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Having a “Build it and They Will Come” mentality does not work anymore. Remember the famous line in the movie, “Field of Dreams”?
Many people associate this technique with their website, but a case could be made for the app you just created or the social media platforms you are just getting on. In addition, many people use this mentality when looking at content marketing. The more content written, the more people will see it and respond.
Today it is all about availability, consistency and exposure.
Availability – Today, people want 24×7 access to your site, for information, access to your products and services. Email is not going away soon. People will try and get a hold of you when it is convenient for them. Setting specific hours like 9-5.00pm used to be the norm, but with the internet, people want to be able to solve an issue they have at the time they are accessing their laptops, smartphones or tablets.
Consistency – Companies need to strive for consistency. This is very hard. Processes need to be looked at continually to insure quality and prompt service. Client service staff need to know what is happening on the floor to effectively communicate with clients. Deliveries of goods and services need to be delivered and sold on time with the highest quality.
Exposure – Building a website is one step in the process. Maintaining it, updating it and sharing information about it are much more important today. Search engines are changing, people’s search habits and attention spans are changing. Information is being produced all the time. How can you create awareness for your brand and its products and services.
Your Job as a Marketer
Build it, Share it and Promote it – These ideas must be a part of your marketing plan going into 2015. Each area requires time and resources. If you can find a way to perform these three tasks with the ideas mentioned above, you will get people talking and you will see results.
Does This Approach Really Work?
The answer is emphatically, “YES” – Marketing is about the whole experience. We create our own news story. It is not a wait and see approach. Everyday, we need to listen to our clients and be available to them. We need to look at marketing as a huge set of opportunities to listen, serve and show our clients the value they can receive from us.
If you are still wondering if this approach works, here is how it has helped my company. If you empower your client service staff to answer questions during normal business hours and outside of normal hours you will see results. If you work at building your reputation online by incorporating content marketing, social media and traditional marketing you will see results like similar to this:
- New Accounts: Average of 9-10 per day
- Increased Inquiries Online: 10- 15 per day, 500-700 calls per week
- More sales from current clients
Remember to build out some new ideas by not only building, but also sharing and sharing some more. Building is “old school”. Sharing and creating on a daily basis is where the action and results are.
photo credit: leyla.a via photopin cc
