Disclaimer: We know that not everyone lives, breathes, and enjoys online marketing & media as much as we do. It’s the job, of course, but it’s also (and more importantly) our passion. Yes, we grumble when Instagram considers or makes changes. We continuously battle the fluid Facebook algorithm. We have to pay attention (and implement) the latest social video tools. Basically, we have to constantly monitor, tweak, and learn new techniques just to keep up. If it sounds exhausting, it is. But, that’s just the dark side of what Posse does. (Okay, our dark side is actually coffee. Lots of coffee.)
But, despite all of the challenges, and perhaps also because of them, we truly love what we do. We help businesses, brands, and personalities reach wider audiences, grow to unprecedented heights, and improve their marketing efficiency. We get to play a role in helping business owners and thought leaders achieve new levels of success. What is better than that?
Though we are confident in our ability to positively impact businesses by proactively establishing and improving their digital presences, a large part of what we do is educate. We often find ourselves in a room, call, or video chat with a prospective client who says something along the lines of “I know I need to do something…”. What stops them from taking action, aside from being extremely busy running a business, is the lack of knowledge of creating & managing a digital footprint.
It’s also, quite often, a fear of being online. The fear of the unknown can be debilitating. There are a lot of questions about the true value of social media marketing, the meaning of inbound marketing, and the effectiveness of online advertising. There is a fear associated with launching into an unknown space. If you don’t have experience in digital marketing (and many businesses don’t), we are asking you to jump off a cliff and trust us. Scary, right?
Good news. While you may not be completely sure of what lies below, we are. How can that be? Because we plan what is below that edge. We sit down and listen to your goals. From there, we craft a digital strategy that includes elements such as social media management, content marketing, persona identification, and digital advertising. We create the certainty in the unknown. Fear is powerful. Know what’s stronger? Strategy.
If we’ve put you a little at ease about entering into the digital marketing realm, we know we still have work to do. Because, the next thing we hear is a fear of us being too effective. We frequently have to address questions centered around thoughts that being active and prominent online will encourage negative feedback from customers. Bad reviews, customer service messages, online smear campaigns…we’ve heard it all. Here’s the challenge, though: is being active online what is encouraging unhappy customers to engage OR are they spreading their experiences (online & offline) AND YOU JUST DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT?
What we are trying to get at is the simple fact that online and offline worlds are no longer separate entities. Your customers are online. If you choose to opt out, you are just allowing conversations to happen about you–without you. Also, Google, Facebook, and many others have made it nearly impossible for your business to be truly “offline”. If you aren’t managing a presence, they will establish (and not manage) it for you. We’re confident that the person who knows your business best is you. So, take a deep breath. Grab the reigns. Take control. And, watch your business grow.