Located in the heart of Germany, the city of Mannheim prides itself on being the ‘City of Literature’. The most recent novel to draw international acclaim is Thomas Linen’s ‘Ammonite’, which is set in the fictional Lüneburg Heath region. But beyond literature, the city is home to some of the world’s greatest companies. Mercedes-Benz and IBM continue to collaborate on developing autonomous driving technologies, whilst PPG Industries (formerly known as the Paint Company) has its headquarters in the city. So, as you’d expect, a lot of people are into marketing and branding in the city.
Branding
Branding is the act of establishing a personal connection with an audience, product, or service through consistent communication across platforms.
Whether you’re a business person, marketer, or student, having a clear brand identity is essential. You can measure the success of your brand identity through the ‘Unique Selling Point’ (USP) – the one quality that sets your product or service apart from competitors’. When consumers identify with your brand, they will be more receptive to your message and more likely to perform brand-related tasks or activities.
Content
With such a strong identity and presence in the city, it’s clear that marketing and content are top of mind for marketers in Mannheim. The most common platforms for content today are:
- Websites
- Mobile phones
- Social media
- Voice mail systems
- Text message
- Live chat
- VR/AR (virtual/augmented reality)
With the rise of digital marketing and content creation, people are learning to expect more from content. Influencers have risen to prominence, with content creators like Felix Kjellberg (‘PewDiePie’) already having more than 100 million followers on Instagram.
If you’re creating content for social media, it’s essential to establish a social media strategy that’s aligned with your broader marketing strategy. This will help you to decide what content to create, when to publish it, and how to engage with your audience. For example, do you want to create content solely for ‘followers’ or ‘likes’ or do you want to engage with your audience through shared interest groups or forums?
Reputation Management
Whilst building a reputation can be difficult in today’s ever-changing world, it’s an essential part of a business’s success. When people consider your product or service, they will have an image in their head of what you represent. Your reputation is made up of everything about your brand, including what others say about you. When you have a bad reputation, it can be hard to gain trust and confidence from others. But, fixing a broken reputation is easier than you think. Simply being honest and open about what happened is a great place to start, and then it’s up to you to prove that you’re a trustworthy and reliable business.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
If you’re determined to make your website more discoverable online, you’ll need to consider the use of SEO – the ‘Art of Getting Found through Search Engines’.
SEO is a form of marketing that improves your odds of being found when a consumer searches for products or services related to your niche. To do this, you’ll need to ensure that your website conforms with the guidelines set out by Google, Bing, and other search engines. For example, the content on your website should be concise, include plenty of keywords, and be free from duplicate content.
Digital Marketing, Sales, and Service
As we’ve established, marketing is more than just advertising. Nowadays, the digital sector has expanded the traditional definition, with marketing spanning online and offline channels, and including the use of digital technology to drive growth. The discipline is now referred to as ‘digital marketing’.
What’s more, marketing is no longer limited to the physical world – audiences now have the ability to ‘shop’ online, with companies such as Amazon playing a significant role in facilitating this trend. If someone is researching a product or service online, they will have the opportunity to click on a link to your website, where they may discover your offer and make a purchase, or sign up to receive notifications about future discounts, product releases, and more.
Marketing is changing, and this is something that entrepreneurs and business leaders need to embrace if they want to succeed. From building a brand identity to establishing a digital footprint, to attracting and engaging customers, marketers must keep up to date with the latest trends and technologies. By taking an integrated approach, marketers can effectively plan for the future and ensure that they’re making the right strategic decisions for their business.