Once upon a time,
marketing was easy. All advertisers had to do was present a product/service, explain its benefit to the customer, and create an appealing call to action. And while that’s still the core idea behind
marketing, times have changed! In today’s world of modern
marketing there are numerous angles to consider while you try to win the affection of consumers. There’s more competition, different
marketing mediums, and infinite different groups of people to appeal to.
Throwing ideas at the wall until something sticks may have worked in the past, but today, mastering marketing means understanding a few core principles. These modern
marketing concepts represent an understanding of marketing’s purpose, the psychology around it, and ways to effectively execute it. Let’s take a look at the 8 core tenants of modern marketing:
- Understand both sides of your message. Have a firm grasp on the idea you’re trying to communicate and make sure to look at it from someone else’s perspective, to make sure that idea is prevalent and clear.
- Know your audience. Who is your message for? Does it appeal to them? Will they find it as valuable as you believe it to be? Knowing who you’re speaking to and how to say what you’re trying to say means staying on-target with your marketing.
- Choose your delivery system. Pick the method that’s going to best get your point across. It could be a direct mail postcard or an email, a large-print banner or a sidewalk sign—it’s up to you to pick the right medium for your message.
- Give explicit direction. Ambiguous marketing receives ambiguous results. Never underestimate the importance of the call to action (CTA) and make sure you’re offering up a clear one for your audience, that specifically directs them to take action.
- Decide on the voice. What emotion are you trying to convey? Is your marketing message funny and witty or serious and somber? Is it authoritative or goofy? Getting behind a voice enhances the appeal of your message and helps it achieve cohesion.
- Timing is everything. Editorial calendars rule the land in the modern marketing world! Plan your content in advance, use the lead time to create engaging collateral and execute as planned when the time comes. Media may seem instant these days, but behind it is a huge degree of unseen planning.
- Track and quantify your efforts. Marketing is a constant improvement medium—meaning unless you’re getting better at it, you’re falling behind. Track as much data as you can from your efforts and use that information to become better at what you do. Whether it’s opens and click rates from an email or page views and time-on-page from a splash page, every ounce of data is important for growth.
- Try and try again. Taxes. And marketing. Things you can count on to never, ever stop. Your competition isn’t going to stop marketing or slow things down—neither should you. If you feel like you’re in a rut, don’t slow down: shift gears! Innovation comes from thinking outside the box. If something isn’t working, try something. Above all, don’t stop trying things altogether.
It’s no secret that the 8 tenants of modern marketing listed above can be strung together in a flow chart. After all, modern marketing is about creating something that’s palatable from conception to fruition.
If you’re struggling to create effective marketing messages or aren’t executing with the return you had hoped for, let AlphaGraphics help. We’re here to help you discover the secrets to modern marketing, one campaign at a time.