The internet is probably at the top of my list as best technology invention ever. The smart phone comes in a close second. These two innovations, along with social media, are the three main catalysts for changing way people do things. I’m not just talking about the convenience factor here. What this technology trio has done is significantly reduce the tolerance for inauthenticity. Let me give you an example.
A couple of decades ago, when deciding to purchase a shirt, I could only rely on traditional advertising tactics like static print ads. In reality, the shirt might not be as great as it looked, but there was no way I could know that. But now, I can Google the shirt, from the comfort of my home, to get detailed information. I can even read other buyers’ reviews before I make my decision to purchase it. Within minutes, I can make a pretty accurate judgment about the product based on practical information and not just a pretty picture that a brand produced specifically to persuade me to buy.
The point is, businesses are no longer able to rely on traditional marketing to sell products and services to consumers. The days of using overly glossy advertisements as the primary tool to bring in sales are slowly waning. As those days pass, consumers’ tolerance for such tactics is also declining. Marketers need to adopt greater authenticity in their strategy.
The Insane Marketing Trap
Surely you’ve heard the cliché, “Repeating the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.” I find the saying resonates in the context of marketing to our audiences.
In the digital environment, continuing to deliver a mass offer that lacks any kind of personalization and still expecting a conversion to sales revenue is definitely the perfect example of marketing insanity. Audiences know it’s just a tick in a box. They know the organization/brand is not genuinely interested in providing products/ services that are of value to them. They know—and they are not buying it anymore.
If you are a marketer or a CX professional, you can most likely relate to this. Most of the time this happens not by choice, but because of limitations like budget, resources, and technology. Although it’s hard and can be quite costly, marketers need to embark on the journey of change in order succeed in today’s world. It all starts with one simple truth.
If You Won’t Buy It, Don’t Sell It
So what does this all mean? Let’s go back to the concept of authenticity for a minute. If we as marketers get back to the basics, marketing is simply the art of communicating the value of products/services. Creativity offers limitless ways to convey your message, but be careful not to let that creativity obscure the true value of the product/service. This is a trap that many marketers experience, myself included.
It is therefore important to continue ensure authenticity is being fostered in your marketing strategy for it will not only save your corporation time and money, but it will also maintain and increase the integrity of your company’s brand promise. With this as the rule of thumb, the tactics and technology used to support your marketing strategy can only bring effective results. Remember: you are a consumer, too, and if the same strategies annoy you, that will also annoy your customers!
Take a Simple Step to Tap into the Power of Contextual Marketing
In order to demonstrate authentic marketing, you first need to deliver a relevant and personalized marketing message to each segment of your audience—this is contextual marketing.
Contextual marketing ensures that consumers get the most relevant offers, news and materials via the channels they prefer. Contextual marketing also means putting yourself in the shoes of your customers and, most of the time, doing so can be a good starting point.
However, according to a survey done by Forrester, only 54 percent of marketers have integrated their outbound process, which goes to show that for most organizations/brands, marketing is broken. How about yours?
