Forbes recently published an article titled, “20 Brands Reinvigorating Their Online Presence with Purpose-Driven Marketing,” which details the case for marketers to explore and adopt a more human-centric approach to digital marketing.
We get it. Marketing can feel a lot like marketing does now. But maybe, just maybe, it can move towards something more. Something that puts the customers at the center of all of it.
If you’re looking to expand your understanding of marketing and how to get more out of your marketing efforts, check out this insightful article.
The Case For Marketers To Embrace Purpose-Driven Marketing
With more than a billion active devices and rising, people are finding new ways to engage with content online. With more consumers turning to digital marketing channels, such as websites and e-mails, to discover products and learn about brands, marketers must adjust their approach to gain more traction.
The article highlights the importance of consumers having a reason to engage with a brand and the marketing department’s role in providing that reason. Here, we’ll explore how marketers can take the lead in incorporating a more purpose-driven approach to digital marketing and how to get started.
Why Marketing Can’t Be About Just Sales
Most marketers I know are great at selling, marketing, and promoting a product or service. But somewhere along the line, the gears stop turning and the penny drops. They realize they’ve been reduced to a single purpose – to drive revenue.
While it’s great to grow as a marketer and develop a broader role, it’s not practical. Even for a large company with a multibillion-dollar marketing budget, hitting revenue targets becomes the mainstay of the strategy. And that’s often at the expense of customer happiness.
In the same way that your products or services can be improved upon to meet customer needs, marketing campaigns can and should be expected to evolve to fit customer interests. After all, the best marketing campaigns build trust, inspire action, and drive sales.
How To Incorporate A Purpose-Driven Approach To Marketing
While some marketers have already begun to adopt a more engaging approach to digital marketing, others are still hesitant to abandon the tried and true. If you’re looking to take the step towards incorporating a purpose-driven approach, here are a few tips.
Develop A Brand Voice
If you work for a company that promotes a range of products or services, developing a brand voice for each one can be difficult. You may find you’re forced to brand a product or service you love in order to pitch it to the public – even if it’s not what the customer wants.
That’s why it’s essential to find the common theme that connects all of your products, whether online or in physical stores. Once you’ve defined that theme, you can begin to craft a voice that binds your brand and makes it memorable.
Create Compelling Content
According to HubSpot Blogs research, 70% of consumers want to see compelling content as part of an ad campaign. Despite the desire for more engaging content, only 28% of marketers were very satisfied with the amount of content they create.
If you want to take your marketing to the next level, develop compelling content that will engage your target audience and convince them to purchase your product or service. A strong brand identity combined with compelling content can do wonders for your marketing efforts – as long as you can keep the content compelling.
Embrace Audience-Generated Content
If you want to take your marketing to the next level, experiment with incorporating more organic content. According to HubSpot Blogs research, 70% of consumers want to see compelling content as part of an ad campaign. Despite the desire for more engaging content, only 28% of marketers were very satisfied with the amount of content they create.
To keep up with the times, create content that reflects what your audience is interested in – whether it’s news, weather, or sports updates. Organic content such as these can help establish you as a thought leader in your industry and raise your marketing profile.
Avoid Impulse Buying
Instead of pitching a product or service your audience doesn’t want, focus on what they do want. According to HubSpot Blogs research, 68% of consumers want to see advertisements that educate them on a product or service. While that may not seem like such a bad thing, many marketers pitch products or services based on misleading information or leave out crucial details.
From my own experience, I was pitched a vitamin supplement that “clinically demonstrated” the effectiveness of a product I didn’t need and didn’t want. The salesperson didn’t feel the need to educate me on the product or its capabilities since I was already familiar with vitamin supplements.
After the pitch, I Googled the product and found out it was a combination of vitamins and minerals, with no evidence to support its claims. Naturally, I was a bit confused as to why I needed a vitamin supplement in the first place, but it was much more beneficial to myself and my wallet that I didn’t purchase a product I didn’t need.
The Bottom Line
The world of marketing is changing, and so should your approach to marketing. To keep up with the times, develop a brand voice that unites all of your products or services. Create compelling content that will engage your audience and convince them to purchase your product or service. Avoid making false claims or providing misleading information about your products or services. When done strategically, marketing can be a powerful tool in growing your business.