The Blog

Take direct response advertising out of the equation to truly meet the needs of your customers.   

We’ve all been there. Busy scrolling through photos of dog antics and giant sandwiches, when all of a sudden you’ve signed up for a free twelve week shred plan and are being bombarded with emails about joining a fitter, stronger community. You might open the first email, curious about the authenticity of said brand’s content, but soon you realise they know nothing about you, or your health goals.  

This is exactly why direct response advertising is damaging your social media strategy and doesn’t make good business sense. Fast and hard conversions can become tiring and transparent to the consumer. Everyone wants to feel unique and understood, it’s a basic human instinct. Marketing to the masses in this way can feel intrusive and uncomfortable, and your reputation could be at stake.  

Our client journey starts with the client. And funnily enough it ends with the client too. Simultaneously we are cultivating our relationship, and their product awareness. Use this three-step social media strategy to generate real content that speaks to your audience without needlessly capitalising on their data.  

Step 1: Plan the route. 

It’s important to be able to anticipate where you want to lead your consumers. Mapping out their buying process is crucial to small business marketing. Make it as personal and as seamless as possible, and ask yourself: What exactly is it that you want them to do? Interact with your service? Follow you? Buy a product? Recommend a product? 

Once you understand where you are navigating consumers, your delivery can be fit for purpose. Analyse their engagement habits to create the kind of social media content they actually want to see.  

Step 2: Produce high-quality content. 

First think about the social media platform you are utilising. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn, a snappy video, current news item, blog post or infographic, can be a great way to get feet through the door. Catchy and informative copywriting, clear visuals and emotional topics can not only drive traffic to your site, but build a true picture of your brand and ethos.  

Small business marketing relies on relevance. So make sure you are using SEO keywords, and remember where the client is standing. Don’t sell them an automated sprinkler system if they don’t have a garden.  

And this is where the next step comes in…. 

Step 3: Mobilisation. 

Its time to see that digital marketing strategy in action. Take all of the users that have engaged with your initial post. You have effectively managed to catch the eye, they are now prospective buyers. The aim is to keep them active by delivering more relevant material. Promote user-generated content, images or hashtags, whatever they need to take that next step. This will improve your social media ROI because you are continually influencing consumers beyond their point of entry.  

Some may have stumbled across your blog via a friend, or by accident, some may have heard of your products through online reviews, but it takes several touches for the client to be “sales ready”. Six to eight statistically. Optimise your small business strategy, by respecting each touch point as if it were the first.  

So, stop flooding feeds with freebies, and start listening to your customers. Free, non-invasive digital marketing at it’s finest.