Mike Paffman, CEO, Virgo PR

Digital marketers and marketing teams in general sometimes struggle in keeping up with all of the available tools that can ease the marketing process for them, and at the end of the day, instead of easing the process, it ends up more complicated or difficult. 

Additionally, while some marketers swear by a certain set of tools that they use on a daily basis, that they end up falling behind the industry, others try to stay on top of all the newest tools and trends and end up overextending themselves or their companies. 

Furthermore, there are different sets of tools that essentially function in the same way, which is what we’ll mainly be focusing on, to make the marketing process easier to navigate for many professionals in the industry. 

Digital Identity

For many businesses having an online presence, and with it, a recognizable digital identity, is a must when it comes to attracting clients and conducting public relations campaigns. That’s precisely why many companies create attractive and user-friendly websites that are going to make the visitors feel confident in the brand, which influences their buying decisions. 

A digital identity often goes hand in hand with other recognizable brand characteristics such as the company’s logo, a recognizable font that’s used across platforms, as well as recognizable graphic content, such as a color scheme that’s followed across all content, as well as the business website. 

Strong Network

One extremely effective business and marketing strategy is word of mouth, which businesses can easily achieve when they find or create a strong network within the same geographical location or the same industry. 

While content, ads, and media coverage work well within marketing campaigns, nothing is better than when people enjoy talking about the brand and its products. When customers are talking,  that’s the one thing that builds the most amount of trust with other potential consumers, which can then be turned into even more returning customers. 

Target Audience and Segmentation

Streamlining a company’s marketing strategy can only be done by understanding the target audience and all its nuances. There are different tools that help companies listen to and understand their target audiences, but it’s just as important to properly segment those big audiences into smaller groups that can then receive tailored offers. 

One such segment is the group of consumers that are loyal to the company and its products, which is why a number of businesses offer that segment loyalty programs or tailored discounts, to better retain them and strengthen the relationship between the consumers and the brand. 

One thing that’s important for marketers to remember when considering the best options to utilize these tools is that there are many platforms available online, each with its pros and cons. Some businesses will try and take advantage of all of these tools simultaneously but discover they don’t offer a lot of data. In other cases, the platforms that don’t have all of the necessary features can be combined with still other tools that wind up providing a ton of data. Depending on a company’s needs, the best bet is often to simply try a few to discover which works best.

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About the Author: Mike Paffmann is CEO of Virgo PR, a NY PR agency.