How Digital Marketing could help you to win Game of Throne
In this article let's learn about the basics of Marketing, the importance of communication skills, the Evolution of Digital Marketing, How traditional Marketing is different from Digital Marketing? Which strategies can be followed to kick start with Digital Marketing, How can Personal Branding be helpful to win over the Throne? If you are a professional, freelancer, mentor, entrepreneur, student, and homemaker and keen to learn about Digital Marketing, then you may find this article very useful…
Fundamentals of Marketing
Let’s start with Marketing, as it is better to know its basics first. What is marketing? This is the question useful comes to our mind when we start with something new.
“Marketing refers to activities a company undertakes to promote the buying or selling of a product, service, or good. In 2017, The New York Times described it as “the art of telling stories so enthralling that people lose track of their wallets”, according to Wikipedia.
As this is just the description of the word, what matters is how we feel; consider it important in our lives. Marketing is no creativity; it is just science that we can understand and implement. Yes, you have heard it right there is no creativity required to learn Marketing. I also have no prior experience in this. If I can learn, then anyone can learn to execute and win over the marketplace.
There is a misconception that we have to do marketing after creating a product or service, but it starts with the day when the product is in our thoughts. The product will come into existence once there is a need in the market place which can be studied through Marketing.
Marketing is all about sending the right message, to the right person, at the right time. It’s just not about selling the product; it’s about creating value in the customer's lives. Keeping your customer happy by communicating with them and dazzle to be with you for a lifetime.
Game of perception, Product is rooted in reality. Never let Marketing ruled over product. A good quality product is needed, which will rule the market itself. Also, a great product holds the power of converting your customer to a Brand Ambassador through word-of-mouth feedback, reviews reference; which is the best channel of marketing. With the help of Marketing, people will be able to discover the good product and also have positive perceptions.
Advertising, Copy-writing, Sales are some of the components of marketing that we come across in our everyday lives.
Communication Skills
Yes, good communication is needed in Marketing. But it doesn’t mean you have to know sophisticated English, have high vocabulary or grammar knowledge. It is just to transfer your thoughts to the target audience efficiently so they can understand and get convinced. Communication can be in any form irrespective of the medium. The whole purpose is to transfer the story of the product which can connect you with the audience.
How can we improve our communication skills? The only way which I find very helpful is through writing. Start with writing your thoughts, anything which comes to your mind as it will help you in clearing your mind, slow down your thought process and gives you more clarity, and boost up your confidence. Write as much as you can more you write, the better you’ll write (or speak).
As it is well said-
“Communication is a Skill that you can Learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re Willing to work at it, you can rapidly Improve the quality of every Part of your Life” — BRIAN TRACY
Digital Marketing vs Traditional Marketing
The only difference between the two is the medium through which communication is transferred to the audience. Traditional marketing includes all the traditional methods such as TV ads, Newspapers, Magazines, Radio, etc. While Digital marketing will be through the means of Digitalization which includes Facebook Ads, SEO, Google Ads, etc.
Traditional Marketing doesn’t mean it is old-fashioned. Instead, it plays an important role in people's lives with the ever-growing need to step out in the digital world. The impact of a TV commercial or an advertisement in a newspaper or magazine is important today as they were 20 years ago because of their long-lasting effect on your memory. Subconsciously attach you with their brand emotionally which will stay at the top of your mind.
For very wide targeting TV ads can reach millions at a minimal cost. In India, there are 298 million households out of which 197 million have a TV connection. Also, radio has a reach of 65% population. Newspaper as well as a reach of approx. 465 million people.
The disadvantage of Traditional Marketing; it is difficult to measure the campaigns, unable to do deep marketing, cannot be personalized, no source of natural communication (Direct human connect). Usually, low-grade product sales are using the traditional method.
Digital Marketing is also important as Traditional Marketing in today’s space. With the expanding use of the Internet, Digital marketing is using every touchpoint of daily usage of the Internet. We don’t have to forget that we are truly living in the Internet age.
In 2020, the number of Internet users in India has crossed over 700 million people across the country and forecasted to cross 900 million people in the next 5 years. Also, the number of mobile connections in India in January 2020 was equivalent to 78% of the total population. That’s a huge amount of time and opportunity to do some Digital Marketing and make a powerful impact.
Digital marketing is the best medium to reach the targeted audience, which includes the people speaking affluent English and holds strong spending power. Digital Marketing is more involved in the engagement of people to look into the brand and provide feedback/ reviews, personalization. It is easy to track and measure the campaigns.
CATT Marketing Funnel
This marketing funnel framework is very helpful in creating Marketing strategies to attract the right audience.
This is formulated as Wealth = n ^ CATT
[n] Niche: One of the important steps to choose a niche, which will lead you to success and wealth.
[C] Content: On your niche, create useful content which can attract people to your product or service. It can be in form of Blogs, Videos, Lead magnets, live webinars, podcasts, etc.
[A] Attention: Drive people's attention or traffic towards your content. It can be done through SEO, Social Media, Paid Ads, References, etc.
[T] Trust: This is an important step to success in the long run. It is very important to build trust with your audience. It can be followed through tripwires, marketing automation, re-targeting.
[T] Transaction: Once the trust is built, transactions can be made by converting your leads into customers with natural sales methods.
How to choose the Right Niche
While choosing a niche, 3 perspectives should be kept in mind. These are Talent, Market, and Passion. They are co-related to each other. If one among them is missing then your niche will be weak. Just for example, if you are choosing a niche and by the current situation there is no market place then your niche with your talent and passion will be in vain. So all must have a union which can result in your niche.
“Chose the niche that you enjoy, where you can excel and stand a chance of becoming and acknowledged leader.” — RICHARD KOCH
Integrated Digital Marketing
Digital Marketing has a lot of modules, which is a whole ocean in itself. It is difficult for anyone to become an expert in every module, even with a lot of experience. A solution that has been concluded by the expert is to learn and execute in an integrated form. And build expertise in each digital marketing module.
Using all the digital marketing methods available today in integrated form, so that they complement each other by their strengths, not just intending to increase revenue and customer base. Investment of time, energy, and money in building an integrated digital marketing process for your business are like investing in a piece of machinery that will magically multiply the effectiveness of each component in it.
The above Integrated Digital Marketing flowchart itself explains the importance, value-added when followed in an integrated format. This works like a team with each module as team members and contributing their part to achieve the overall goal of effective lead generation, branding, and sales.
For more details on Integrated Digital Marketing, please refer here.
Personal Branding
Let’s see, what is meant by Personal Branding? It is the way to promote yourself to the world with a unique combination of skills, experience, and personality. It is like telling your story and reflecting your conduct, behavior, attitude through your brand.
In business, personal branding can help you to build your business brands. As the best known will always beat the best in the market when you are visible in the brand. People want to hear from you, not from the brand.
Downside: A Personal brand cannot be invested or sold. It remains with the self. A brand created by yourself would be sold one day but the personal brand which has been developed will remain to oneself.
Upside: A Personal brand can give rise to many brands within the influence. A personal brand will be the influencer or a brand ambassador for their brands, as they are reachable.
Evolution of Personal Branding #MassTrust blueprint
The ways to evolve, build your personal branding. There is a blueprint created which will help you to embrace your personal branding.
This blueprint includes few modules which are shown in the above image. They form the complete circle when executed step-wise.
- Learn: Through Concepts, Facts and Procedures learn a new skill. As understand concepts, remember facts, and practice procedures.
- Work: Once the new skill is learned, put it into work. Move forward from practice to implementation. Implement in the real world to get more understandings.
- Blog: Implementation can also lead to writing blogs about the discovery, experience. Which in turn, will help you to understand things more clearly also start building your personal brand.
- Consult: Once gained knowledge and experience in the business, this can be used to provide consultation to others. Start your own consultancy instead of working for them.
- Mentor: Mentoring will help you to scale your understanding to a different level. Mentor/ guide other people so they can become like you.
- Startup: Start your own business with unique products or services to the people.
Conclusion
Let’s summarize this article before we conclude, so we can recall what we have learned. Anyone can learn Marketing and build communication skills by writing. In the growing Internet age, Digital Marketing is providing us huge scope to expand ourselves in this. On the other side, the traditional method is still impactful today as well as it was a decade back. The integrated digital marketing process effectively utilizes all the digital marketing technologies available today in such a way that the strengths of each method are used most effectively. Personal branding is very helpful in adding value to your business.
Hope you’re have found this article useful. Please share your valuable comments, so I can add more value.
