Feature: Professional Services
Are you linked in or tuned out?
By Chris Lewis (pictured), Marketing Consultant
increasingly dependent on digital marketing activity. However, social media is not a cure all and it will not provide the quick fixes that brands scramble to find during difficult times without proper consideration. Reactionary social media campaigns will potentially do more harm than
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good without a comprehensive communications strategy required to deliver the brand objectives. This includes a substantial amount of thought being applied to be effective and avoid the type of panic posting that can damage your brand at a time when headwinds are already exacerbating any pre-existing weaknesses. A comprehensive marketing strategy ensures that all activities are
aligned, that all channels are pulling in the same direction and that the message you deliver is concise, well defined, credible, and consistent. Whether building a brand through strategic long term posting or
building your pipeline through tactical shorter term posting the objective remains the same – to sell your brand and its associated commodities – “Build the brand, to buy from the brand.”
What you post is a representation of your brand Social media posts are one of the more intimate and personal ways of engaging with your audience. They provide brands with the ability to reach them as a peer and it’s therefore imperative that you have a clear definition of what the communication is trying to accomplish. Who are you? Who are we talking too? what do you do? why should I care? Reactions are as important as the post itself. When a post is made, you
are committing to an ongoing engagement process that requires governance. Conversations need to be fostered and connections need to be nurtured. Likes, shares and comments should also be seen as endorsements of the brand you represent so be aware of what your activity is representing – your reactions convey to the public domain and network.
Talk to me and I will talk to you Make sure your posts are relevant to the channels you are using, avoid repetition and adapt to the unique characteristics of each platform. . Consider the response you wish to solicit and avoid “dead ends” for
increased engagement and reach. Your posts should offer your opinion, your interpretation, and your relevance to the topic at hand. Your audience want to know what you think, your relevance and your value – ultimately, what does that topic have to do you with you? Why should I connect your brand to that message?
OLD news is no news Audiences are motivated by the “here and now”. The instantaneous nature of posting means that social media is at the forefront of breaking news, emerging trends and reactions to the popular opinions of the day. What you post must respect this by being relevant, genuine and timely
and brands should avoid exploiting topics where a clear value proposition or position of credibility cannot be established – as this can leave your brand ruthlessly exposed as empty and irrelevant.
Selecting the right platform The prevalence of the digital marketing has been supported by multiple channels. Each platform has a unique set of opportunities and challenges which will ultimately determine where you choose to invest in and which style and content you apply within your social media strategy. Formal, informal, broad, focused, global or regional – the right message for the right audience in the right manner and in the right medium.
Same place, same time? Post frequency, as well as consistency of tone and style, is hugely important when building a network of brand advocates and engaged followers. Post
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content and frequency should be optimized to drive anticipation and engagement with content delivered in a regular, predictable frequency.
All roads lead to action Whether taking a strategic approach or especially a tactical approach, your content should deliver value through a clear call to action. Social media, because of its ability to interface with such sizeable and active audiences, will very often be the start of your sales funnel, therefore posts should be created as the first step of a longer engagement process.
“Sanity over vanity” It is imperative that brands define objectives, KPIs, and what success really looks like. Is it volume of followers or sales conversions that you’re trying to achieve? Applying sanity over vanity empowers a brand to focus on what really matters – driving and attracting audience metrics that are good for the books.
rom the current challenges and headwinds facing brands in 2020 from Covid-19 and new remote selling practices to post GDPR hangovers, brands have accelerated the migration to and are
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