Most websites are brochures on a screen. Which is kind of silly, given that the visitor is more than happy to click around, take advantage of offers, and even answer a few questions, if you ask at the right time and in the right way. Website engagement is the new frontier.
There are plenty of people (about 12,000 a month) searching for “digital marketing definition” in Google. And the results served up focus on the channels (social, online ads, SEO, etc.) with barely a mention of customers—except to say that their behavior in response to your campaigns will help you make decisions about which campaigns are working and which ones should be scrapped.
I read an article recently that shared tips and tricks on how to work with difficult people. The majority of this article said that it is best to accept the reality of your situation and deal with it, or in other words, suck it up. That didn’t sit very well with me, as I have been in this predicament on more than one occasion throughout my career.
You’re in a conference room with the company’s management team. You’re presenting your marketing plan. About halfway through, one of the top execs says, “I don’t think this part is going to work. I don’t think our customers care about that, and I don’t think you’re reaching them the right way.
The truth is, we live in a visual world. There are aesthetic indicators that influence our feelings about things we interact with, often without us even realizing it. A pleasing visual is the first step in establishing the worth of your brand, and also sets the stage for the experiences your customers then have with your brand.
For years I’ve wanted software companies to show their screens on their sites. It should be Rule #1 in any guide on “How to Market Software.” Instead, they get in the way—with lots of words . . . cute graphics . . . faceless-people illustrations . . . and stock photos. But we are buying a tool—and a quick glance at the screen will tell us almost immediately if we want to start using the software. Right? Right!
Zhivago Partners provides full-service Digital Marketing Management and Revenue Coaching for mid-sized companies.
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