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We’re living in a time where not only has marketing radically changed, but the medium is changing us. The internet is perhaps the closest we’ve come to a physical manifestation of the collective subconscious. Unlike previous forms of one-way communication, such as TV, newspapers and radio, the internet is a free flowing system. Actions cause reactions. It is as though we’ve suddenly switched from playing golf to playing tennis. Hit the ball and it shoots right back. And, following that analogy, as a business owner or marketer, it’s important to switch your strategy if you want to stay in the game. To many, the net is simply another promotional tool, but that is a dangerously short-sighted view.
To be effective in this new terrain, people need more than a modified promotional approach, they need a marketing transformation. Transformational Marketing is usually described in theoretical terms. The focus is generally on corporations and large organizations. What I’m dealing with here is both broader-based and more intimate. It is an approach to marketing that can not only help transform your business, but can also transform you.
The conversation is no longer about whether to focus on print, TV or radio. The shifts in communication have been seismic. It is now possible to get your message online in a matter of minutes. The downside is it’s difficult to know if that message is reaching your target audience and, if it is, whether it’s resonating with them. We live in a time of 24/7 cable TV, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and myriad business and personal blogs. It’s no longer enough to simply reach your market. The amount of information that is being put out on an hourly basis is staggering. People are hitting a level of information fatigue that was unimaginable a few decades ago. For a message to penetrate this non-stop assault of sounds, words and images it has to be simple, concise, compelling and authentic. Today, a company’s message and brand has to be transformational in order to have a true impact.
But how can you even reach your audience amid all of the noise and non-stop chatter? Since your company and your marketing starts with you, it’s important to take a step back and find a new, personal definition of successful marketing. The emphasis is on personal. This is no longer a one-size fits all marketing world. There are hundreds of options, tools and marketing avenues and it’s all but impossible to successfully utilize them all. Try using every application and tool available and chances are you’ll end up in marketer’s limbo, doing a bit of everything, but achieving a lot of nothing. Plus different marketing approaches fit different businesses. Your job is to find the promotional tools that work for you and your business, those that communicate with and speak directly to your audience.
The old rules of the game have changed. The best form of transformational marketing is one that transforms you, the marketer. Finding the approach that works best for you is a journey. You need to access your personal values and your business goals, to create the right marketing mix. This is where the basic tenants of PR can serve you, regardless of the type of marketing you’re implementing. Focus on the three secrets of creating an effective brand: you need to develop your story, the story needs to have a compelling narrative and it needs to be authentic. The best brands follow that formula. Now, more than ever, your marketing needs to be personal and genuine. This means you have a higher stake in your promotional approach then ever before. The good news is if you make your marketing approach integral and organic, you’ll find a way to market in a strategic and authentic way that will effectively rise above the noise and the clamor. And in doing so you’ll learn quite a bit about yourself.
Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009
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Source by Anthony Mora
