Today I talked to 1 clients, 2 prospects, 1 partner and 1 colleague. All very distinct and different conversations about marketing, social media and the client customer relationship. None of these individuals know each other and yet in so many words, all 5 of us agreed on the same exact thing. Here it is.
The way you market to your clients, the way we market to clients is not the same as it was 1 year ago and 6 months ago. Now you might be thinking, “I know that”. But do you really? Do you really know that these are different and challenging times? Lay off’s every day. Numbers down with all companies of all shapes and sizes across the board, and you might be pitching the same way you did 6 months ago? Forget 2008.
You need to take more time now with the client, the customer and the prospect, than you have ever done before. You need to understand their pain and their challenges before you can even think to market with them. Notice I said with, and not to. And you’re going to try and get the client to utilize social media marketing? Ha! Put yourself in their shoes. They don’t know social media, and in fact what they really care about is getting warm bodies thinking about their service or product.
So the question is, what are you going to do about it? What is your plan? 2009 is almost here. You have to have a plan that is going to separate you from the echo. Be different.
Direct Marketing Observations 
What I’ve learned at various speaking engagements is that many people feel as though we talk over their heads. You’re right, they don’t understand it and I think that those who come off the high horse and speak to the customers on their level and really work to help them see the benefits of SM will ultimately prevail in 2009. I don’t have any clients yet but I know I strive to bring it to the level of the audience it has been appreciated. Good to get folks thinking about this!
You are right on cue! Now is the time to decide how we are going to market in 2009. If we wait too long, someone else might beat us to the punch.
We have to view it from the customer perspective. Budgets are tight, especially for smaller businesses. We need to remember they may be choosing between an employee (or more) and the proposed marketing plan.
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@Angela, you’re dead on, we want to see it from their POV and not have them see it from ours…
@Charity The funny thing is if we did mktg. plans 6 months ago or 9 months ago, we would have had to scrap them, because they would not be relevant now…
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