Marketing Awareness Archives

3 Tips for Better TikTok Marketing

by Jack Smith | Mar 20, 2023 | Market Research, Marketing, Marketing Awareness, Marketing Campaigns, TikTok Marketing

New years always bring new trends and best practices to make a bigger impact with your marketing. This year, TikTok is the newer platform on the block that has marketers’ creative juices flowing.

The platform is constantly evolving with new functionalities and brand-boosting capabilities, which makes it an exciting frontier full of new opportunities.

Here are three smart ways to use TikTok for marketing in 2023.

1. Find your TikTok audience.

With more than a billion users TikTok has a lot to offer in terms of views. But unless you have a well-defined target audience, it’s going to be difficult to create the right content for the right people. Use factors like age, geographic location, behavioral demographics, and buying behaviors to hone in on your core audience most likely to buy your products.

2. Stay ahead of TikTok trends.

To stay relevant on TikTok, you have to be able to not only participate in big trends when they occur but also anticipate what’s on deck. Follow influencers and competitors in your field to see what’s gaining steam, and utilize various social media tools to see what topics and hashtags are trending even before they really hit it big.

3. Link up with TikTok influencers.

Authenticity is key for successful influencer marketing, and no one does authenticity better than the viral TikTok creators known as influencers. They are highly relatable to their audiences; therefore the audiences trust their content. Do some back-end research to put together a list of influencers who align with your brand, your audience, and what you’re selling; then reach out and start creating some killer collaborations.

Need more TikTok marketing support? Get in touch.

3 Ways to Master Personalized Marketing

by Jack Smith | Mar 7, 2023 | Marketing, Marketing Awareness, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

Personalizing your marketing is a fantastic way to make more effective connections with prospects, leads and customers. It’s also an integral part of any modern marketing strategy, since research has proven time and time again that people are more likely to respond to personalized messages versus obvious mass emails.

Here’s why personalization works, plus three tips to make it work for you.

The Power of Personalized Marketing

Personalization is key for driving long-term engagement with current and prospective customers. It gives you an opportunity to provide email recipients with content and recommendations that you know will appeal to them, rather than throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks.

For example, if you know which products your audience has engaged with, then you can personalize content that speaks directly to the customer.

Need more convincing? A whopping 90% of U.S. consumers find personalized marketing appealing, and are more likely to make a purchase with a personalized experience.

3 Personalized Marketing Tips

You know the why, but what about the how? Use these tips to master personalized marketing and turn it into more sales.

Look to your data – It’s hard to overstate just how crucial your data is for personalizing communications with your audience. Use both demographic and behavioral data in your efforts, and put out regular campaigns dedicated to keeping this information up to date.
Bring the human element – Be conversational, friendly and empathetic in your messaging. While you’re at it, address all messages to the recipient’s actual name and sign off all emails from a real person with real contact information.
Segment your audience – Different people have different needs and challenges based on where they are in the buyer’s journey. Keep these nuances in mind as you fine tune your marketing, using segmented lists to approach the right leads with the right content at the right time.

Want to know more? Get in touch and let’s talk.

What’s New in B2B Marketing

by Jack Smith | Feb 22, 2023 | Digital Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Awareness, Marketing Campaigns

Younger and more diverse buyers are coming to the forefront — and so are their expectations. And if you haven’t already, it’s time to adapt and make sure you’re accounting for this key shift in your target audience.

Here are four B2B marketing trends to help get you started, all of which are geared toward this new group of buyers.

1. Using a More B2C Approach

There’s long been a distinct difference between B2C and B2B marketing. But lately the lines are blurring, and buyers have many of the same expectations out of a B2B campaign as they do out of a B2C one. To adapt, you’ll need to take on a more B2C approach, including things like interactive experiences and the promotion of user-generated content.

2. Identity-Based Ad Targeting

Moving forward, you’ll need to get creative with your use of analytics, especially as it applies to defining your core customers. Think beyond base-level demographics and use data to better understand who your customers are inside and outside their profession — you can use what you learn to better target your ads and content.

3. Improved Martech Usage

Many B2B marketers have invested in marketing technology (martech) tools in recent years, but not everyone has put them to optimal use. As you look ahead, ensure that not only your budget but your entire tech stack is aligned with your martech approach, particularly when it comes to integration with data- and customer-driven applications.

4. Wider Appeal

One way younger generations are changing the B2B marketing game is by bringing more people in on the decision-making process. That means you’ll need to be able to prove your worth to a wider range of individuals — and provide everyone in the process with a personalized pitch that appeals to their unique pain points.

Need help adjusting your strategy? Let’s talk.

Make the Most of Your Downtime

by Jack Smith | Jan 16, 2023 | Digital Marketing, Market Research, Marketing, Marketing Awareness

January and February might seem slow compared to the nonstop frenzy of the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean you should curtail your marketing efforts.

Instead, it’s the perfect time to set new goals, take stock of what’s been working, and indulge in a little more creativity.

Here are four tips for post-holiday marketing strategies and ideas:

1. Think Ahead

Whether you already have a marketing plan for the new year or you’re just getting started, now is a great time to consider your long-term objectives for 2023. Keep in mind things you’d like to do differently (and the same) as last year, then let those be your guide as you come up with strategies and ideas for the months ahead.

2. Pick Out Past Winners

If you’re stuck on what to do, some old favorites could lead the way. Dive into your data to see what’s been working with your audience, then use the same format with a timely topic. For example, if you had a ton of success with user-generated content during the holidays, keep it going with a new theme. This could be a great time to exercise a little more creativity, too.

3. Give Your SEO Some TLC

SEO often falls by the wayside during the holidays in favor of promotions and social media engagement. You can ramp it back up in the new year — put some effort into getting new content out there and update any old content that isn’t performing as well as you’d like it to.

4. Remarket and Retarget

Holiday marketing usually leads to a lot of interest in a company’s products or services, but it doesn’t all turn into sales. Now that things have calmed down, look into remarketing and retargeting to the customers that didn’t pull the trigger and see if you can keep the relationship going.

Need more guidance? Get in touch.

5 Last-Minute Holiday Marketing Ideas

by Jack Smith | Nov 8, 2022 | Marketing, Marketing Awareness, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

The holidays have a way of creeping up on us but don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to catch up. We’re sharing five of our favorite last-minute holiday marketing tips, all tied up in a pretty bow and ready to help boost your seasonal sales.

Ready to start? Check out these simple, seasonal marketing ideas that you can add to your calendar right now.

#1: Create a Festive Gift Guide
Showcase your most present-worthy products in a gift guide. Share it via email and on your site, as well as on social media — it’s sure to give your customers some inspiration for their shopping list.

#2: Offer Free Shipping
With so much spending around the holidays, shoppers are looking to save money wherever possible. Offer and promote free shipping on your products to sweeten the deal and incentivize more purchases.

#3: Hold a Giveaway
Speaking of free stuff, the holidays are as good of an excuse as any to host a giveaway. Make it on theme, and use it as an opportunity to grow your email list while also garnering interest in your brand.

#4: Partner With an Influencer
Influencer marketing is a great way to make a big impact in a short time. Partner with an influencer who aligns with your brand and help them put together a holiday campaign featuring your product or service.

#5: Tack on a Free Gift With a Purchase
Since people are shopping anyway, why not give a little gift of your own by adding a free gift or sample(s) to their purchase? It’s a nice gesture, and it also helps with customer retention and loyalty.

The holidays will be here before you know it. For additional support with seasonal marketing, branding, and web development or SEO get in touch, and we can help.

Do’s and Don’ts of Recession Marketing

by Jack Smith | Jul 18, 2022 | Market Research, Marketing, Marketing Awareness

Should you slow down your marketing in a recession? Probably not.

Most experts agree that continuing to market is the best to stay on course during an economic downturn. And history shows us that it may even be advantageous to ramp up your efforts and spending.

So what’s the deal? Here are some simple do’s and don’ts for marketing during a recession, with quick tips for keeping up your brand’s presence regardless of economic circumstances.

Why Marketing in a Recession Matters

While it might seem like you should tone down your marketing when people have less to spend, it’s actually the opposite that’s true.

Most businesses that thrived during previous recessions had one big thing in common: They took action and focused on growth instead of cutbacks. Doing so can be essential for staying afloat. It also puts brands in a much better position when things level out again.

Recession Marketing Do’s and Don’ts

While there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all marketing if a recession hits, here are some general guidelines to help you weather the storm:

DO look at your competitors: If you notice them either taking a step back or aggressively ramping things up, that’s a sign that an economic shift is on its way.
DON’T keep the same messaging: A recession likely means a change in your customers’ objectives, budgets and sales journeys. Adjust your value proposition to represent these changes and stay in line with what your customers want and need.
DO deliver more value: Delivering more real and perceived value is important for showing customers that you’re worth making room in their budget for.
DON’T worry as much about acquisition: Retention and activation are where it’s at during a recession. Worry less about marketing toward new customers and more about engaging with current ones and offering them an exceptional experience.

Need help preparing for the future? Get in touch and let’s chat.

3 Tips for Better TikTok Marketing

3 Ways to Master Personalized Marketing

What’s New in B2B Marketing

Make the Most of Your Downtime

5 Last-Minute Holiday Marketing Ideas

Do’s and Don’ts of Recession Marketing

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