Awareness: The Underrated Key to Connecting with Customers
April 13, 2021
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We’re already well into January 2021, and the world of business and marketing is growing at such a rapid pace.
Rather than list out the latest strategies I think you should be focusing on this year, I wanted to share 5 key reminders about what makes great digital marketing work.
Each of these is a reminder to keep at the top of your mind when creating campaigns or content this year.
They’re fundamental lessons about how to get the most out of your marketing efforts in 2021.
There is no denying that in 2021 the online world is noisier than ever.
With an endless list of platforms, apps and content at our fingertips, it’s more important than ever to stand out and grasp the attention of your customers.
The first reminder I want you to keep in mind is that as entrepreneurs and marketers, we’re all competing for the attention of our target audience.
You’re competing against every other option out there that could hook their attention and pull it away from your content or marketing.
Plus, each of us is more talented than ever at filtering out things that annoy us, frustrate us or don’t keep us interested.
Your job in 2021 is to fight for that attention, without destroying your own brand or reputation.
It isn’t enough to just create a video or PR stunt that shocks the world. This may very well be attention, but it isn’t lasting attention that builds your brand.
You need to attract your customers by hooking their attention through relevant content and marketing messages that either captivate them, interest them, or show them something useful.
It’s true that it’s harder than ever to grasp the attention of your customers. However, it’s also never been easier than ever to reach so many people around the world through the internet.
Your goal this year is to capture the attention of the right set of people, and become one of the most important businesses when they think of your industry.
These days, it’s no longer enough to blast an advertisement or commercial out to the world and sit back while customers start contacting you.
Why? Because ads like those simply add no real value to your customers.
Nobody wants to sit and read about why your company is the best, unless it somehow is valuable to them at that time.
So, you need to reframe your marketing. You need to hook their attention and attract them to your business by creating content they actually care about.
Content marketing that provides some sort of value to your ideal customers will make you worth following and listening to online.
Typically, content that offers value can be broken down into 3 categories. Content that entertains, content that educates, and content that is personal.
Read more about creating valuable content in our blog post on Content Marketing.
I’ve talked about how important it is to attract your dream customers by hooking their attention with valuable content.
However, none of that is worth your time and effort if you don’t post it across the right channels for your business.
With new apps, platforms and websites popping up everyday, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to decide where you should be posting.
Your goal is to get the best results for your business, and this is done by picking marketing channels and strategies that will reach your dream customers.
You need to deeply understand who your customers are, and what websites they visit, communities they congregate or social media platforms they use.
If you’re feeling stuck, first look into the demographics and psychographics of different channels and if they match your customers.
If your business is aimed at teens to young adults, you’re likely to get better engagement posting and targeting them on channels that a majority of that group use – such as Instagram or TikTok.
Compare that with an older audience, for example people over the age of 50. Although older people may very well use Instagram or TikTok, you may get better results on a platform like Facebook that an older audience still uses.
Keeping that all in mind, you also need to remember that in 2021, you should be watching which channels are working for your business.
It’s important to remember that the marketing strategies that worked yesterday, may not be the same ones that work for your business tomorrow.
If we look back 20 years ago, many companies relied on television to drive revenue. However, over time many of those same companies have had to adapt to digital strategies.
Those that didn’t and never watched the world changing around them were left in the dust.
As mentioned earlier, new platforms are popping up at an increasing rate these days. This means you should be staying alert for what strategies are emerging that may help to reach your customers.
Don’t be afraid to test new strategies or channels if you have the freedom to do so, and measure what sort of results you get.
The same can be said about any channels or strategies you’re currently using. Don’t just blindly use them because you’ve been comfortable with them.
If a strategy or channel is no longer serving its purpose, and helping you generate engagement, traffic or sales to your business, you need to adapt.
Finally, one of the most important reminders I like to highlight with our clients is that marketing is all about helping others solve their problems.
Marketing can be described as many things. Loud. Exciting. Unique. Creative. Annoying.
However, great marketing should always come back to the fundamental idea that we’re helping our dream customers solve their very own problems.
When you look at your business and how you help people, remember that you’re likely helping those customers achieve a better life for themselves in some way.
The local butcher helps his customers craft delicious home cooked meals, by offering them the very best cuts of meat he can find.
The home builder helps his customers create a lifetime of memories and fun, by developing them their dream home to live in for years to come.
The online fashion company helps their customers express themselves and feel confident, by offering them a range of trendy items that fit their style.
Each of us as marketers and entrepreneurs helps other people solve particular problems they’re facing in their lives.
When you tap in and view your marketing through the lens of helping other people solve their problems or achieve the outcomes they want in life, that’s where you do your best work.
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