How Tech is Disrupting Marketing

 image via bizdom.com

The goal of marketing is to help drive products sales. However, we cannot blindly follow the model of marketing & advertising of the 1960’s. Today, consumers have more access to more information than ever before. As a result, Marketers and brands do not control the conversation like they once did. Hitting consumers with ads through television and print and even online does not have the power that they once did. Consumers are being bombarded with messages like never before. As a result, their attention span is being diminished; meaning that unless your message is highly engaging and valuable to the needs of the consumer; it is likely to be ignored.

Traditional marketing is being disrupted by technology. The technology comes in the form of the internet, mobile, social media channels, publishing platforms, audio books and video on demand. All of these channels have the effect of giving consumers instant access to information. As a result, consumers are looking to brands not to sell their products through traditional marketing and advertising but to provide answers to their questions. In other words, brands have to provide a value message and earn consumer trust to get them to buy.

This marketing disruption is known as information marketing through content or simply content marketing. As a result, Marketers and brands have to become the educators or teachers of consumers. To become the educators of consumers brands have to become the industry resource  to consumers; showing how their products can solve problems and improve the lives of consumers.

Brands can do this by using an information marketing strategy. This can be done through creating custom digital and print properties that answer questions in that consumers have. Information marketing or content marketing  has to provide answers to consumers and should not be a flat out sales pitch.

During my time in Outside Sales in the dental industry, I didn’t sell dental products, I educated and taught my customers about the products I sold along with those of my competitors. In other words, I served as an industry resource to my customers, helping them buy my products that would be a fit. If my products were not be a good fit, I would not force the sales; I would suggest other products. This is what helped me keep my credibility; allowing me to earn future business.  As a classroom Teacher, I used the same strategy, when students had questions and when parents would ask me about what resources could help their children learn better.

As I make the transition, into digital and content marketing I provide consumers with information through content creation and advice.

Today, brands and marketers need to serve as industry resources for their consumers, educating them on what products would be best for them. This can be achieved through information marketing through content or content marketing. As you can see, marketing is being disrupted by technology into information marketing or content marketing. For brands to keep up their product sales, they will need to rise to the occasion and meet the needs of today’s consumer.

How has technology disrupted your Marketing strategy?

Want to learn more about the rise of Content Marketing? View this documentary from The Content Marketing Institute.