Marketing is an important function of any business in any industry. It’s what helps establish a brand, bring new customers, and prove the value that your products can provide. A strong marketing program can take you to the next level and ensure that you're capitalizing on opportunities. However, marketing has changed drastically over the years.
While traditional marketing is done using print ads, radio and television commercials and billboards, today’s modern marketing world is primarily digital (yes, even in building materials.) With the rise of the internet and increased reliance on technology, customers from end consumers to architects will turn to Google long before they call a salesperson. In order to keep up and make your marketing program more successful, embracing new ideas is key. Keep reading to see 5 ways in which you can transform your marketing program and achieve your marketing goals more effectively.
1. Use a CRM
A CRM, or customer relationship management platform, is a business technology that tracks all of the communication and relationships that your business has with customers. Rather than manually trying to track each interaction that you have with every customer, the software will create a record of each touchpoint.
A CRM is a great tool for helping companies stay in touch with customers and avoid letting anything slip through the cracks, and it is essential to a successful digital marketing strategy. It saves time and allows you to build stronger relationships with customers through marketing - let alone the benefits it can bring to your sales and customer service teams. A CRM often becomes the core of customer-facing business processes and is a worthwhile investment to bring into the company.
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2. Focus on the Customer
Many traditional methods of marketing involve getting a general message in front of as large of an audience as possible. The theory is that if enough people see a message, a percentage of them will take action and become leads. However, newer methods of marketing, like inbound marketing, are changing the ways in which businesses interact with customers.
Rather than trying to get in front of customers, inbound marketing focuses on creating content and materials that customers find interesting and bringing them into your business of their own accord. This can help avoid any negative feelings towards your brand from invasive messaging and ensure that the leads you do bring in are invested in your brand, products, and services.
Resources:
- What is Inbound Marketing? By HubSpot
- Why Your Brand Needs a Customer Focused Strategy by Brandfolder
3. Update Your Website
Your website is the core of your lead generation. Websites help your ideal customers find you, learn more about your offerings and help them decide if they want to buy. However, while many businesses might understand that having a website is important, they might not know the best ways to optimize and improve their site.
Without a successful website, your customers might have a frustrating experience when trying to learn more about your brand and your products. Websites should load quickly, have good information, and streamline the path from lead to customer. Taking the time to examine your website and find room for improvement can go a long way in making your customers happy.
Resources:
- 7 Tips for Building a Better Building Materials Website [INFOGRAPHIC] by ODL
- Six Important Reasons to Redesign Your Website by Forbes
4. Invest in Paid Digital Advertising
Advertising has value in both traditional and inbound marketing tactics. However, where ads should be placed to get the best results has changed over time. While traditionally print advertising has been a popular channel for marketers, online platforms are much more successful and trackable in today’s business world.
Customers in all industries spend a significant portion of their time online, on personal accounts if not for work reasons, so advertising on social media platforms, websites, and streaming content can be an incredibly valuable investment for businesses. Your digital ads can direct customers to specific pages on your website so that they can learn about your offering or make a purchase.
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5. Leverage Customer Testimonials
Word of mouth is an incredibly powerful marketing tool. When a potential customer can see a review from a happy or loyal customer, they tend to trust the business more and are more interested in moving forward and learning about your brand. Unfortunately, many businesses aren’t sure how they can best leverage their customer testimonials or reviews.
One of the biggest hurdles to leveraging testimonials is gathering them in the first place. Creating campaigns to get more customers to leave a review or testimonial can help you get more content to use in generating new leads. Sending out surveys or links to review platforms after a customer makes a purchase can encourage them to leave a review when they are at their happiest.
Resources:
- 5 easy ways to use customer testimonials by Qualtrics
- Customer Testimonials: 9 Content Strategies for Success by Content Marketing Institute
Grow Your Business with ODL
At ODL, we believe in doing all we can to help our customers grow your businesses and create marketing programs that can ensure you meet your marketing goals. In order to help, we have put together resources and tools that can help you market all of your products better and make the buying experience for your customers great.
