Marketing is Changing - Right Before Our Eyes!

Yet another fine example of how things change. The NY Times had a great article in the weekend edition called Don’t Call Me, I Won’t Call You that addresses an everyday activity that we all take for granted - using the telephone.

We have blogged many times in the last few years that the consumer has changed the way they buy, and marketers have not yet changed the way they sell. Problem is - like our changing phone habits - it is a subtle change that happens right before our eyes, but our memory - our experience - has us believe it is still the same. Suddenly, as a user or consumer, we notice the change. We notice we do not use the phone as much, and we notice that we are online with our smartphones, ipads and computers for more hours per day than ever before.

Yet it is worse for marketers. Most of us operate on the basis of doing what we did last year and improve on it. We seldom view our marketing planning as a clean slate - a zero-based planning opportunity. The status quo is the enemy of good marketers.

We believe we are in a transition period. The zealots who believe marketers should give up all traditional media in favour of online efforts like social media and emarketing are as crazy as the old style marketers who stick closely to what has always worked. The marketer must always follow the consumer trend. They do not create the trend, they just tap into it. A good marketer has their finger on the pulse of their ideal buyer and they reach them in the most cost effective manner.

So back to my transition comment. As a consumer we have changed the way we buy. We use the Internet to do our homework so we are educated about what we are buying. We can even buy now without leaving the couch. Once we decide what to buy we can go online and see what others are saying about that specific model. But old habits die hard with consumers as well, so there are many who still count on TV or newspapers for their news and entertainment. There are many who still listen to their favorite radio stations in the car. And we certainly cannot ignore those obnoxious outdoor billboards and transit shelters. Fact is, these mediums still reach people. They still work. As a marketer and a businessman, my problem is the same as it has always been: I cannot measure the results I receive vs the investment I make. That single issue built media empires around the world. The not knowing was a key part of the business plan for media companies. It allowed them to put a spin that showed advertisers how many people they were reaching - not what is it doing for your business. So what is a marketer to do?

Strike a balance. Try the new media. Blend it with the old. Test. Test. Test. And always track what you can - not number of people reached, but number of products sold as a direct result.

And remember, advertising your brand is still critical. We have conducted a lot of campaigns with strong brands and with unknown names and there is no question: strong, familiar brands have a significant edge online. I will address that in more detail in future blogs.