Welcome to the Dove Direct Print and Marketing Blog. Today's post, "5 Engagement Tools that Work," focuses on what lies beyond marketing as we are now in an engagement economy. The relationship between organizations and people has closed dramatically. The close connection is due in part to the advancement and adoption of engagement tools, the Internet, and the pandemic. For example, car dealers have come to realize that many of their customers are equally, if not more informed, than the salesperson. Content information is now more readily available thanks to digital technology transformations. Further, the information infrastructure affords faster content dissemination to the end-user at an affordable rate. As a result, the consumers deep knowledge means that the relationship between the car dealer and the customer must evolve. Meanwhile, sales methodologies also benefit from technological advances, in that organizations can now research and collect real-time data to help them understand demographics in an exact manner. Now organizations can re-target after, or even during a campaign, which allows them to update engagement content that better aligns with real-time data.
Our Quote of the Day: "Content is the reason search began in the first place." - Lee Odden
The Content Tool
Content marketing was the marketing buzzword a few years ago; however, marketing experts will tell you that content marketing continues to be an essential staple in every marketing scenario. Content can take on various types, such as text, social media posts, videos, case studies, white papers, and other posts. The overall goal of content marketing is to drive awareness via eyeballs and to generate more sales and revenue for the organization ultimately. Once the goal of awareness is achieved, the organization must move in the direction of developing trust, which then translates into brand commitment and brand equity.
Content begets other content. For example, if a consumer has an interest in boating, and they come across an article about the latest pontoon boat designs, they will likely take a moment to read that content. Once that consumer leaves that article, a prodigious amount of content aggregators and distributors will begin to disseminate valuable content on boating. The consumer, in turn, will visit some of those content offerings and possibly bookmark their favorites. When you scale content to reach several thousand consumers, the content is working to build an audience. At which point, the brand can now engage with them on a consistent level by building trust and developing relationships.
The Video Tool
Anyone can now distribute video across multiple platforms, including YouTube, Vimeo, websites, social media channels, Reddit, and a host of other digital destinations. Video is one of the most effective and efficient tools for delivering organic messaging for a variety of platforms.
Sales and marketing is a face-to-face experience, and there is no real replacement for that experience. That said, video is the next best thing to being there in person. Video can provide one-to-one virtual meetings or group conferences. Remember, humans are visual people, and video offers folks a chance to put a name with a face, which is the most persuasive communication aspect of personal marketing content. In an authentic sense, video is real-time personalization through visual communication.
And, as the pandemic plays out, we contend that more brands will opt for video communications. There are no concerns about infections via video screen or computer monitor, and two, most companies that flipped to remote may have little to no reason to return to a non-remote office environment.
The AI Tool
Artificial Intelligence has been on the scene for quite a while now. AI has grown by leaps since the early days of inception. AI offers the capability to capture vast amounts of big data and the ability to analyze that data. This process allows brands to automate particular processes and tasks systematically. Invariably, this AI process also provides brands with better decision making.
While the debate rages regarding how Facebook collects and uses its customer data, one cannot argue that the Facebook data collection initiative is an example of big data acquisition using AI. Regardless if a user is active on Facebook, that user's data is being collected across the digital spectrum.
For example, let's say that a brand or individual has created a PowerPoint presentation that contains names, addresses, emails, and a host of psychographic and demographic markers such as age, gender, spending habits, ethnicities, etcetera. AI collects all of that data. Therefore, everything an individual does online can be tracked, compiled, and added to the Facebook file.
Let's say, for another example, that a brand runs a golf training center. With the implementation of an AI-specific advertising campaign, the correct targets will be part of the target market reach. Facebook will serve up ads specifically for that demographic while simultaneously collecting more data. The benefit here is that the brand will learn when to post and the best times to call or email the prospect.
Variable Data Printing Tool
Variable data printing, aka variable digital printing, aka VDP, is built on digital technology that provides for the creation and printing of marketing material.
This technology offers everything, from small runs to large jobs and the ability to recall, edit and, update specific particulars for each batch run.
Often described as the simplest way to achieve a high degree of personalization, variable printing is, in essence, considered a low-cost marketing tool that is highly efficient. Marketers use this tool to send mailers, promotional materials, new product launches, and special offers to both current and potential customers, which are addressed by name with personalized content.
Keep in mind that this technology also provides the ability to offer variable rewards, change the creative, and even modify the language content.
Social Media Tool
Social Media advertising is an extremely powerful tool that allows advertisers to place their ads alongside the demographic they are directly targeting. For the retail sector, one can be alerted by a product, add it to the cart, pay, and check out without leaving the app.
More than half the planet is on a social media channel, thereby providing an inexpensive method to reach large segments of the population. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others offer users the ability to follow their brands of choice and stay abreast of new products and exclusive deals.
The Net-Net
These engagement tools offer a list of best marketing solutions; however, we also contend that email marketing, website marketing, and SEO are indispensable tools that should be part of every engagement toolkit. In an engagement economy, the marketing tools we choose need to allure, build trust, and engage consumers. We hope that you found value in this article. Stay safe, and thanks for reading "5 Engagement Tools that Work Today."
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