Myth 1: Marketing has an instantaneous effect
Fact: The relationship with your target audience is not instantaneous and it can take time to create enough quality content to begin producing results. You should think of marketing as an investment and one that can take time to see the greatest gains! Even though some marketing tactics can produce instant visible results, you will need sustained contact with your target audience to make sure they know who you are and what you can offer them.
Read through some of our Marketing blog posts here.
Myth 2: Social Media is pointless for an older target audience.
Fact: According to Social Media Today (www.socialmediatoday.com), 43% of those aged 65 years old and above are engaged in social media (2014). It could be a crucial mistake to miss out on connecting with and building relationships with these users through social media platforms.
Have an interest in Social Media? Check out our blog posts.
Myth 3: Email Marketing is not effective anymore
Fact: You can drive a very focused and effective email marketing campaign. Particularly when integrated in your content marketing activities, such as videos, blog posts etc. If done the right way, email marketing can strengthen your relationship with customers and drive revenue. Read more about email marketing on our blog.
Myth 4: Social Media marketing is free
Fact: Yes - social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter etc. are free to use (excluding any advertising costs), however, you need to think about time and resources – which do cost money! It’s important to consider your return on investment in these channels. Inbound and social media marketing require extensive resources, people and time to be successful! Inbound marketing requires the creation of quality, relevant content and being present on the social networking sites to build relationships with target audiences. Blogging, monitoring your reputation, producing and sharing content, creating and optimising your profiles, responding to posts and comments are time consuming yet invaluable tasks. Check out a guest blog post on social media here.
Myth 5: A mobile website is pointless for small businesses
Fact: With the increase in use of smartphones and tablets, a mobile responsive website is very important for all business as potential opportunities could be lost, especially businesses with a physical location, as they could be preventing being noticed by ideal clients. Mobile Responsive websites create a better user experience and are also cost effective as small businesses can use one website that responds to all devices, whether you’re on a browser, tablet or smartphone.
Did you know, theres a difference between a mobile website and a responsive design? A mobile website is only available to view on a mobile, whereas a responsive website design responds with the browser size, so you see a slightly different version on your desktop, tablet or mobile.
Here is an example of a responsive website design: Beeks Building Contractors. Try moving your browser window to be bigger and smaller to get the effect of viewing it on a mobile or tablet.
Beeks Responsive Design
Here is an example of a Mobile website design - Camis have a separate mobile website design which you can see here or try out yourself:
Myth 6: Anyone can build a website!
Fact: If you have the technical skills to create your own website, do it. However, it is a good idea to invest in a professional marketing company with experience and knowledge. They can then advise on the site layout, content organisation, on-page optimisation, your call to action and landing pages. Your website is the foundation for all of your inbound marketing activities and it needs to be created as a marketing tool. You may be able to create a professional WordPress website by using a premium theme, adding your logo, determining your colour palette and writing quality content. But understanding best practices around content organisation and user experience is critical to making sure your visitors find what they are looking for, so hiring a professional could be a lifeline.
Visit our website development blogs here.
Myth 7: You need to change your messages before you become boring
Fact: Changing your brand, message or campaign for the sake of change could be both wasteful and harmful. You might feel like your message is getting old but the moment you influence your target audience. Consistency and repetition are key. You can vary your content across different platforms, but the message should remain the same.
Myth 8: Lower cost means higher sales
Fact: If this was the case, no one would buy expensive cars and would always go for the cheaper version. Many buyers are believers in the “you get what you pay for” moto! That is why it is so important to target your product or service correctly so that you can provide the maximum value at the right price. This also applies to your website: cheap is not always best! You need to think about the quality of what you are paying for and how it will perform.
Myth 9: Logo = Brand
Fact: Brand is the perception the world has of you and is far more complex than just a logo. A brand isn’t just about your company colours, logo or your website; it is who you are as a company, the value you deliver and the complete client experience. It communicates your personality and influences your prospects’ opinion of who you are and whether they will want to do business with you.Your brand needs to be used consistently across all social media and marketing activities, reflecting the personality of your business.
Check out some of our design and branding work here.
Myth 10: Marketing and Advertising are the same
Fact: Although you might use advertising to communicate messages about products and services, marketing is more about educating your target market about what you can offer them and why they should buy from you. Advertising can be online, in the form of Pay Per Click or other website advertisements, or offline through magazines, newspapers, billboards etc. For most small businesses, the cost of traditional advertising outweighs the value, so it could depend on your business and client.
And so – marketing is vital for creating business visibility by educating prospects and customers about you, your products and services, and how you can help them solve a problem. It is an investment in time, creativity, resources and energy. The more you invest in your marketing, the greater business success you will have.
Can you think of any more marketing myths that can be added to our shortlist? Tweet us @BeSeenMktg or let us know on Facebook!
Idea Source: http://masterful-marketing.com/marketing-myths-you-should-ignore/
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