Marketing Archives - Max Weinstein, Social Media Strategies

Online Marketing Wish(es) for 2019 – Pt 2

Last Week I went over my first 7 online marketing and social media wishes for 2019. This week I finish them up.

Online Marketing Wish #8: Just be you

Let’s stop referring to other professionals and competition in a given industry as the “experts” and “gurus” and putting it in quotes when comparing services, offers and information. It doesn’t make anyone seem any better, more knowledgeable, qualified, or more trustworthy. This is just a common scare tactic. It could even be off putting.

Don’t feel you need to build yourself up and take others down in the process. Just provide useful and helpful information.

With that being said it’s much better if the market has given you that title than giving it to yourself. Remember, you will always be an expert to someone. With that said, I did meet someone at a trade show once who introduced himself as a “Social Media Guru” with a straight face (quoting his title). I couldn’t take him seriously.

Online Marketing Wish #8. Let's stop referring to other professionals and competition as the experts and gurus when comparing services and offers. Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #9: Value, Value, Value !!!

Value was probably the most overused word of 2018 and I’m sure we will see it more in 2019. Stop declaring that you are about to give value or drop “value bombs”. Just provide it with no explanation or introduction.

Online Marketing Wish #9. Stop declaring that you are about to give value or drop value bombs. Just provide value with no explanation or introduction. Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #10: Prove it

Stop preaching and talking about 6 figures! Or saying you made X number of dollars in X amount of time without even stating the price of the product or service.

Online Marketing Wish #10. Stop preaching and talking about 6 figures! Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #11: Vanity Metrics

Stop buying likes and followers. The big number is just a vanity metric.

A vanity metric, puts emphasis on the number of likes, followers etc an account has and the number alone, regardless if they are real or fake; the idea being that people are more likely to interact with accounts that have more of a following. The reality is when paying for likes their is a great chance that they are coming from fake accounts. This does NOTHING positive, and in the long run will not help you. Engagement will be low or non existent.

Stay away from companies that offer this service. Focus on organic or paid growth, where you know you can target and engage with your ideal customer. It’s just not worth it.

Online Marketing Wish #11. Stop buying likes and followers Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #12: Use Direct Messages for good, not evil

Stop sending direct messages (DMs) that go right in for the sale on the first point of contact. Would you walk up to someone at an event hand them your business card and walk away? Probably not. It’s the same thing.

Stop pitching to other businesses and professionals that offer the same service that you do.

Online Marketing Wish #12. Stop sending direct messages that go right in for the sale on the first point of contact Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #13: Mindset

All over the internet we see motivation quotes and images. Additionally, people talk about their experiences and positivity as it relates to their business or life. Positivity and mindset is important and can have an impact on any individual, business and it’s customers. When everyone is talking about positivity and mindset, the message can get oversaturated. If you honestly believe it works and you want to share it, by all means go for it. However, don’t feel obligated or pressured into incorporating motivation into your social media presence. Do what you think alines best with your personality and brand. Not everyone needs to a motivational speaker.

Online Marketing Wish #13. Positivity and mindset is important and can have an impact on any business and it's customers but not everyone needs to be a motivational speaker. Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #14: Stop using “RE” in marketing emails

Stop using RE in marketing emails that are NOT replies. At best, you’ll trick someone to opening your email and they will buy your product or service . At worst, they’ll go from confused to pissed off, and unsubscribe.

Online Marketing Wish #14. Stop using RE in marketing emails that are not replies Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #15: Webinar Pitches

I’ve lost count of how many webinars I’ve watched over the years. They have become very formulaic. They always start and end the same way; the END almost always includes the pitch.

I have no problem with the pitch or the pricing, (unless it ends in a 7. #1 on my list) it’s the set up that gets me. “You get all these modules at all these prices. A $$$ value, but we’re not going to charge you that, or that, or even that.” I know that there is a method to the madness but why not just offer a good product at a fair price?

It’s straight out of infomercials. If it hasn’t happened already, the consumer that watches multiple webinars will become desensitized to all of these tactics.

Conclusion

The online marketing world can be challenging. I understand that getting, grabbing, and keeping attention has become difficult. Everyone is bombarded with the never ending streams of content and ads. Because of this, we go to great lengths to be seen. We do everything we can to get prospects and customers. Still, I think there needs to be a better way. We can all do better. At the end of the day just be AUTHENTIC. Being authentic isn’t hiding behind a logo. It is showing you care about the consumer. It is about being real.

Going into 2019 and beyond. Let’s help people and offer good products and services without using any trickery, and smoke an mirrors.

Now that you know my 2019 wishes, please tell me yours. Comment below.

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Online Marketing Wish(es) for 2019 Pt. 1

I have been in the social media/online marketing space since 2010. So much has changed in that time, and the changes keep coming. Looking back on 2018 and looking ahead to 2019, I have some online marketing and social media wishes. There are some trends in the social media and online marketing world that have been very effective, but there are some I wish I could change. Some may have run their course.

In some ways, I might be more aware of these methods than the average consumer. It is my job to study these strategies and the marketplace to see what others are doing, what is working and what is not.

I always try to look at things from the perspective of the consumer. After all, CONSUMERS are THE MARKET. We need to remember that the consumers have become very savvy and may be getting too familiar with the marketing techniques that we have been using. I will be breaking down some of these ideas even further in future blog posts, so make sure you subscribe.

First off, I understand that getting, grabbing, and keeping attention has become challenging. With the never-ending streams of content and ads, we as marketers and business owners go to great lengths so the content we all create can be seen.

With all this said, I think there needs to be a better way. A better way to market to consumers that can be more transparent; with less smoke and mirrors. A more straight forward approach to social media and digital marketing, will not only benefit companies but their consumers as well.

Online Marketing Wish #1: The number 7

It’s time to stop ending prices in 7. I met someone at a party who said he now refuses to buy anything that ends in a 7. Is one person’s opinion a reason to change everything? No, but it’s overdone. The 7 has become the new normal.

Online Marketing Wish #1: It's time to stop ending prices in 7. Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #2: Scarcity

It’s time to end the fake scarcity with seats or items available and countdown clocks. Don’t send out emails about live webinars and say that there won’t be a reply available and that “this isn’t a scarcity tactic” and then send an email the next day with a replay.

Online Marketing Wish #2. It's time to end the fake scarcity with seats or items available and countdown clocks. Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #3: Landing Pages

Let’s stop making landing pages longer than a CVS receipt. If it’s too long I lose interest and move on. CONSUMERS probably do too.

Online Marketing Wish #3. Let’s stop making landing pages longer than a cvs receipt. Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #4: Guilt

Let’s stop with the guilt ridden marketing messages. “You only have two options. 1. Work with me/us and I’ll/we’ll make you successful or 2. Go it alone and continue to struggle and fail. Stop trying to make people feel scared , frightened, or guilty just so they buy your product or service.

Stop trying to make people feel bad they haven’t been able to achieve their goals, thus far, and scare them into thinking that they will not be able to do anything different even, with the new knowledge you have just provided. It’s not a good way to begin a business relationship.

Online Marketing Wish #4. Let's stop with the guilt ridden marketing messages. Stop trying to make people feel bad just so they buy your product. It's not a good way to start. Share on X

Online Marketing Wish: #5: There are no real secrets

Let’s stop using words like weird, trick, and secret when talking about marketing methods and naming products or offers. There is no need to hide behind these words. It’s about strategy, research, testing, implementation, and results. If you’re publishing the information and telling the world, it is no longer a secret, is it?

Online Marketing Wish #5. Let's stop using words like weird, trick and secret when talking about marketing methods and naming products or offers. Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #6: Magically discovering solutions is a rarity

There are marketing messages that claim people stumbled upon solutions to their problems, and everything was suddenly solved with one magical tweak. Now they want to share that same thing with you; mostly, in the online training space.

The online training space revolves around the selling and running of information and educational classes. Most of the time the classes are prerecorded and divided into different sections and are accessible 24/7/365. The class or webinar may also be attached to a Facebook Group where participants can go for interaction and support.

Trust me, people do not accidentally get lucky right away and discover one magical tweak that changes everything. If they do, then the challenge becomes to see if it can be replicated. You might get a bullseye on the first try, which is great but by no means does that guarantee it will work every time,
for everyone.

People do not accidentally get lucky right away and discover one magical tweak that changes everything. Share on X

Online Marketing Wish #7: Customized strategies are necessary

Let’s stop claiming that there is a one size fits all solution or template for every single business in existence. Don’t say you have all the answers!

Think of the templates and information available as a starting point. Every company needs a customized strategy! There is no true fill in the blank marketing solution.

Online Marketing Wish #7. Let's stop claiming that there is a one size fits all solution or template. Share on X

Go here for Part 2.

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Marketing Where You Least Expect It

Rolaids

We continue to be bombarded with advertisements wherever we go. So much that we have begun to ignore them. We fast forward through commercials or if you don’t have a DVR you might just mute the TV because the volume of commercials is so much louder than the actual TV show. People have even stopped looking at billboards because they are looking down on their phones, instead of the road and we have trained ourselves to ignore the right-hand side of Facebook and Google so we can avoid the ads.

Consumers now expect to see advertisements online and elsewhere, which is why the best kind of marketing happens where you least expect it.

Every May I try and check out the 9th Avenue Food Festival in New York City. It is one of my favorite Spring events. It runs on 9th Avenue starting at 57th Street to 42nd Street and features many local eateries. The 15 block long food festival is filled with everything from empanadas and Thai food to burgers and sausage with peppers sandwiches, to deep-fried Oreos, cannolis, and lots more. Anything and everything fatty, salty, greasy and delicious.

During the 2015 festival, something caught my eye. About half way down the festival, when indigestion and heartburn was probably kicking in for many, there was a big inflated Rolaids bottle; think bouncy castle style. You could not miss it. The staff at the Rolaids booth were giving away samples and people love free samples. Everyone was pushing, shoving and grabbing, just to get some Rolaids. It doesn’t usually matter what it is. If a vendor was giving away samples of rat poison people would still flock to them.

It was the perfect placement in an unexpected place. This would never work anywhere else. Not at a music festival, a car show, or an arts and crafts festival. It had to be at a food festival.

When thinking about marketing and advertising, targeting is the most important aspect. Consider not only going where your customers or potential customers are but where they wouldn’t expect it. It may just lead to some new customers.

*This article is by no means an endorsement or representation for Rolaids or Chattem, a subsidiary of Sanofi.

Practical Communication

Over the weekend I saw Roger Daltrey at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. He performed The Who’s classic album Tommy in its entirety. It was an awesome show and my seats could not have been better!

Ticketmaster and the Prudential Center both have a nice way of communicating before and after events. 5 days before the concert, I received an email reminder from Ticketmaster. 3 days before, I got an email from the Prudential Center, including some event and venue information along with public transit directions. This being my first trip to the Prudential Center it was nice to have basic travel information with links to the New Jersey Transit website. Two days after, I received another email from Ticketmaster asking for me to review the concert. Once reviews are posted, they can be shared across twitter, facebook, myspace, digg and del.icio.us.

This communication and feedback model can be beneficial for everyone. The customer gets to share their experience, getting to the venue can also be part of it. Roger or someone on his team has the option to read fan reviews and decided to change anything. Ticketmaster now has more information that they can use internally and share with the venue to improve future events.

Communicating with customers is key. But listening is even more important. If we don’t listen and react then we are not doing our jobs.

Got a comment? I’d love to hear what you think, so comment below!