By Sheldon Waithe:
Digital marketing, advertising and promotion are still very much in its infancy across the region. Companies take their cue from global trends, but though there are shining examples of great 21st century marketing sent to our devices daily, it’s frustrating to see local and regional brands fail to grasp the concept of proper use of the medium and its platforms. If one were to be harsh, it can be said that it stems from Directors and Managers not fully understanding a relatively new marketing tool, one that has ambushed the sector and that continues to evolve at breakneck speed. Certainly, this is not a Caribbean symptom – it exists globally – but it does need to be addressed by companies that will eventually get left behind. It can no longer be the case of relying upon longevity in the market in the physical sense, to guarantee that continued bottom line in sales.
There are too many examples of half-hearted attempts at digital marketing, of poor looking websites, that invariably suggest on a subliminal level that the customer was not worth the supreme effort of being adequately informed, engaged and entertained. The major issue with that approach, is a competitor that is more media savvy, using the opportunity to make inroads into your market share, regardless of your current customers purchasing out of habit.
Many of our regional brands, old and new, reek of having social media platforms and websites because they know that they must, but they do not know how to maximize its potential, while also inhibiting marketing efforts by looking firstly at costs.
No marketing agency can expect an unlimited budget from its client (though we all live in hope of one day reaching that advertising nirvana!) but there is scope for adequate funds that facilitate global standards of professionalism, with that customer respect and care. It’s about smart spend, enhancing the totality of a meaningful campaign, its creativity driven by guidelines, planning, chronology and a realistic timeline.
Even in our instant gratification society, three months to see the first results from online advertising is relatively short, so try to be patient, the longer-term advantages to be gained through brand resonance are worth it.
I tell our clients that their media platforms are now their number one shop window, one that can be taken to the target audience instead of waiting for them to walk or drive past it. Therefore, its crucial to recognize if it is substandard, then take steps to remedy it, because as with all growth, your competitor’s marketing will not remain in infancy for much longer.