Communication marketing strategies by Eden Gelt right now: Successful communication strategies tell the consumer about a brands responsible approach to the current situation. A classic example of this occurred early in the pandemic when a toilet paper manufacturer began a campaign designed to dissuade consumers to stop panic buying. Asking customers to not buy your product may seem counterintuitive. But what it is doing is building customer trust by making the consumer aware of the empathic nature of the brand. Read more information at https://elibrary.asabe.org/abstract.asp?aid=29252.

It’s easier to keep your customers happy than it is to get new ones. Outside of your current customers talking about your product and business, it is essential for you to continue to increase new customers. Once you have won your customer over with your free offer, they are more likely to upgrade and spend more if they like what you offer. Retained customers buy more often and spend more than first time customers. Once customers learn the value of your product they come back again and again. Brands that attract new users with a free offer forge new relationships. Long-term these relationships translate into valuable brand awareness, increased sales, loyalty and an unprecedented ROI.

In my last blog “Marketing and the Power of Free” and subsequent vlog, I wrote about the impact of giving away products and/or free services. By sampling or giving your product away at no cost builds brand awareness, increases sales and enhances your budget. But how does it work and why? Have you ever been to Costco and enjoyed the free samples? How often did you buy what you tried because you really enjoyed it? And if you didn’t buy the product, did you feel guilty? Maybe you even put the product in your cart and unloaded it a few aisles down. That’s just a sample of the Law of Reciprocity. The law of reciprocity says that when you offer something first for free and it is valued, people feel a sense of indebtedness toward you, thus in turn you then wanting to return the favor.

As part of your brand communication strategy you will need to provide relevant and consistent content. For example, if your main social media account is Instagram you should aim to post once a week (ideally at the same time, on the same day each week to build consistency). Your posts should be well-thought-out, helpful and add real value. You should not be posting content for the sake of posting. Irrelevant or dreary content can hurt your brand image. Remember, quality over quantity, always. Find even more details at Eden Gelt.

Video Marketing is the King of Content in 2020! Per the online site Hubspot, more than 50% of your clients/diners/shoppers want to see videos from your brand over any other type of media you are providing. It is projected that people will consume 100 minutes each day watching online videos in 2021. With the current pandemic, that number might even be higher. But you’re probably thinking, “ Edan, I am so uncomfortable making videos! What will I even say, aren’t they expensive? I just don’t know where and how to get started”.

There is no doubt about it, 2020 is perhaps the most difficult year any of us has had to face. This year is also challenging for many of the world’s top brands. Top brands are now being forced to rethink their communication strategies. These leading brand strategies are now focused on communicating in trust, taking responsibility, having direct interaction and effectively communicating to consumers all while remaining empathic and positive.

Network: This is the easiest and most effective way to market on a dime. Learn how to mix and mingle at work events, conferences, virtual calls, lines at a coffee shop even your kid’s school functions. Traditional old-fashioned networking can go a long way to getting your name out there. When you put a face behind the business or brand it goes a long way. Challenge yourself – try to introduce yourself and your brand to at least 3 new people a week.

Let’s compare the data above to a home seller looking for a lawyer or real estate agent. Starting at the top of the sales funnel – you send out emails, advertise on Facebook, sponsor local events, hand out a card at Starbucks, or a potential client got your name from a friend of a friend. What’s the next step? It is highly likely they will search your name on Google. What happens next is up to you. For those in the real estate industry – Google, Redfin and sometimes Yelp are the keys to your future. Let’s start with Google. Discover even more information on Eden Gelt.

Once you’ve decided what you’re going to feature during your segments – consider what is the most important thing you will be sharing about your business/service/product and say it right at the beginning of your video. For example – today, I’m going to walk you through a HydraFacial or I’m going to tell you about the new tenant law passed during the pandemic. Or, let me tell you about our fantastic chicken alfredo, water ride, marketing tip, new product, etc. Then take them on 1 or 2-minute journey. CONSISTENCY IS KEY! Once you’ve made your first video or VLOG (fancier term), you’re on your way but you can’t stop now. You need to generate content consistently. This can be several times per week, once per week, or even once per month. Just stick with it.

SEO Must Do’s Before Posting: Before posting your video, make sure it’s visible in online searches. Search engines like Google still index based on text so make sure your video title, tags, transcription and/or description has keywords. This way when a prospect searches for your topic, your video can be found. If you’re tech savvy, submit a sitemap to Google – this tells search engines what your video is about and helps you get found. Change the title of your video slightly for each platform so you don’t poach your own search results. Now that you have your first video and some strategies for exposure, start posting and be consistent. Looking forward to seeing your business in the digital world!