Marketing in 2016: One Size Fits All

It was only the 5th of January and I’d already read 100 expert ‘predictions’ for the world of marketing in 2016, when I got an email asking me to sit on a panel to review ‘Marketing your business in 2016’ to an audience of strangers. 

I said yes, of course, because you never know who will be in the audience, rapt with your intellect, insight and ideas, then engage your services and be delighted by that experience. But then I have to think about what I think a business ought to consider in respect of marketing in 2016. 

After reviewing the peer predictions, I came to the conclusion that having a ‘top 5 things you should consider / do’ is fundamentally ignorant of the ‘Immutable Laws of Marketing’ because ‘one size’ does not fit all. And it never should.

Most of the predictions I saw referred to ‘tools’ and why to use them: Live streaming video content, Data mining, Social Media, Email, CRM Technology, Storytelling, etc

All of which large businesses, with big budgets and big teams will already be aware of (or should be). What about businesses with no marketing department and very little budget? Especially ones that really do not want to spend a dollar more than they did last year).

My audience would be SMEs. Were the ‘experts’ ignoring small business?

Reading a lot of the ‘predictions’ was like watching a bunch of trainee teenage magicians at a village fair thinking they were David Copperfield on stage at the MGM Grand in Vegas.

“For my next trick a new shiny magic bullet [called Social Media].”

“Just add water and your Sea Monkey [Content Marketing Strategy] will come to life.”

Marketing in 2016 or Marketing communications in 2016

The tools / toys people praise and decry are 99% of the time useful only for Marketing Communications, or Promotional Activities. Not really ‘Marketing’ per se.

Marketing is not a tactical toy box. Marketing is a complex, sophisticated and effortful practice at the core of a business enterprise. Not something added later to ‘sell’. It is straightforward, but it is sometimes hard because it demands rigour, investment, patience, and tough decisions.

How can a professional advisor like me predict what to do for a brand unless they have audited the market, the category, the competition and the customer segments?

How can I relate or contextualize the right strategies unless I have the product life cycle, seasonality, stock levels, sales targets, or profitability?

What about the distribution channels and the pricing strategy?

How can I draw up recommended promotional tactical plans unless I know the size and scope of the potential ROI?

Then there’s the killer app itself: The product. Is it any good? Does it scratch an itch? What is your target segments usage and attitude to it? Are they even aware you exist?

Marketing in 2016: The Answer

On an expert panel or in a 100 word sound bite any answer to ‘how to market your business in 2016’ is going to be shallow unless it’s “Well, that depends.” Followed by the above questions, and more.

So on the panel (and in this article) I’m not going to give any predictions.

What I’m going to attempt to do is ask people to do the simple things well: Have a product or service that has an advantage over what is being used currently by a market segment (an advantage in value, not price) and tell them the truth about it’s proposition as single mindedly as you can. Use a tool / channel that you can measure, monitor and calculate the return. If you use more than one tool, or channel then integrate the message. But don’t add messages to a single execution. Adding less important points exponentially weakens the effectiveness of the one message (one word!) you want them to perceive.

Marketing effectively requires expertise, experience and effort. It requires business sense and creative problem solving. It is not easy.

Marketing: Hopes and Tears

Marketing: Hopes for 2016

Businesses will:

Peak behind the curtain: Look beyond the smoke and mirrors of ‘Content Marketing’ or ‘Social Media’ and see Oscar (Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise) Diggs, aka Oz.

Integrate: Co-ordinate all communications through one central agency and not multiple ‘specialists’ each vying for a share of the budget.

Use human psychology: Customers act for a finite number of reasons. To change behaviours businesses should utilise motivational techniques. Not rely on tools.

Value good graphic design: We are bombarded with thousands of ‘adverts’ a day. We absorb great aesthetics subconsciously because our brains are plastic. A great product can be ruined by poor perceptions created by cheap looks. Don’t scrimp.

Enhance Customer Experience: Once the doctrine only of businesses that engaged with people in real life, now pervades every business. This doesn’t just go for retail, leisure, or hospitality it goes for professional services, manufacturing, even how products are used. Experience is relative to the best. Contextually, if the experience you give is less than a ‘Disney Experience’ or a ‘Rolls Royce experience’ then it’s poor by comparison.

Remember the Over 50s: The largest audience segment with the most disposable income (and growing) is forgotten because there aren’t many Baby Boomers that still work in marketing communications. The bias caused by Gen X ‘leaders’ is towards Gen Y and younger in order entice new talent to the industry. It reflects the ego of the Gen Y and Millenial ‘producers’ for recognition by peers.

Exploit the original meaning of Engagement: ‘Social engagement’ does not equal sales (unless in person). Likes, Comments, Shares, UpVote, Favourite, Repin, Regram, Revine are signs of ‘attention’, but not much else. Actually speaking to customers, especially the complainers, is the most effective thing you can do to affect revenue.

Pursue transparency: Businesses that lie, cheat, avoid, divert, distract, rort etc. will be found out. In a Wikileaks world they will be found out, and destroyed. Look at VW.

Get Attention: The biggest and best brands in the world advertise on TV because nothing, but nothing, comes close to getting peoples attention in a world where attention is the currency of communications. To get attention you have to be single minded, and bold. Your audience live in an overwhelming soup of messages. Human nature is to be in the least effortful state. Changing habits and getting people to perceive differently, or act differently requires momentum and a snap. Grey work is not seen in the fog.

Marketing: Fears for 2016

 Businesses should not:

Commit the sin of social impropriety: If you use ‘social’ media, be social. Don’t sell, unless you’re paying for an ad. Then ‘Call To Act’ like hell. But don’t be cheap or sneaky.

Ignore ‘too hard’ metrics: Look at your Analytics, as regularly as you do you new investments in the stock market. Look for patterns, trends and problems. Create ‘Goals’. Measure return. Or pay someone to do it. A ‘Data Broker’.

Jump on a bandwagon too late: Do not be tempted to the next new thing, unless it is new. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, are now the establishment. If you’re on Blab or Snapchat and are playing, executing, mastering them great. If not hurry up. But don’t forget to master insights into the psychology of your audiences, nor the pros and cons of existing tools first.

Marketing effectively requires expertise, experience and effort. It requires business sense and creative problem solving. It is not easy.