Smart Marketing in a World Gone Virtual

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Marketing has not escaped the reach of the pandemic. The way that companies market to leads and existing customers has changed in significant ways. While moving many aspects of business online for many years, it’s no longer optional. It’s an absolute necessity. Technology has become a critical tool for marketing efforts, even as it presents its own set of challenges.

Businesses must figure out how to fill the gap left by canceled in-person events. Historically, conferences and trade shows offered an ideal venue for marketers to engage prospects through face-to-face interactions and incorporating tangible materials that leads could touch. The booth alone was sometimes enough to make attendees stop and pay attention.

In-person events will have their heyday again; it is inevitable given how irreplaceable face-to-face interaction is not just to business, but to social interaction. In the meantime, how can organizations find other ways to engage prospects and existing customers?

Offer Gated Content

The concept of giving people something in exchange for providing their contact information is not new. Gated content has been around for several years. However, driving interest in gated content now requires stepping up the value of the content awarded in the exchange.

White papers and e-books are viable options. Still, it is essential for each business to solicit feedback from its target audience to figure out what kind of collateral they really want. Desired content can vary from industry to industry and companies need to ensure they are appealing to these specific tastes. One way to do this is by obtaining information from current customers and social media followers to respond to a survey. Gather this information and through social listening, compare it to what your competitors are providing and fill the voids they aren’t or make your content even better!

Strengthen Calls-to-Action

Absent the chance to get up-close-and-personal with prospects, marketers must find an alternative way to reel them in. There is a reason why some leads never convert despite feeling like the product or service offers value. Imagine if they come across a competitor who provides a similar product or service, and the competitor leads the prospect with a strong call-to-action. In that case, chances are high the lead will choose them.

Calls-to-action (CTAs) should be powerful, bold, and simple. This is not the place for the copywriter or web designer to indulge in flowery prose or flex their creative muscles. Instead, the language should be simple, and the CTA should be concise. More than three words are edging toward excessive and risk losing the prospect’s attention. Additionally, the value gained from following the CTA should be clear.

Pro Tip – What’s one of the biggest obstacles with CTAs? Believe it or not, it’s sales follow-up. If people are clicking you need to pay attention to what’s happening beyond that click. And if it’s generating a lead, salespeople need to be ready to act immediately! The difference between winning a customer and losing one to a competitor can literally be as simple as salespeople delaying in follow-up and not being able to qualify and quantify the quality of the lead before, they make contact.

Leverage Social Media

While the opportunities to socialize face-to-face may be currently limited, that does not mean marketers cannot socialize with prospects in other ways. Social media may seem like it isn’t an ideal platform for doing so, but it is more popular than ever for making connections and providing interaction. With people spending more time at home, time spent on social media channels has increased significantly.

Companies can take advantage of this trend by posting content that captures the attention of target audiences and encourages them to interact with the brand. Examples include videos and polls. The content does not have to be advanced, fancy or cost a fortune. Instead, it should invite participation and in doing so, engage leads and entice them to act.

It is also imperative, now more than ever, for brands to answer questions and respond to comments. Whether it’s praise or complaint, brands need to be more than passive with their audiences. They need to engage and/or act. The world is watching and there are more eyes than ever before on what people are discussing and how companies handle complaints, as well as how wonderful products, services and brands can be. Prospects will take note of how companies respond to these situations and conclude, based on the interactions, what kind of customer service the business provides. In some cases, these interactions may conflict with a company’s mission or social good, which can be costly.

The virtual direction in which the world is heading may offer new marketing challenges, but organizations can capitalize on the exciting opportunities that accompany these challenges. Going the extra mile in their marketing efforts will take their business far.

Uncertain times call for creative thinking. Contact Gavel International to be inspired with solutions that connect and engage your people.

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Eloisa Mendez

With over 25 years of experience in the meetings and event industry, Eloisa has worked closely with a variety of clients on events ranging from small incentive trips to large corporate meetings. While growing her career at Gavel International, Eloisa has managed all aspects of the event lifecycle, including site selection, creative materials, attendee registration, rooming list and transportation management, entertainment bookings, as well as website development. Eloisa was progressively promoted in recognition of her meeting management expertise, professionalism, and genuine passion for driving improvements within overall event operations. She was recognized as the 2000 Employee of the Year and is currently the General Manager for Gavel International.