THE BLOG

Tweaking the Marketing Mix – Brilliant Article and Worth a Read

It’s an ongoing challenge to stay on top of all of the new online trends and articles about reaching your audience. There is a lot of content out there on the web about building a business online, how to use Pinterest for business, gamification, etc Some of the ideas are valid, and some are not yet quantifiable for most businesses to take the next step.

I read an article tonight in the Globe and Mail that definitely stood apart from all of the other marketing clutter that passes through my field of vision – and honestly, if you are an entrepreneur, a marketing professional, in sales or just have a curious mind, this article is worth a read. 

It makes sense to me on so many different levels. There are three parts to the article:

1. Advertising is purely for brand awareness.

2. Online marketing is great, but have your praise-filled customers review you online.

3. Traditional marketing in the mix is still very effective, coupled with number 2.

I couldn’t agree more. When I first started getting into online marketing, I was in the mindset that it is the way of the future, and is the only way to go. But, I was so wrong. My excitement for this new medium to reach customers blinded my common sense. And after all, marketing is all about common sense. Its about experimenting, measuring, seeing where your customers hang out – they may hang out online, but not all of the time. Where are they… that’s for you to find out.

In my current role, I find transit advertising and radio helps the online tactics along. Someone may be listening to the radio at work, or travelling on a city bus contemplating life… the advertising piques their interest and they hop onto Google. Using AdWords is a good move, and of course, optimize SEO as much as possible so people will see both search results. People always look for reviews. It’s natural to want to share, get opinions and feedback.

As for online reviews, I’m still working on it. My department has hired an outside agency to help with this aspect. Bad reviews are inevitable to most businesses – people will write about the negative more than positive. Having online reviews to assist in your marketing makes sense. The best advice I have ever received about marketing is “It’s all about common sense”. It’s a good mantra to live by.