Don’t ignore one of the most important components of digital marketing strategy
During your last digital marketing strategy meeting, how many times did you mention words like investment, social media, tools, resources and channels? How about “people”?
You know you need people to execute your strategy, but we challenge you to take it to the next level. People should be one of your core assets when it comes to marketing; not simply workers who punch a clock.
So, how do people take marketing strategy to the next level?
Creativity
Think about your marketing team, as well as any external consultants who contribute to your projects. In a group of 10 people, you will discover 10 different combinations of personality, perspective and approach.
The most successful teams tap into those differences and encourage individuals to use their unique skills to innovate and create. Take time to step back from day-to-day, task-driven activities and give your team a chance to brainstorm and create. Get out of the office, if you need to, and find a place where creative ideas can flow.
Influence
Now, look outside this team of staffers and consultants. Who else can help carry your message with a new voice? Experts in your field, bloggers and journalists can be incredible resources. When you develop a relationship with these influencers, they can be inspired to share your message with their own networks.
In addition, look for ways to engage on a more personal level with happy customers. Ask your biggest fans for a testimonial (written or video), or encourage them to share a positive review. These stories from people who know your company well carry a lot of weight with potential customers.
Depth
Your current customers can also become a source of new marketing content. User-generated content can add a level of depth and interest to your mix. This type of content makes your product more relatable on a people level: Through customer content, potential customers can see how your product fits into their life.
A recent Skyword article illustrated how user-generated content can work for B2B companies as well as B2C:
“…if your B2B brand encourages its B2C clients to share content about how your product ties into what eventually reaches their customer, you now suddenly have some human interest.
Take, for instance, Adobe. Here we have a software giant that’s ever present in most creative fields. But when you go to their social pages or blog sites, you don’t find them primarily sharing images of people using their software or flaunting new feature releases—they’ve instead dedicated their platforms to promoting user-generated work (their Instagram page is basically one giant re-gram).
The UPS Store is another great example of this approach; they spend most of their time highlighting the cool projects or businesses that their customers create. Sure, I might not care too much about the specific craft or business supplies their customers bought at the store, but I care about what they create—and the UPS Store shows that they care too.”
Think about the people angle before you head into your next marketing meeting. Where are places you can tap into people resources, both internally and externally, to help tell your brand story?
Campfire Digital’s team of creative people can help you tell your story. We specialize in integrated digital marketing strategy. Contact us to learn more today.