have a network of people and you’re comfortable opening up this dialogue, then it’s going to shorten the sales cycle to ask for referrals to strategic accounts or people. It’s disruptive to unexpectedly call someone, but if you’re calling with a referral from someone that they know and trust then the conversation is already warmed up.
Assessing Your Future Marketing Plan
I’ve come to terms with the fact that my marketing practice is going to be in a perpetual state of evolution. There’s no bulletproof answer for all communication strategies. As long as the Internet is around and humans have free will, we will have to continue to develop professionally.
Get comfortable with discomfort. What I mean is that becoming “set in your ways” and complacent is a death wish in modern marketing. Strategies will come in and out of style & effectiveness just like the fanny pack (I really didn’t see that and scrunchies coming back but here we are!)
Use data to guide your campaigns. Always assess everything. Test out your different practices. Learn and move forward.
Data is great for what’s happening right now, but don’t get stuck dwelling in the past (for better or worse). Check in frequently and keep it moving.
But on top of your digital campaigns, I strongly believe in the need for personal connections. This is why I’m such an advocate for social marketing, and I don’t exclusively mean social media. I think all of the following are necessary pieces to any marketing strategy:
- User groups
- Networking/educational regional summits
- Larger conference events
- Private customer appreciation dining opportunities
- Face to face customer success visits
- Customer service calls (phone or in-person)
I don’t know about you, but I crave human connection. I’m thrilled to be out and about connecting with other professionals and bonding genuinely. Sending a disengaged brand rep to sit on his or her computer/phone behind a table in a booth at a national conference is NOT what Im talking about. I’m saying real, authentic, live engagement opportunities.
Trust is built through a combination of perceived online authority, and real life reputation.
I hope this helped!
nichelle brooke 