As one of Franco’s core values states, if you aren’t moving forward, you’re standing still.
Franco’s Renaissance Readers Book Club has met once again, this time to analyze Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose’s “Killing Marketing.” Through empirical and reflective research, the authors discuss how to keep companies from falling behind in the world of marketing.
This month, the gang gathered, snacks in-hand, to discuss how content creation and an integrative media strategy can increase the effectiveness of corporate marketing.
Create Strategic Content
As you probably already know, creating content is important. But how do you know you’re creating quality content, rather than simply adding to the noise? How will you stand out?
The only way to do this (successfully) is by determining who the content is intended for and homing in on that specific audience. Find these people; know them; reach them; keep them.
Understand what your audience is searching for, and strategically place your content where it will be found. Utilize your subscriber hierarchy as described by Pulizzi and Rose and focus on those at the top. Your digital footprint will be more pronounced if you work closest with the list of names and emails you have in your database, because only you have access to it.
You are responsible for providing answers. Be a valuable part of your customer’s experience by providing the information they need and want.
Adapt an Integrative Model
The world of traditional PR and marketing is changing fast. At this point, companies must adapt.
Don’t be afraid to change it up. With all this new technology, you should be using your efforts to understand how to be the most efficient. As our authors advise, don’t think of social media as one, giant resource.
Social media is composed of different platforms with different technologies with different audiences with different behaviors and objectives. Understand the goal of your specific target audience and use that to drive your strategy.
In a digital world, it is crucial to interact with your market with varied, precise strategies. To do this effectively, Pulizzi and Rose suggest you develop content with your own media but drive it through paid media. The algorithms will take your audience directly to you, building your credibility as a reliable source.
Keep Moving Forward
In with the new doesn’t have to mean out with the old. So, what is stopping you from succeeding in the marketing world?
Well, as it is pointed out in “Killing Marketing,” the things we know tend to get in the way. Try to overcome this by looking past the present and into the future, without bias.
The real magic happens when an organization is grounded in its values and history, but open to change. Just remember, making that decision depends on your, your company, your clients and your needs.
You can be a marketing master, or a digital pioneer, just never stop innovating. Need some help tackling these tips? Contact us today and we can be a resource to you.
Tracy Sanfilippo is a public relations coordinator at Franco. You can reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @TracySanfilippo.
