What is it that really works in business? For many, they believe in what one of my business associates pokes fun of the most… “guerrilla marketing.” You aggressively pursue whatever you can, cross your fingers and hope you are more aggressive than others. Sometimes it works… but let’s be real… sometimes it doesn’t.
It’s about the same as pulling a bow and arrow with a blind fold on.
Unfortunately, I see more and more marketers using this tactic to get the results they want. Very rarely do they look at the target points they need to have for digital positioning or incorporate tried and tested strategies to get the traffic, momentum and turning points they need.
My suggestion?
Check these 3 tips for digital positioning. When I work with strategic consulting, I always look at these elements and how they work with their business. Check out my video on how important digital positioning is.
In Strategic Consulting... This Is What They Say
Ok, I know what you just did. You scrolled past the video. You saw that I was there, live and authentic, then wanted to know if I would write about the same topic so you could get the information faster and figure out what I was talking about without actually having to listen to me talk for 4 minutes. It’s okay… That’s what I do too.
Or, maybe you just completely bounced off this page to watch the video and now you’re just finding the way back to the blog to see what I’m really talking about, but in the process, you’re going to scroll through my information without reading these words.
That’s all ok by me!
We have to understand our audience from a digital perspective. This is what digital positioning is about. It’s the online interaction. It’s where someone chooses to go for specific types of information. And, it’s the way we target that as business owners. Strategic consulting is a way to tie that all together and to make it work.
If our customers are looking at information in a specific way, then we need to be positioned, ready and waiting for them to process that information so we know how and when to respond. Otherwise, we are pulling triggers that don’t work and we’re looking for solutions that bring too little traffic and not enough conversions.
Let's Face It... Digital Isn't What It Used To Be
I blame the saturation and issues with the Internet on influencers. Yes, they are solely responsible with sending out so many selfies and information and ideas that the Internet barely has room to breathe anymore. When I began the Internet, having a website was a huge accomplishment. Now, you better have 10, 15 social media channels and be working all the angles simultaneously.
As someone who is in strategic consulting, my default answer is to tell you to do exactly that.
Guess what? I’m not going to.
Not even close.
It won’t work anymore.
We have to look at our businesses as information based businesses.
Just like in the days when there were (haha) brick and mortar businesses. We referred to them as brick and mortar businesses. And we built strategies around that. Strategies that would position them in the market and help them to stand out from competitors.
Why is it that the ability to type really fast or place a video online changed how we worked as businesses?
Even those in strategic consulting completely dropped the ball.
No more looking at location. No more looking at placement. No more looking at where your target market is. No more looking at how to work specific channels based on competitors.
Ok, I’m lying. There are some who are working with strategic consulting that will conduct this analysis.
But for the most part, we just start to turn all the channels with the aim of… I hope this works.
I have news… that’s not going to work anymore. The voices are too loud, the information (misinformation) is too much and the people are too many… and it’s going to grow.
We must be much smarter, much more strategic, in how we build our websites. It’s no longer about the numbers or the quantity. It’s how we qualify ourselves and claim our space online.
Here's Your 3 Secrets! Don't Lose Them
Ok, I’m giving you the edge… right here. With my strategic consulting, it’s worth thousands. But I’m in a great mood today and so I thought it would be viable to show you what to do to get out of the saturation and into your own element.
1. Put Your Brand In Your Pocket.
It amazes me how many people copy each other. Ok, I used to do it too. But in my strategic consulting sessions, I would never recommend it. It’s just that other marketers would literally tell me to copy. “Hey! There’s this information out here. Keep it all the same but just re-write it for Google.”
I know, we’ve moved past that phase. But amazingly, we have not. If someone puts a selfie on Instagram with their bikini, then I will too. Then everyone does it and no one knows who started it. To me, it’s an amazing phenomena of lost identities that I may never truly understand.
Make sure your brand has a core. Let it stick out. Let it shine. Don’t copy the thought leaders or the idealists or the other brands that are saying and doing the same thing as you. Do your own thing.
Your brand should have been built because you decided to solve a problem from your perspective that no one else did. That needs to come through loud and clear. In fact, it needs to be so loud that no other brand can touch or copy it. If they can… time to rethink. And, if you are copying… DEFINITELY time to rethink.
2. Cut to the Edge.
I’ll reiterate the video because this was such a good example. In 2009, there was an announcement that mobile was going to become the trend. That was at the time when no one was using mobile. Who was the one who did the smart strategic consulting and came up with that?
So, most rejected it, some started building apps, then everyone started sending SMS. 2 – 3 years later… saturated.
This is a part of the Information Age business that we must start acknowledging. If you don’t do something on the cutting edge with your marketing, then you will lose the positioning opportunity and in 1 – 2 years you will be fighting for a space and a voice online.
Be aware of the latest technologies, platforms, trends and innovations.
I think many of those in strategic consulting or even in business have a problem that we don’t want to do something that others aren’t into yet. It takes time and there may not be a return.
Let me give you a hint… if you aren’t recommending that someone get into the blockchain right now you are doing them a disservice. It’s going to explode as the next marketing trend and if we don’t start to use it, then it will saturate in 2 – 3 years.
Right now, it’s just a digital positioning tactic. Later, it’s a sales tactic.
Use those innovative tools and get into them nice and strong when no one else is. As your strategic consulting guide I can tell you… it will pay off!
3. Target Your Channels.
I love talking about spinning wheels. Because I see so many in strategic consulting doing it. Where they say “okay, I’m putting together a strategy.” And it’s a 2 page description of “use all the channels aggressively.”
I’ll never forget an associate of mine who learned this lesson the hard way. They were using all the channels and not making a dime. They decided to quit their job and it wasn’t being replaced with digital income. 9 months went by of using the channels aggressively.
Then one day, they changed their focus. Instead of using all the channels, they focused on the one thing that would get the one customer to their website. And they did that and only that.
Yes… it was magic. They got a sale after 9 months from a completely different channel than what they were using.
And they continue to use the same tactic over and over again to create revenue.
The channels may not be Instagram. Or Facebook. Or even a blog on a website. It may be a random platform with 1500 people on it that fit your target market.
Guess what? That’s 1500 people that are interested in you, as opposed to millions that are looking at random information.
Which do you think has the best success rate?
That’s not saying that you shouldn’t use major channels. But when you look at it from a strategic consulting perspective, it means that you need to be targeted and smart about what you decide to do and how you decide to use your methods of marketing.
Smart Takes Precedence Over Aggression
I have one huge issue with marketing. That is that we too often get into the energy of being aggressive and acting like we are on a war path to dominate every other business online. That’s how we end up with a whole bunch of random information and people’s faces without anyone knowing the stories behind what takes place.
Be smart in your marketing. Set your digital positioning. Those who are clever are going to last longer. They will become sustainable. And, they will always remain a step ahead of others.
Your strategic consulting ploy from me is that simple. I want everyone to think of long term, smart strategies that work. Nothing else.
And then contact me to let me know your success rates. 😉