by Tony Fannin, president, BE Branded
New year. New age. In this plugged in, always on world, I’ve notice a common attitude that’s becoming a trend. And not a good one, at that. Many are under the false belief that all you have to do is get on Twitter, Facebook, and blog your heart out, and you’ll find success through the sheer magic of the internet. It is no question that these online tools and Google search has revolutionized the world of advertising. But the question is, just because you have a skillful command of these tools, does it make you a marketing genius?
From what I’ve seen, no. Being good at online tools alone doesn’t make you a marketing god. That’s only half of the story. Circuit City didn’t go bankrupt because they lacked twitter skills. They went bust because they lost focus on their core business brand and watched Best Buys blow right by them. Burger King is one of the most progressive new media players in the fast food industry. They’ve had huge success with Subservient Chicken and Facebook Whopper Sacrifice. Still, they are a very distant second to McDonald’s.
So why isn’t new media THE answer? The problem is that too many marketers forget the second part of the equation – strategy. Marketing is made up of two components: marketing strategy and marketing tactics. Which is more important? Many believe, and so do I, that strategy is far more important than tactics. Tactics are short lived and only affect a portion of the marketing spectrum. It takes strategy to see the end game, what it will take to get there, and what tools (tactics) it will need to accomplish stated goals. Too many concentrate on the tools and not enough on what you’re building in the first place.
Instead of just trying to find new tactics or different online solutions, why not take a closer look at your overall strategy? That’s where one should begin with anyway. How do you know what tactics you should invest in without knowing the core marketing strategy and the goal that strategy is trying to accomplish? Too many marketers try to hop on the newest online toy without really understanding how that new toy will contribute to the overall strategy.
If you get your strategy right, then the tactics you employ whether it’s new media, social media, traditional advertising, etc., will pay off dividends in ROI and help you reach your established goals. By knowing what tool is best for what results, you can actually employ the right tactics for the right measurements and not expect the wrong tool for the right results.
The skillful use of Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and SEO won’t make a weak brand strong. All it will do is accelerate a weak brand’s demise. By having a strong brand linked with insightful strategy and executed with the right tactics, you’ve increased your chances of marketing success 100-fold.
www.bebranded.net
317-797-7226
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