New media to enhance businesses

“One on One Marketing is here, whether you like it or not” -Gary Vaynerchuk

The first ever Digital Summit was a melting pot of retailers, agencies, and manufacturers, all coming together to find out how new technologies can ultimately help increase their profits. While e-commerce was the main theme of the event, it seemed that nearly every speaker had something to say about the direction marketing is heading…which is, overwhelmingly, toward social media.

Among the many speakers, Keynote Gary Vaynerchuk was among the most entertaining, and informative. His presentation focused mainly on convincing the masses of the huge impact the Internet and social media is having on business. He shared that the amount of content that has been produced since the beginning of time (think cavemen) up until 2003 is now being replicated every 48 hours.

What a huge statement. It speaks to the gravity of the Internet, and how quickly people create and share content online.

Traditional marketing strategies have always been based on pushing your message to your target market. We, as marketers, push our messages through radio, print, television, and even through online mediums. It has created such clutter that consumers are becoming overwhelmed, and most importantly, skeptical.

“No more pushing!” Vaynerchuk shouted repeatedly. Social media is not changing the way our marketing works, but it has already changed the way our marketing works. Reverting back to the basics, it is imperative that online marketers focus on relationship based, demographically-targeted strategies.

Marketers must now gear their messages toward the long-term. Gone are the days of instant gratification, where the only thing that matters is getting “the sale.” 100,000 friends on Facebook means nothing if those people are not engaged with your brand, willing to buy from you and willing to share their experience with friends and colleagues.

Take a look at your own marketing strategy. Do you know your customers? I mean really know your customers? According to Vaynerchuk, now is the time to get to know them. Social media is not going away, and companies who choose to ignore it, rather than embrace and integrate it within their marketing strategies, will find themselves behind the pack and, unlike with other “waves” (ie: websites, SEO marketing, etc…), absolutely unable to catch up.

According to speaker Maureen Schumacher, Director of Sales for Google, “We are in the midst of a digital revolution and things are changing faster than ever before. Consumer audience behavior has changed, and traditional marketing and advertising does not work in the same way.” Approaching your social media strategy in the right way is immensely important, but also immensely time consuming. This is why many companies are now seeking the help of PR firms and digital marketing agencies to help get the job done, and get it done right. If your marketing strategies are still living only in print and television, it may be time to take action, and integrate new strategies into your plan.

Post written by: Melissa