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Marketing Has Changed and One Person Cannot do it All

Team Talent — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 09:57:54 +0000

We’re Only Human: Marketing Has Changed

As recently as the early 2000s, marketing was a much simpler affair. There were a few set channels where you could reach your audience. Mail was cheap and somewhat effective. People still had landlines. A social network refers to your friends, family, and co-workers. The internet was in its pre-pubescent stages, and many of us still had dial-up.

If you wanted to reach your target market, it was a matter of placing an ad in the paper, sending out some letters, making a few phone calls, or doing some kind of in-person event. Throw in radio and TV although the reality is both weren’t very effective for all but the largest businesses.
Basically, the number of channels for your messages was fairly limited and well-defined. So marketing was a lot easier to get your head around. The issue of course was that you’d pay a lot more to get your message out there. Most forms of marketing had a high cost just to get it in front of your audience.
You used to have specialists who knew how to run specific campaigns and would go from company to company implementing these. It could be a way to launch a new product. It could be a special mail-out that used certain tricks to get a good response. Or it could have been a calling campaign, what we called telemarketing back then. These specialists would learn how to do it and do it well. Then go from company to company replicating their success for a good premium.

Information was relatively scarce during this time. While the internet was starting to tackle this, you still relied on what the advertising said. You’d have to go in-store to research a product. You might rely on magazines and newspapers for reviews to check if the quality is good. And forget about easily comparing models. Small local shops served a real purpose here because you could build a relationship. Trust gave you reassurance when making a purchase without doing in-depth research.
Using economic terms, you could say the search cost for information was high. Basically, it would cost you a lot of time and effort to drive around stores to try and compare products. For services it was even worse – you’d have to have meetings upon meetings with different companies to decide. At least they came to you.

A Rising Tide

The internet was poised to change everything, but in the early 2000’s it wasn’t quite there yet. Some of us will remember how it was still a bit of a wild west. Google’s algorithm wasn’t mature enough to distinguish between good and bad links. Forums were all the rage. Neopets was in its prime. Runescape had just been released. Google ads were cheap and good SEO meant tricking the algorithm.
To give some perspective, Google Ads didn’t hit $10B in revenue until 2006. As of 2021, it was $209B.
As the internet matured, it opened gateways for communicating. Individuals could connect with anyone at a moment’s notice. Companies could place their ads in increasingly targeted ways. We went through many iterations of social networks. Finally landing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn as the top dogs. Although younger generations continue working their way through newer formats – Vine, Snapchat, Tiktok … what’s next?
Meanwhile, Google continued developing its algorithm to the point where anyone working in SEO dreads updates. Changes have toppled even huge websites from top spots in Google search results. So now what used to be a formulaic approach to getting a good ranking is more of an art. An art that requires many steps just to prove your content is worth reading to an algorithm.

Marketing has changed. Forever.

Over the past few decades, there has been a shift in behaviour at the societal level. Traditional media has floundered with plunging advertising revenue causing many institutions to go belly up. Fake news has become prolific. Proper reporting is out the window, in favour of hype and shocking content.
Many cowboys from the earlier era of the internet also managed to spoil the legitimacy of advertising. Over time this has taught consumers to not believe everything they read online. And now there is an inherent mistrust of what companies say in an ad. Certain scandals that happened over the years with the largest businesses have reinforced this.

Consumers have been taught to do their own research. The volume of information has thus skyrocketed, and the internet has made it much easier to do comparisons. From websites that compare specifications, to forums, and review sites.
Over time, blogs emerged reviewing certain products that started gaining traction and trust. This evolved into Youtubers, who eventually evolved into influencers. Although this concept isn’t that new, celebrities have been influencing us for decades. The change is that now these influencers seem relatable.

Cue the drama and scandals that rocked different industries of influencers. This brought on the popularity of micro-influencers. This is where the market sits now. Small accounts with maybe 1-20k followers who are relatable, authentic and haven’t gotten caught up with huge brands. Consumers flock to these micro accounts because there is a perceived level of trust.

We’re Only Human: Marketing Has Changed

Not too long ago, marketing was a far simpler affair. In the early 2000s, businesses had a limited set of channels to reach their target audiences. There were print ads, direct mail, TV, radio, and maybe some form of telemarketing. The internet was still in its infancy, and social media wasn’t even part of the conversation. Back then, a social network referred to your friends, family, and co-workers.

The landscape was far easier to navigate. The number of marketing channels was limited and well-defined, so businesses could focus their resources more narrowly. However, the cost of reaching customers through traditional channels was high, and it wasn’t easy to measure return on investment (ROI). With fewer ways to engage customers, most marketing strategies were about casting a wide net and hoping that some of it stuck.

Fast forward to today, and marketing has transformed dramatically. The digital age has opened up an array of platforms and tools, each requiring specific skills and expertise. Whether it’s content marketing, social media management, paid advertising, or email marketing, modern marketing demands more complexity than ever before. And the truth is, no one person can do it all.

Simpler Times: Marketing Before the Digital Age

To understand how much marketing has changed, it helps to look back at how things worked in the pre-internet era. The marketing channels available to businesses were relatively few, and while they were effective, they were also costly.

1. Print advertising was one of the most common methods of reaching customers, with ads placed in newspapers, magazines, and other publications. While print could be highly targeted based on readership demographics, it was expensive, especially for national publications.

2. Direct mail campaigns were another go-to marketing method. Businesses would send letters, brochures, or catalogues directly to potential customers. These campaigns had their strengths—direct mail allowed for personalised communication—but they were time-consuming and costly, requiring printing, mailing, and handling logistics.

3. Television and radio were the big hitters in advertising, but these were only accessible to businesses with large budgets. Small businesses could rarely afford the cost of prime-time TV spots or radio jingles, which made these channels predominantly the domain of large brands.

4. Telemarketing, or cold calling, was another common tactic, especially for B2B companies. Telemarketers would call potential leads, pitching products or services over the phone. This method was effective in reaching decision-makers but also required specialised skills in sales and communication.

Because the number of channels was limited, marketing professionals could focus their efforts on mastering these few avenues. Specialists in print ads, telemarketing, or TV campaigns would travel from company to company, replicating successful strategies. This model worked for decades, but it had its downsides: high costs, low adaptability, and minimal data to track effectiveness.

The Dawn of Digital Marketing

The internet began to gain mainstream traction in the late 1990s and early 2000s. At this point, marketing was still focused on traditional channels, but the potential of digital advertising was starting to emerge. Early internet users will remember the dial-up days, when websites were basic, search engines like Yahoo and Ask Jeeves ruled, and the idea of social media was non-existent.

It wasn’t until Google revolutionised search engines that digital marketing as we know it today began to take shape. Google introduced pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, where businesses could bid on keywords and have their ads appear at the top of search results. This was a game-changer—PPC advertising allowed even small businesses to compete with large companies by targeting specific audiences without breaking the bank.

Social media arrived on the scene in the mid-2000s, with the rise of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Suddenly, businesses had a direct way to interact with their customers, build communities, and promote their brands. Social media advertising introduced hyper-targeted campaigns, allowing companies to reach specific demographics with laser precision.
Content marketing also began to take off during this time. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertising, businesses started to create valuable content—blog posts, infographics, whitepapers, and videos—that provided useful information to their audience. Content marketing aims to build trust, engage customers, and ultimately convert them into leads or sales.

It’s also worth noting that SEO(Search Engine Optimisation) has also been a thing, it used to be simple—just pack in keywords to rank higher. But Google evolved, penalising keyword stuffing and rewarding quality content. Now, SEO involves complexities like keyword research and technical optimisation. Globally, as seen in New Zealand’s B2B market, content holds more value, as it builds trust and long-term relationships, which are essential for success. According to HubSpot and Search Engine Journal, high-quality content is now considered more critical than SEO for driving engagement and conversions, as customers seek valuable information rather than content merely optimised for search engines.

The shift toward digital marketing fundamentally changed how businesses approached their strategies. Instead of relying on a handful of expensive, mass-marketing channels, they now had access to affordable, data-driven tools that could reach niche audiences. But with these new tools came the need for new skills, and marketing was about to become much more complicated.

The Fragmentation of Marketing Channels

As the internet evolved, so did the number of digital marketing channels. Today, businesses have a bewildering array of platforms and tactics at their disposal. From social media and search engines to email marketing and influencer partnerships, the opportunities to reach potential customers are vast. But this abundance of options comes with its own set of challenges.

For one thing, each marketing channel has its own set of rules, best practices, and target audience. What works on Instagram won’t necessarily work on LinkedIn, and a successful email marketing campaign requires a completely different skill set from running Google Ads.

Within social media marketing alone, the landscape is incredibly diverse:

Facebook remains one of the largest platforms, offering a mix of organic posts and paid advertising opportunities. It’s great for building community, but it also requires businesses to engage with their audience regularly and authentically.
Instagram focuses heavily on visuals, making it ideal for brands that can showcase their products or services through photos and videos. Instagram Stories, IGTV, and Reels add additional layers of complexity to an already feature-rich platform.
LinkedIn is the go-to platform for B2B marketers, allowing businesses to network, generate leads, and share industry insights. LinkedIn Ads have become increasingly popular for targeting professionals and decision-makers.
TikTok, the rising star of social media, thrives on short-form video content. It’s especially popular among younger audiences, but it requires a completely different creative approach than other platforms.

Beyond social media, content marketing continues to be a cornerstone of digital marketing. Businesses that produce valuable, educational, or entertaining content can attract and retain customers over time. But creating high-quality content is a time-consuming process that requires skills in writing, design, and video production.

Finally, Email marketing has evolved into a highly sophisticated channel, with tools for segmentation, automation, and personalisation. Businesses can use email to nurture leads, build relationships, and drive sales, but they need to know how to craft compelling messages and create effective campaigns.

The SME Challenge: You Can’t Do It All

The rise of digital marketing opened up countless opportunities, but it also made marketing more fragmented. Businesses now had to juggle multiple platforms, each with its own set of rules, best practices, and target audiences. What works on Instagram won’t necessarily work on LinkedIn, and a successful email marketing campaign is vastly different from running Google Ads.

For large corporations, building out a full marketing team that covers everything from content creation to social media, and email marketing is doable. They have the budgets to hire specialists for each role and the resources to stay on top of the latest marketing trends.

But for SMEs, the reality is starkly different. Most small businesses can’t afford to employ a dedicated team of marketers, let alone juggle multiple specialized agencies for content, and paid advertising. While working with various agencies is a practical solution, it’s neither affordable nor manageable for most SMEs in the long term. This is where the cracks begin to show: too many cooks in the kitchen without a cohesive strategy can lead to fragmented messaging, missed opportunities, and disjointed results.

The challenge isn’t just about cost, either. Keeping track of all these moving parts—content strategy, social media updates, email marketing campaigns, and paid ads—is time-consuming and often confusing, particularly for business owners who are already wearing many hats. With marketing being more of a full-time commitment, even experienced marketers struggle to juggle these areas successfully. That’s where a comprehensive solution like Smarketing Lab comes in.

Why SMEs Can’t Afford to Do It All Internally

Most SMEs simply don’t have the budget to hire multiple experts for PPC, social media, and content creation. Let’s break this down:

• Content creators are required to produce blogs, videos, and social media posts. Quality content is no longer optional; it’s a necessity to engage audiences, and generate leads.

• Social media managers are responsible for engaging with audiences across platforms, developing tailored content strategies, and building an online community.

• PPC experts are needed to run Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads, ensuring that every dollar spent on ads produces a return on investment (ROI).

• Email marketing specialists are tasked with nurturing leads, maintaining customer relationships, and driving conversions.

For large corporations, having a full in-house team of marketing professionals covering all these bases is feasible. For SMEs, hiring full-time specialists is simply not within their budgets, especially when their primary focus should be on growing the business, not managing complex marketing campaigns.

This is why many SMEs turn to external agencies to fill the gap. But here’s the catch: hiring multiple specialized agencies—one for web development and one for social media—gets costly fast. Managing these different agencies can become overwhelming and inefficient, leading to inconsistent messaging and ineffective marketing strategies.

Embracing Automation and AI

As marketing has become more complex, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) have started to play an increasingly important role. These technologies allow businesses to streamline their marketing efforts, manage campaigns more efficiently, and make data-driven decisions.

For example, email marketing automation allows businesses to send personalised messages to thousands of customers with minimal effort. Automation tools like HubSpot, Mailchimp, or ActiveCampaign can segment audiences, schedule emails, and track responses, enabling marketers to focus on strategy rather than manual tasks.

In the realm of paid advertising, AI tools are being used to optimise ad performance in real time. Google’s Smart Bidding, for example, uses machine learning to adjust bids based on factors like the time of day, location, and user behaviour. This allows businesses to get the best possible ROI without having to manually manage every aspect of their campaigns.

AI-powered chatbots are another example of how automation is transforming marketing. Chatbots can handle customer inquiries, provide personalised product recommendations, and even help guide users through the purchasing process. By automating these interactions, businesses can improve the customer experience without having to increase headcount.

That said, while automation and AI are powerful tools, they are not a substitute for human creativity and strategic thinking. These technologies can help manage tasks and optimise processes, but they can’t replace the unique insights that come from understanding customer needs and behaviours.

The Human Factor: Creativity and Emotional Connection

Even as marketing becomes more data-driven and automated, the human factor remains crucial. At the end of the day, marketing is about connecting with people on an emotional level. While data can tell us what’s working and what’s not, it’s the creative ideas that truly resonate with audiences.

In today’s crowded marketplace, consumers are bombarded with ads, promotions, and content from every direction. To stand out, brands need to craft compelling stories that speak to their audience’s values, desires, and emotions. This is where creativity comes into play.

Consider the rise of influencer marketing. While data and algorithms can help brands identify influencers who align with their target audience, it’s the human connection between the influencer and their followers that ultimately drives engagement. Consumers trust influencers because they perceive them as authentic and relatable—qualities that no algorithm can replicate.

Similarly, storytelling is a powerful marketing tool that transcends data and automation. A well-crafted story can make a brand memorable, create an emotional connection with customers, and inspire action. Whether it’s through a heartfelt video, a compelling blog post, or a clever social media campaign, storytelling allows brands to humanise themselves in an increasingly digital world.

The Future of Marketing: What’s Next?

As we look to the future, it’s clear that marketing will continue to evolve. New technologies will emerge, platforms will change, and consumer behaviour will shift. But one thing will remain constant: the need for human creativity, collaboration, and adaptability.

Artificial intelligence and automation will undoubtedly play a larger role in the years to come. AI will become more sophisticated, helping businesses personalise content, predict customer behaviour, and optimise campaigns with greater precision. Automation will allow marketers to manage more complex campaigns with fewer resources, freeing up time for strategy and innovation.

At the same time, data privacy will become a major focus. With regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), consumers are becoming more aware of how their data is being used. Marketers will need to be transparent about their data practices and find new ways to build trust with their audience.

Video content will continue to dominate. With platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram pushing video to the forefront, brands that can create engaging video content will have a significant advantage. Short-form videos, in particular, are becoming more popular, especially among younger audiences.

Finally, we can expect to see more emphasis on personalisation. Consumers increasingly expect brands to deliver personalised experiences that are tailored to their preferences and behaviours. This will require marketers to leverage data and technology to create highly targeted campaigns that speak directly to individual customers.

Why Smarketing Lab Is the Better Choice

Here’s where Smarketing Lab steps in. Instead of juggling multiple agencies and hoping they all work in sync, Smarketing Lab offers an all-in-one solution. Whether you need help with social media management, content creation, paid ads, or even web development, they handle it all. It’s a one-stop shop that simplifies your marketing efforts, saving you time and money.

1. Cost-Effective Marketing
Hiring several agencies gets expensive fast. Instead of paying separate fees for website development, and content marketing, Smarketing Lab provides an all-in-one package for the price of what you’d pay for just one marketing hire. This means you can focus your budget more efficiently and get more bang for your buck.

2. Consistency and Coordination
When you work with different agencies, you often end up with a fragmented strategy. Your social media team might not know what your content creators are doing, and your website goals may be disconnected from the overall approach. With Smarketing Lab, everything is coordinated from the start, ensuring your strategy is consistent and aligned across all channels.

3. Tailored to SMEs
Smarketing Lab understands that not all businesses need a massive marketing overhaul. They work with you to select the services you need, whether it’s enhancing your content strategy or refining your marketing efforts. They tailor their services to your specific goals and budget, providing flexibility without breaking the bank.

Marketing Has Changed, But Help Is Here

The way we approach marketing today is worlds apart from what it was 20 years ago. The digital age has brought endless opportunities, but it’s also made things more complicated. For SMEs in New Zealand, trying to handle it all in-house can be overwhelming, and working with multiple agencies is both costly and hard to manage.

That’s why Smarketing Lab offers a better solution. By providing a comprehensive, all-in-one marketing service, they make it easier for businesses to streamline their efforts and get the most out of their marketing budget.

In today’s fast-paced world, you can’t do everything yourself—but with the right partner, you don’t have to. Let Smarketing Lab take care of your marketing needs, so you can focus on what matters most: growing your business.

Assia Salikhova

Smarketing Lab Co-Creator,
developer of profitable B2B solutions to grow your business.

assia@smarketinglab.co.nz

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Bridging the Social Media Knowledge Gap: Practical Skills for Today’s Business Owners

Team Talent — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 15:20:48 +0000

Bridging the Social Media Knowledge Gap: Practical Skills for Today’s Business Owners

Let’s face it—social media is a beast, especially if you’ve been running a business for a few decades. If you’re a business owner over 50, chances are that when you started out, marketing was a totally different game. You were likely placing ads in newspapers, sending out direct mail, or maybe even doing some good ol’ cold calling. You had relationships with customers that were built face-to-face, and marketing was a hands-on, tangible experience.

Fast forward to today, and things look a whole lot different. Social media has transformed how businesses operate, engage with customers, and generate leads. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok—names that didn’t even exist 20 years ago—are now critical for growing your business. But if you didn’t grow up with this stuff, figuring it out can feel like learning a foreign language.

Here’s the thing: You know your business, you know your customers—but social media? That’s a whole different ballgame.

It’s common for business owners, especially those in their 50s and beyond, to feel overwhelmed by the fast-moving, ever-changing world of social media. From posting content to understanding hashtags and algorithms, the learning curve can seem steep. You might even find yourself delegating all of it to your younger staff or a freelancer, unsure of how to make sense of it yourself.

But ignoring social media entirely isn’t an option anymore. Your customers are spending time on these platforms—so your business needs to be there, too. The good news? You don’t need to become a social media whiz overnight. The key is understanding the basics and knowing who to turn to for help.

The Massive Knowledge Gap Between Older Business Owners and Social Media

For many business owners over 50, the social media knowledge gap is real—and it’s big. This gap isn’t just about not knowing how to post or engage with followers; it’s about the whole ecosystem of social media marketing, from content creation to paid advertising, analytics, and community management.

It’s easy to feel disconnected from the younger generations who grew up with social media. You might even have asked your kids or younger employees for help with setting up a Facebook page, only to discover that using social media for personal reasons is nothing like using it to grow a business. But here’s the kicker: even many younger people don’t fully understand how to leverage these platforms for business purposes. Social media marketing is a skillset—one that requires more than just knowing how to post a picture.

Here are a few key reasons why this knowledge gap exists and what makes it challenging for older business owners:

1. Social Media Feels Overwhelming and Foreign
Social media is more than just posting photos or videos—it’s about creating engaging content, building relationships, understanding algorithms, and running ad campaigns. If you’re new to all this, it’s like stepping into a world you’ve never seen before. All the terminology—“boosting posts,” “targeting demographics,” “influencers,” “hashtags”—can feel like jargon that’s difficult to grasp.

2. Technology Moves Too Fast
By the time you’ve finally figured out how to post regularly on Facebook, there’s already a new platform trending, like TikTok. Social media algorithms change frequently, and platforms constantly introduce new features, making it hard to keep up. It can feel like a never-ending game of catch-up, especially when you’re juggling the day-to-day operations of running a business.

3. You Don’t Want to Feel Dependent on Others
For many older business owners, handing over social media management to someone else—whether it’s a freelancer or a younger staff member—can feel risky. You might not know how to evaluate whether their efforts are actually driving results, and this can leave you feeling out of control or uncertain about your social media strategy.

4. It’s Hard to Know Where to Start
With so many platforms out there—Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube—it’s difficult to even know which one your business should be focusing on. If you’re in the B2B space, LinkedIn might be where your audience is, but if you’re selling products directly to consumers, Instagram or TikTok might be more effective. Deciding where to invest your time and resources is a critical decision, and without a clear strategy, it can feel like shooting in the dark.

So, What’s the Solution?

Now that we’ve talked about the challenges, let’s look at how you, as a seasoned business owner, can tackle this knowledge gap. Here’s the good news: you don’t need to be a social media expert to run a successful business in today’s digital age. But you do need to have a basic understanding of how it works and a practical strategy for staying involved in your business’s social media efforts. Here are a few down-to-earth, practical steps:

1. Start With One Platform
Don’t try to master every platform at once—that’s a recipe for burnout. Start with one that makes sense for your business. For example:

Facebook is a great place to start if you want to engage with a broad audience. It’s user-friendly, and its advertising platform allows for targeted campaigns that can reach specific demographics.
LinkedIn is perfect for B2B businesses. If you’re focused on networking, partnerships, or selling services to other businesses, this is the platform where you’ll find decision-makers.
Instagram is ideal for visual businesses, like those in retail, fashion, or design. If your products photograph well and you have stories to tell visually, Instagram can help you showcase them.

2. Learn the Basics of Posting Consistently
You don’t need to post every day, but consistency is key. Whether it’s twice a week or three times a week, find a rhythm that works for you. Posting consistently keeps your business visible and helps build a loyal audience. Start with simple posts that showcase your products, share behind-the-scenes looks at your business, or tell stories about your brand.

3. Focus on Your Strengths
If you’re comfortable with certain aspects of your business—such as talking to customers, building relationships, or sharing knowledge—you can bring these strengths into your social media presence. For example, if you love teaching, you can create “how-to” videos or share valuable tips and insights on your platform of choice. Don’t feel pressured to adopt trends that don’t align with your business style—focus on what you do best and what makes your business unique.

4. Invest in Training for Your Team (or Yourself)
Consider investing in basic social media training. There are plenty of affordable online courses, workshops, and webinars designed for beginners. You can either take these courses yourself to get a better grasp of the basics or have your team trained so they’re equipped with the right skills. You don’t need to know everything, but understanding enough to guide your team will ensure your social media aligns with your business goals.

5. Use Social Media Management Tools
There are tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, and Later that make managing your social media much easier. These platforms allow you to schedule posts in advance, monitor engagement, and even generate reports on how your content is performing. They’re great for staying organised and ensuring you’re posting regularly without having to manually handle everything day-to-day.

6. Hire the Right Help—But Stay Involved
Hiring someone to manage your social media can be a great way to bridge the knowledge gap—but it’s important to stay involved. Regularly check in on what’s being posted, ask for performance reports, and make sure you understand how your strategy is working. You don’t need to micromanage, but being aware of what’s happening will give you confidence that your social media efforts are driving results.

Closing the Gap: Skills You Should Focus On

Now that we’ve covered some practical steps for getting started, let’s talk about the skills that matter most when it comes to running a successful social media presence. These aren’t just for the tech-savvy crowd—these are essential for any business owner, regardless of age.

1. Strategy Development
You need to have a plan. Before diving in, make sure you know what you want to achieve. Is it brand awareness? More leads? Customer engagement? Your social media strategy should align with your overall business goals. Start small and build from there.

2. Content Creation
You don’t need to be a professional photographer or videographer to create engaging content. Focus on authenticity—customers want to see the real side of your business. Share stories, introduce your team, or show what goes on behind the scenes. The more relatable you are, the more people will connect with your brand.

3. Community Engagement
Social media is a two-way street. It’s not just about broadcasting your message—it’s about building relationships. Reply to comments, engage with followers, and use your platform as a way to connect with your customers.

4. Analytics (Without Overcomplicating It)
You don’t need to get bogged down in data, but understanding the basics of how your content is performing is important. Look at metrics like engagement (likes, comments, shares) and reach (how many people saw your post) to see what’s working and what’s not. Most platforms have easy-to-use analytics tools built-in, and social media management tools can help track performance over continuation time. If a post isn’t performing well, don’t be afraid to adjust your approach.

The Future of Social Media for Business Owners Over 50

Here’s the reality: social media isn’t going away. If anything, it’s only going to become more integrated into business strategies over time. For older business owners, there’s no shame in acknowledging the challenges social media brings, but there’s also no reason to shy away from it. You don’t need to become a social media expert, but you do need to have enough knowledge to steer your business in the right direction.

As technology continues to advance, we’re likely to see even more user-friendly tools that make managing social media easier for everyone. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation will play an increasingly important role, helping business owners create and schedule content, engage with customers, and even analyse data with minimal effort. Chatbots and AI-powered customer service are already transforming how businesses interact with customers online, and these tools are becoming more accessible to smaller businesses every year.

By staying adaptable and committing to learning the basics, you’ll be able to keep your business relevant in a digital world—without feeling overwhelmed or out of control.

Taking the First Step

Bridging the social media knowledge gap doesn’t have to be daunting. The key is taking it one step at a time. Start by understanding where your customers are spending their time online and pick one platform to focus on. Learn the basics of posting consistently, build up your knowledge, and don’t be afraid to get help when needed—whether that’s through training or hiring the right experts.

Social media offers incredible opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses, but it’s all about taking control of the process and making sure it aligns with your broader business goals. By staying involved, understanding the basics, and leveraging the right tools, you’ll be able to close the knowledge gap and make social media work for you.

Remember, the journey into social media might be new, but the goal remains the same: building relationships, engaging your customers, and growing your business.

Assia Salikhova

Smarketing Lab, Managing Director
Co-Creator of 4Rs Business Growth Framework with profitable B2B solutions

Book time with me HERE now

assia@smarketinglab.co.nz

Find out how well your LinkedIn profile stands by using our Quiz and ask for help when need it. Because the #teamtalent at Smarketing Lab is on standby ready to help you gain the full benefit from LinkedIn for your business.

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Interning During a Pandemic

siteadmin — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 16:30:36 +0000

Interning During a Pandemic

During my last semester at the University of Auckland as a BA student majoring in Communications and Sociology, I interned for Smarketing Lab. My experience at Smarketing Lab helped me to develop valuable skills that I can carry with me into my career in communications. These skills included copywriting, designing, time management and many other skills. Through interning with Smarketing Lab, I was given the opportunity to work on projects with a variety of clients in different fields of work.

The majority of my work consisted of creating and designing emails, editing, copywriting and creating and uploading social media posts. This allowed me to have hands-on experience and be able to properly engage with the work I was doing. I was working on real-life briefs for clients and had direct contact with my main client. Communicating with my client directly also helped me to develop better written and verbal communication skills via contact through phone and email. This made me feel that I had an important role in the projects I was working on and that I wasn’t simply just an intern working in the background.

Although at times the internship was challenging with balancing part-time work and university, this challenged me to think about how I could use my time in a more smart and efficient way to ensure I was completing all work to a high standard. I had great support from my internship supervisor (Kyla) and Smarketing Lab were always accommodating by allowing me to work my hours when I wanted to. Therefore, this allowed me to balance my work, university, and personal life.

However, the challenge of the pandemic arose when I was halfway through my internship.

Once again, the way that we were working, learning, and communicating completely changed. Although this shift came as an unexpected one, most businesses are now well equipped for a shift to a complete online workplace and Smarketing Lab is no exception.

One of the best aspects of interning at Smarketing Lab was that the majority of the work was already done online. Having a business that is structured around working from home during a pandemic is a significant advantage. In uncertain times, this makes it easier for interns and employees to continue to complete their work despite being at home. In comparison to other students doing internships at the same time, many of them were unable to continue or complete their internships due to their workplace having a lack of work for them to do or an inadequate online set-up. I was lucky that this was not the case at Smarketing Lab, and I was able to continue to work on the projects for my client without many changes.

Smarketing Lab also allowed me insight into the B2B marketing world that I wasn’t so familiar with when beginning my internship role. I would like to give some insight into the strategy Smarketing Lab uses to grow B2B sales for a variety of clients.

This strategy consists of the four R’s:

Right audience
Relevant content
Repetitive connections
Relentless follow-up

By using this strategy, Smarketing Lab engages more clients in B2B sales and expands the market for their clients. To break down this strategy, first Smarketing Lab targets the right audience by having extensive B2B data to ensure marketing is being directed to the correct audience. Second, creating relevant content tailored to the specific client such as blogs, ads, posts, webpages, and images. Repetitive connections are also important. Setting up appointments with clients and connecting through social media, allows Smarketing Lab to develop and form better connections, ultimately leading to better engagement and sales. Finally, relentless follow-up is needed to ensure that there is an ongoing relationship with the client and that services continue through automation.

This B2B marketing strategy was one of the key learnings I took away from my time interning with Smarketing Lab.

Their untraditional approach to marketing makes their services exciting and provides new opportunities for B2B marketing that reflects how marketing is constantly changing in the modern world. As someone who didn’t have substantial experience with business or marketing before interning with Smarketing Lab, I feel that hands-on experience at my internship has been the best way to learn the inner workings of business and marketing. Particularly, interning with Smarketing Lab was interesting due to the fact they have such a wide range of clientele and therefore, there was a need to tailor projects to different clients, but I discovered that you can use similar marketing projects for clients in completely different fields.

Over my time interning with Smarketing Lab, I was able to produce work on projects for two clients. My first project included creating social media reports and competitions for a football club. My second project was for an electronic contract manufacturer and consisted of designing a newsletter to be sent out via 24 emails I then set up and designed LinkedIn posts to be sent out via my client’s LinkedIn account over the coming months. These clients are in significantly different fields, so it was interesting to complete and develop marketing projects for them. From these projects, I gained skills in using Excel, Word, LinkedIn and Radaar.io. As someone who was not that familiar with LinkedIn and Radaar.io, developing skills in these programs was ideal as I can now carry these skills into future projects. Importantly, using these different platforms to develop projects allowed me to explore different ways to create relevant content for a variety of clients.

Overall, I had a great experience interning for Smarketing Lab and this internship helped me to develop skills that I can use throughout my future career. Even though the majority of work was completed from home, I got to work with a great team and supportive network, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities interning with Smarketing Lab has given me. If you have an interest in working in the marketing or communications field in the future, I highly recommend interning for Smarketing Lab.

Assia Salikhova

Smarketing Lab, Managing Director
Co-Creator of 4Rs Business Growth Framework with profitable B2B solutions

Book time with me HERE now

assia@smarketinglab.co.nz

The post Interning During a Pandemic appeared first on Smarketing Lab.

Do you have consent to email? Understanding the 3 types of email consent

Artem Axenov — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 07:02:32 +0000

Do you have consent to email? Understanding the 3 types of email consent

In today’s world of GDPR compliance and anti-spam laws, it can be difficult to navigate the legal system and understand who you can and can’t email. This is especially confusing when you get trade show leads and you want to follow up efficiently.

We’ve done the wading, and are breaking it down in plain English for you here. The long and short of it is: Yes, you can send emails to people using the email address from their business card that they’ve provided during the trade show. Or any business event for that matter. If you’re strapped for time, you can leave now. If you want to know why – read on.

Do you have permission to send marketing emails to anyone?

Knowing the rules governing email marketing in New Zealand can be helpful when planning your business’s email strategy. For example, you are not allowed to simply send a marketing email as it is considered spam also known legally as unsolicited commercial electronic messages in this country, meaning that any emails you send that are not advertisements will likely fall into this category. Additionally, you must gain your customer’s consent before sending them Communications of a Commercial Nature (COCNs); otherwise, these could be considered Spam and punishable by law.

One that aren’t considered spams are Transactional Emails, Transactional emails are e-mails you send to your customers either following up on a transaction that they have made through your website or in order to notify them about the changes and updates to your product or service. So, you might be asking how am I supposed to send marketing emails if this is the only acceptable form of email? Through trade shows of course.

Trade shows are an excellent opportunity for your sales rep to make connections with potential customers, as it allows you to get 3 types of consent to emails.

3 types of consent to email

Under NZ Law there are three types of consent someone can give you to send an email:

Express Consent
Deemed Consent
Inferred Consent

But why is it OK to email people after a trade show?

Express consent

This means someone ticks a box that says “Yes, please send me more information”. This consent can also be given verbally in a conversation – either in person or over the phone. If you’re standing there chatting to someone at your stand you can simply ask – “Is it OK to send you some more info via email?” And that will give you express consent.

You can also ask them to fill out a form with their details and include an email opt-in box so that you can keep in touch, receive marketing emails or if they agree to receive newsletters from you. In addition, you should also provide them with the option to opt-out to the email address they’ve provided if they don’t want to receive emails from you. You should make it as clear as possible for them how they can unsubscribe from your emails, so that they have no trouble doing so if they need to.

Again, this gives you express consent. The only problem is if the issue of consent is ever brought up, it’s up to the sender to prove consent. So, a conversation at an expo might be difficult to use as proof.

This brings us to inferred consent.

Inferred consent refers to when someone engages you, they might expect you to follow up. Say they purchase something, there is a reasonable expectation you will send some emails. Inferred consent doesn’t apply to trade show leads.

This leaves us with deemed consent.

According to the DIA “Deemed consent is when someone conspicuously publishes their electronic address (e.g. on a website, brochure or magazine) in a business or official capacity.”.

And this is the consent you will most commonly be able to use and provide proof of. All you need to do is make sure the data is time stamped when you upload and make a note which event you connected with the lead. This should be a part of your process anyway as it makes following up simpler. And it also serves as proof of deemed consent.

It’s all about compliance

It’s important to understand and be compliant with any rules and guidelines that may exist, as this can help reduce potential risks associated with your email campaigns. By staying up-to-date on official regulations governing email marketing in New Zealand, you’ll be able to run a safer operation and avoid any penalties or fines that may come your way.

In summary: at trade shows or business events, when someone gives you their business card there is a reasonable expectation that you will be in touch with them. The message should still be relevant, and you shouldn’t send too many emails. But if you keep a time stamp and know which event you connected on, then from a legal point of view you are clear.

If you’d like to learn more, read this article written by the Marketing Association of NZ.

The post Do you have consent to email? Understanding the 3 types of email consent appeared first on Smarketing Lab.

Are you sending too many emails?

Artem Axenov — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 06:47:44 +0000

Take a Quiz to Assess Your LinkedIn

Look in your inbox right now, and you’re guaranteed to find at least a handful of promotional emails, right? One from the store, one from your favorite restaurant, one from a Chamber of Commerce speaker, etc.

When it comes to sending emails to our list, we as business owners can be sceptical. After all, we ourselves are being sent numerous newsletters and updates from many different places and people. The sheer amount of it can be frustrating and we don’t want to feel guilty for adding to the same frustration of another person…much less, someone who might potentially be our client.

Here’s the thing though…

Big brands with big advertising budgets are in front of us 24/7. We have learned to accept this frustration. Worst of all, they have conditioned us as a society that anything worth paying attention to is repeated more than once and is in our faces wherever we go, wouldn’t you agree?

That is especially true about consumer products, many of them, like french fries, are a simple item we do not need extra education about.

Now let’s look at B2B. Your products are complex, yet you explain them to prospects only once or twice. You then leave them for a month to do their own research and discover your competitors. You rely on word of mouth and your sales team’s ability to build strong rapport. And I do sincerely hope you consider follow-up as a mandatory activity.

Even if you are an absolute follow-up master, how often do you follow up? Every 90 days? Compare that to every 30 minutes of ads about french fries on TV. Can you sense the disconnect and perhaps a huge reason as to why you are missing out on sales you could be making?

Emails are the new-age follow-up which still works. The problem is that even professional salespeople are giving up prematurely when they could have persevered in order to get the sale.

Even the statistics back this up:

44% of salespeople give up after one follow-up, and the average salesperson will only make two follow-up attempts. However, 50% of sales happen after the 5th follow-up (meaning professional salespeople are not even going halfway in their attempts to reach a prospect).

Of course, all products and services are not created equal and there are many moving parts. One thing is for certain: the money is in the follow-up and you’ve got to do it. Would you choose to spend more time on the phone following up or rather do something else while Set’n’Prosper emails are taking care of your follow-up tasks?

Reposted from the www.e-ideas.co.nz website.
Originally published on 5/02/2019

Assia Salikhova

Smarketing Lab, Managing Director
Co-Creator of 4Rs Business Growth Framework with profitable B2B solutions

Book time with me HERE now

assia@smarketinglab.co.nz

The post Are you sending too many emails? appeared first on Smarketing Lab.

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Interning During a Pandemic

Interning During a Pandemic

However, the challenge of the pandemic arose when I was halfway through my internship.

This strategy consists of the four R’s:

This B2B marketing strategy was one of the key learnings I took away from my time interning with Smarketing Lab.

Assia Salikhova

Do you have consent to email? Understanding the 3 types of email consent

Do you have consent to email? Understanding the 3 types of email consent

Do you have permission to send marketing emails to anyone?

3 types of consent to email

Express consent

This brings us to inferred consent.

This leaves us with deemed consent.

It’s all about compliance

Are you sending too many emails?

Are You Sending Too Many Emails?

Here’s the thing though…

Even the statistics back this up:

Assia Salikhova

Smarketing Lab Co-Creator,
developer of profitable B2B solutions to grow your business.