In the wake of COVID-19, one of the universal responses to adapting is investing in technology that increases consumers’ and employees’ health and safety. Remote work, telehealth, contactless payment systems, and virtual tours have all been adopted to help businesses remain open and functional when the average consumer is more inclined to stay at home and shop online.
Scott O Hirsch CEO of Media Direct and digital marketing pioneer, tells us that this quick adoption of tech has added fuel to the digital marketing fire. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a measurable rise in social media and mobile use that businesses need to be aware of.
But Hirsch warns against the pitfalls that are crippling many small businesses as they eagerly embrace the digital world without considering new circumstances. “You shouldn’t be investing in what’s worked for your company up until now. This is no longer a temporary state. The world is being permanently changed in many ways. Look to the future of your industry and think about how your company will fit into that future. That’s the marketing strategy you need to employ.”
To help our readers, Scott O Hirsch digital marketing guru, identifies the biggest digital marketing mistakes companies are making in 2020 and how you can avoid them.
Don’t Under-Invest in Data-Driven Marketing Advises Scott Hirsch
If you’re a marketing professional, you know that when times get tough, and cuts have to be made, marketing budgets are always the first to suffer. This has never been more true than during the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. But as marketing budgets are being slashed, creative directors and small business owners are forced to somehow do more with less. Hirsch advises that pre-emptively investing in data and analytics is the best way to ensure that you don’t fall behind.
Data- and analytics-driven marketing allow you to understand your customers’ needs, behaviors, and motivations, says Scott Hirsch. And with hundreds of thousands of people spending more time online, there’s more data than ever before to help you customize your marketing efforts.
Analytics and data can help you pinpoint your best-performing audiences, increase engagement, and create a seamless user experience for your customers. More importantly, analytics – or more accurately, the correct analysis and interpretation of your data – can help you predict future trends and track your progress toward your new post-2020 vision for your company.
Scott Hirsch, advises investing in employee training, certification, software, and equipment necessary to take full advantage of your data and analytics and apply them meaningfully to your digital marketing strategy. That way, when other companies are scrambling to do the same in a year, you’ll already have a competitive advantage.
If your company lacks the internal resources to accomplish these kinds of initiatives on their own, Scott Hirsch, suggests partnering with a digital marketing agency or employing a digital marketing platform or software to help you focus your marketing efforts. 91% of retail customers prefer brands that give them personalized recommendations and offers. With those kinds of numbers, says Hirsch, you can expect to see an ROI that completely offsets the initial costs of investing in your data-based marketing tools.
Don’t Miss Out On the Advantages of Personalized Marketing Warns Scott Hirsch
We’ve already discussed the wealth of data available to digital marketers. But unfortunately, this can often be a staggering amount of information. As a result, many small and mid-sized businesses – who are already overwhelmed with responding to COVID-19 – aren’t taking advantage of the digital marketing tools at their disposal. Personalization is one such tool.
Personalization has gone far beyond using your customer’s first names in your email blasts, personalization now refers to the whole experience. Use the data you gather through A/B testing and behavioral analytics to tailor your customer’s journey and make it a unique, easy experience.
Every landing page and social media campaign should feel like it’s speaking directly to your target customer. This doesn’t just increase sales; it also increases your brand’s trust and loyalty to your business. According to a Salesforce study, 84% of customers say being treated like a person rather than a number is significant to winning their business.
Scott Hirsch is a digital marketing pioneer, is a world-renowned expert in data and analytics-driven digital marketing. Hirsch has been published in Forbes, Time, INC, Huffington Post, Fox Business, and more.
