Here's an Idea that just might work.
Let's market our business or brand the way we did 20 years ago!
Turn off your computer (actually some of you may still have been using a word processor), lose the smartphone or at least your portable telephone (you know, the one with the curly lead going to a big battery) and now think how you are going to market your business!
Set your goals: Find out what you want to achieve and the goals you are working towards... You have got goals haven't you? Use your sales team to man the telephones and use your shop staff to chat with customers and help with their choices & just watch the money roll in!!! (ok, maybe not)
Advertise!! Broadcast news about your products or services and provide information through the media. Yes, that paper stuff that we used to read on the number 34 bus to work every morning. Answer customer questions and engage with your community, build that friendly relationship of trust and brand loyalty.
Give your customers satisfaction by being helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, caring and this will help you succeed.
Remember the 4 P's
Product, Place, Promotion, Participate
You already have a product, place and promotion/participation from your point of view. But do you have a feel for your audience's perspective? Does your product meet their wants and needs? Does your audience find the place where your product is offered convenient? Finally, are your promotions based enough on participation that your audience believes there's been true communication? Once you've understood your customers attitudes, recognized society's trends, and reconciled your concerns with the concerns of your audience, you're ready to begin building your marketing plan.
Research your product and services to provide value for your customer.
Plan and develop your strategy, goals and objectives.
Deliver your plan via suitable channels so your message reaches your target audience.
Measure your results and find out your weak and strong points by listening to feedback.
To successfully market your business, products or services you must understand where your target audience are. Always remember, underlying everything is one basic question your audience wants answered. So, stand back for a moment, put yourself in their shoes and ask, "What's in it for me?"
Notice something?
I have based this post on a marketing report from 1991 so there is no mention of social media as it didn't exist (someone will probably correct me on the actual dates, but you know what I mean.) Methods for marketing, advertising and brand awareness haven't changed and social media is now another delivery method in the modern world.
If you don't have a goal or objective you cannot put the stepping stones in place to aim towards it. You can achieve so much using social media, if you set yourself clear goals. Take some time to think about what you want to achieve, by when and by how you are going to measure your success. And if you don't know what success looks like how will you know when it comes knocking?