Marketing has always evolved – the foundation and objectives are the same, but the tools we use to achieve those goals will forever change to adapt to the way consumers expect to find information. Never discount the power of your potential clients. They create the trends, alter the expectations and demand the course we follow utilizing the tools that promote awareness for what we do.
The point of this article is that tools change, but concepts remain the same. Marketing is necessary for all businesses to succeed, but the tools have evolved drastically over time. We moved from yellow pages, to radio, to print, to social media, to google…using the same business marketing strategy.
exploration of a new beginning
When Blue Zenith Design + Strategy was born in early 2009, Facebook had just come onto the scene two years prior. Social media became a new star, the brand new vehicle for business owners to get to know their consumers, build a following, market and grow their fans. Not all businesses were on-board with this huge shift. It was a learning curve for business owners that weren’t comfortable within the technology realm. In some cases, businesses didn’t need to have a digital presence. Those businesses had operated without a website for many years, some more than 10 years.
Now that option became no longer doable, and with the trend of social media, with the wave of excitement over this new era we were all exploring, it became apparent that websites and web design WAS the future and all the traditional marketing methods were losing traction. New tools were created, new paths forged, and this was a giant step for the small businesses of the world. You see, with the power of social media, came tools that leveled the playing field for small businesses. We could showcase our businesses, build a following of fans, and utilize tools that extended our reach beyond traditional marketing tools. It opened doors offering clever ways to draw attention to our businesses, and introduce us personally to the world.
celebrating YOU
In 2007, the Time magazine person of the year was announced as YOU. The power of user generated content, from the social networks, to YouTube, to the forums and bulletin boards – we posted questions and received answers from invisible people. New online platforms were created. From StackOverflow, to the rise of social media and video, to innovative ways we engaged. The Year of YOU created a powerful moment that everyone clung to – we each had the ability to share in this new world that had just invited us in through clever online social tools.
delight your online visitors
With the wider spread of content curation new methods were designed to surprise and delight our online visitors. Each new tool created another easier, stronger way to engage our audience. From Shopify, BigCommerce, to All Pro Web Tools, online vehicles began to offer ecommerce solutions to the small business world. Kajabi and other online membership and course platforms provided us with the technology to engage our clients and grow our business. Entrepreneurs now have more efficient tools that allow them to setup shop online, highlight their products, and promote their business through online courses. The way we engage our public has moved into a cloud based world, to utilize the tools that allow us to expand our reach.
the bridge to technology
Digital tools enhance the lives of our customers as websites shifted to an interactive platform. They’ve become a vehicle to watch video, to sign up for “free stuff”, to learn about your industry, your website is the resource that you make it to be. By understanding the power of your digital marketing, you can point back to your website for simple business operations. From surveys, polls, signing up for an appointment with you, viewing your event calendar, downloading a speaker sheet, there are so many entertaining ways that your website can become a tool to enhance your business.
Blue Zenith Design + Strategy keeps up to date with innovative trends, we understand the digital tools necessary to help automate the small things you need. It might be that your business requires multiple CRM’s, needs help with email newsletter services to marketing automation tools, such as calendar and scheduling tools. We can help you understand the options for digital online membership models, to evaluating the tools that makes the most sense for your business operation. It’s our belief that each business has its own model, and its own goals and objectives. Through our understanding of YOUR objectives and our unique technical knowledge we can be the bridge to deliver the exact technology to your website to create the workflows, the resources, and the automation that elevates your digital marketing to a business resource that helps your clients choose to work with you. The future outlook grows brighter by the day for every entrepreneur with the never-ending unveiling of new tools that offer opportunities and unique situations to engage our audiences.
enhance your digital presence
1. Have you considered ways to grow your business within a virtual world?
2. Do you utilize a social media content strategy to grow awareness of your business and extend your reach?
3. Think of yourself as a publisher. Consider publishing content to highlight your expertise in your chosen industry that showcases a unique voice and perspective.
Make 2019 the year you choose to bring more automation and technology into your digital website. What can you do to enhance your digital presence? Think about the tools at your disposal, from blogging, to content strategy, to offering products/workshops/webinars online that can enhance and grow your awareness. If you think it – I’m sure it’s possible to find tools to create it.
What can you do this year to really grow your business and expertise digitally?