The main difference is everyone – including every business – has a megaphone. Are you using it?
By Roy Harryman
Social media, SEO, algorithms, analytics ...
Maybe you don’t know what all those words mean. And that’s OK. They’re concepts that represent how the ground of marketing has shifted under our feet in a matter of only a few years. Entire industries (direct mail, traditional media, brick and mortar retail) have been disrupted by the digital transformation.
Everything is different. Or is it?
Delivery methods have changed. There’s been a massive shift from analog (paper, mail, broadcast TV) to digital communications. But marketing, at its core, remains the same:
People still want to do business with those they like and trust.
Customers still want good service.
When consumers are pleased, they tell others.
Those “others” often become your customers, too.
Word of mouth still rules
Despite all the technological changes, the most effective advertising continues to be word of mouth. Every business owner I’ve spoken with confirms this is the case. Personal referrals are golden.
What’s different today is how customers share word of mouth about your business. Word of mouth used to mean literally that: one person audibly telling another about a reputable (or disreputable) business. This still happens. A lot. But the megaphone is much bigger now. Google, social media, the web, email and texting have made it possible for anyone to broadcast the good, bad and ugly about a business.
“The plus: If you do a great job, more people than ever will know. The negative: The occasional mess-up can get blown out of proportion. In addition, cranks and trolls who never visited your business can defame you. ”
But there’s nowhere to hide. We have to face the reality of the situation and make the most of it. It’s not going away.
Beyond word of mouth
Whether in yesteryear or today, businesses usually want publicity that amplifies word of mouth and casts a net beyond its reach. In the analog days, this meant convincing a journalist to write about you, paying the media to advertise for you or sending direct mail.
Although these options are still available (and are sometimes wise choices), businesses are no longer limited by them. Websites, podcasts, YouTube and blogging – just to name a few – connect you directly to consumers. Usually, there’s zero entry fee, or a minimal one, to establish a digital marketing presence. The gatekeepers of the media are still there, but their power and influence has waned. It’s worth repeating that these tactics can’t replace word of mouth, but can amplify it.
More marketing isn’t necessarily better marketing, whether it’s a newspaper ad or a promotion on Instagram. Better marketing starts with having a unique and compelling story to tell. A moribund business will still underwhelm, even if it spends gobs of money on promotion. An extraordinary business gets people in the door with minimal publicity: word just spreads. And when it adds marketing to the mix, the doors may get blown off.
Wouldn’t that be a great problem to have?
You’ve got a megaphone. So do your customers. It’s time to switch it on.
Roy Harryman is the principal of Roy Harryman Marketing Communications, a company that helps small businesses and non-profits make the most of their marketing megaphone.