The world of digital marketing is ever-changing, and the methods and tools used to succeed in this space are always expanding. However, there are certain key principles that never go out of style, no matter what technology is used.

Focus On Building A List

As the name suggests, marketing to a list of customers or potential customers who have already agreed to receive communications from a business. You can build a large list of warm leads for your business by concentrating on adding value to people’s lives through your products and services.

Even if you do not have an email list yet, you can start building one now. You can use various free tools such as Google Forms to easily create a short survey asking for contact details and a bit about the respondent’s interests. The results of this survey will then be exported into a spreadsheet where you can find potential email recipients.

Even if you do not have the financial resources to purchase expensive email marketing tools, there are still free solutions that can help you build and maintain a list. For example, many content marketing tools such as HubSpot and BuzzStream allow you to send marketing emails as a part of their basic package. Additionally, you can use a tool like Get Response to quickly create emails with compelling subject lines.

Measure The Performance Of Your Marketing Efforts

The world of digital marketing is complex, and it is easy to get lost in the endless sea of metrics and numbers. However, without proper measurements, it is difficult to determine the success of your marketing campaigns. To start, you can use Google Analytics to see the general performance of your website or blog. This tool can help you determine which marketing methods are working and which ones need to be changed or improved upon.

You can also use web analytics tools to track the performance of your social media channels. For example, if you use Twitter to connect with prospective customers, you can use the tool Hootsuite to track the growth of your Twitter account over time. You can then use this insight to determine which methods of marketing are most successful and which ones need to be changed or evolved upon.

Know How To Reach Your Audience

The last thing any business owner or marketer wants is to reach out to the wrong audience. Before diving into the details, it is important to understand who your intended audience is and how you intend to reach them. Essentially, you could classify your target audience into three groups: 1) Existing customers, 2) New customers, and 3) Influencers (individuals or groups of people who have the ability to spread the word about your product or service).

If you have an existing customer base, you know precisely who you are trying to reach and how you intend to reach them. You will have a clear picture in your head of who your customer is and what they need. Conversely, if you are looking to attract new customers to your business, you need to take the time to understand what draws them in and keeps them coming back for more.

Luckily, your existing customers are already listening to, reading, and watching your various digital platforms. This is where you can tell them about the exciting news you have for them and try to convince them to come back for more. Additionally, you can use your social media platforms to connect with existing customers and gain more insight into what they want.

Craft Metaphors To Describe Your Product Or Service

In today’s digital world, your product or service does not need to be complex or flashy to gain traction. Instead, many businesses have successfully marketed simple, yet effective metaphors to describe their products or services. For example, HubSpot describes its CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software as a ‘life-saving’ tool because it allows business owners to track the progress of customer orders, communicate with customers through emails, and follow up with telephone calls.

Similarly, software company Desk.com states that its product is like an ‘operating system’ that can help businesses be more efficient while reducing the overwhelming number of emails that often lead to errors and mistakes.

When crafting your metaphors, keep in mind that your target audience might not be familiar with the terminology you are using. However, if the metaphor is clear and concise, they will understand your comparison and associated information much easier.

Understand The Importance Of Positioning

With any product or service, you need to establish its USP (Unique Selling Point) in order to generate interest and get people to try your product or service. For instance, if you run a car dealership, your USP could be that you provide excellent service and support or that you offer a great selection of cars. In the same manner, if you run a law office, your USP could be that you offer fee-friendly services or that you have plenty of experience in your firm.

In many cases, businesses will not succeed solely on the basis of their products or services. Instead, they will need to find a way to reach the right audience and convince them to buy their products or use their services. In terms of marketing, this could mean generating interest in your business through advertising or creating content that encourages potential customers to learn more about your product or service. Additionally, you could try reaching out to influential people in your niche to learn more about their interests and what they think about your product or service.

Positioning is all about taking what is generally known about your product or service and using keywords to attract the right audience. Additionally, you need to make sure that your positioning is consistent across all platforms—digital and traditional—to create a cohesive message to your audience.

Make Use Of Metaphors In Adding Value

To add value to someone’s life, you need to make sure that you provide more than just a product or service. Even if you have the best car in the world, it will not mean much if you do not educate the buyer on how to properly drive it. The same goes for products or services. Metaphors are extremely useful in helping people understand what your product or service is and how it can benefit them.

For example, HubSpot uses the analogy of a ‘wrench’ to explain how its CRM software works. According to the company, a CRM system is a ‘wrench’ in your ‘tools’ drawer that can be used to effectively ‘tune’ your interactions with customers so that you can get more out of them. Additionally, if you sell cars, you could use the analogy of a car to explain how your product or service works. People generally understand the difference between a car and a bicycle, so if you want to educate your audience about your product or service, comparing it to something already familiar to them can make a large difference.

Always Measure And Adjust

Above all else, understanding how to market your product or service effectively is about using metrics, adjusting your strategy, and then measuring the results of your efforts. You can easily get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of metrics and figures that flood your dashboard, but that is what makes this such an interesting field. If you can keep your head above water, you will be able to successfully create a marketing strategy and then track its results.