It has been a very interesting week for me on LinkedIn. I seem to have hit a chord by making the comment that Digital is a tactic and NOT a Strategy.
The conversation came from me reading an article called Digital Thinking – A New Paradigm and it got me thinking how many people look at digital not as just a medium or a tactic to be used strategically within a robust marketing plan, but as the entire marketing plan.
More and more I hear marketers and companies alike talk about social media and mobile as the beginning, middle and end of their marketing strategy and I personally see this as a dangerous place to be.
Yes, we live in a digital world. Yes, the world has become a connected one where people communicate and interact with brands digitally. However, lest we forget that this is not the only way that people like to communicate with a brand and by not communicating with your potential customers where and how they wish to interact with you, you are missing valuable opportunity.
Strategy has to come from a place of looking at your overall marketing plan. Marketing should not be tactical! Rather it should look at your brand and how the messaging you wish to use to engage your potential audience can be communicated across mediums so that everywhere people look at your marketing, they understand the value of your brand and want to do business with you.
People are individuals, with various wants and needs and to assume that they will all respond to any one medium is a false premise.
Take the time to better understand your clients. Who they are, what they need and what is important to them. Find out how they wish to be communicated to and develop your overall strategy with this in mind.
In the end it is all about figuring out how to Get YOU Noticed!
