Is Change on the Horizon for Marketing?

Published December 20, 2021

All kinds of marketing really had to make a shift in the past 18 months. People were staying closer to home, were online more than ever, and were sitting on the couch in front of the television more than anyone would care to admit. Shopping closer to home was happening more, and the mom and pop small businesses were reaping some benefits. There are some key opportunities and challenges for businesses when it comes to marketing lurking in the upcoming year. Below we will discuss some marketing trends that should be considered for 2022. If any of these seem challenging, let’s tackle them together!

Double Down on Digital

Digital advertising is predicted to boom in 2022. This really shouldn’t surprise anyone though. According to GroupM, the amount spent on advertising to support ecommerce will increase 66% in 2022, while Zenith predicts digital channels will amount to more than 60% of global ad spend for the first time next year. 

The Internet is just going to keep growing. Digital communication is never going away. Online networks are where people spend their free time. The Internet is where people shop. It is where people communicate and it is where people research. Use the Internet and digital communications to their fullest potential in 2022.

Keep Going With Short Videos

Short videos are still going strong on social media and are predicted to continue this route in 2022. Instagram reels and TikTok are just two examples of where short videos come from. These short videos take no time to view and are widely shared. If there is a way to utilize a short video format for a product, business, promotion or spotlight, do it! Video is so powerful!

But don’t skim on the longer length, feature feel videos. IGTV and any YouTube content is still wonderful. Video overall is just great!

Customer Retention Matters

We talked previously about generational groupings for the purpose of marketing and how it may or may not help when it comes to getting to know your target audience. Beyond just figuring out who the target audience is and how to sell to them/acquire their business, businesses will need to rethink their ways of retaining customers. Competition in the digital market is likely going to become fiercer, only making it hard for a business to grab any attention. This is why the thinking around the customer needs to do a 180. 

Educating customers on why they need your product or service should always be top priority. Think of it in terms of someone who couldn’t possibly live their life without this product. Educate them on why this product is vital to own or use and why your product is better than the competition. Make it all about the customer’s feelings instead of the business. 

The hard sell is going by the wayside. People are just over it. They don’t want to be bothered by gimmicks or “tricks of the trade” anymore. There is not enough time in the day for that. People either know what they want, who they want to buy it from and just make the purchase. Or they research, usually online, but also through friends and family, and take the time to seek out which business should earn their loyalty. Redirect typical hard selling strategies to making sure current customers stay customers for the long run.

Own Your Customers

Ok, no, you don’t really own them, but you need to own how you can contact them. While social media has so many benefits, those networks could go down at any moment. That could mean losing a HUGE database of potential customers, current customers and past customers. Converting those people to your own database takes time and effort but it is worth it. Doing so allows you to be able to ensure the message you want to get to them can (think email marketing and newsletters). Additionally, you will be able to shine outside of where all of the competitors also live. Don’t get lost in the newsfeeds. 

Ask For Help

If there is one thing that always reigns true in this industry, it is that change is always happening. We are used to it and stay on top of it as best we can. But that is our job. And that is why it is important to ask our True Fit Marketing team for help with your marketing strategy for 2022. It isn’t too late to rethink what you’ve been doing and analyze what did and did not work. And it is great to make changes. Ask for help with your marketing efforts because it is important that you focus on other aspects of your business as well.

True Fit Marketing has been recognized as a 2021 Top 30 Best Branding Agency in Pennsylvania by DesignRush.

Published December 16, 2021
Branding Agency PA Winner

True Fit Marketing has been recognized as a 2021 Top 30 Best Branding Agency in Pennsylvania by DesignRush. 

DesignRush is a B2B marketplace that connects brands with professional full-service agencies, web design companies, digital marketing firms, and top technology companies.

Their platform lists over 9,300 agencies from over 50 different countries and is consulted by thousands of decision-makers looking to start a project.

“We are so excited to be honored with this award,” said Owner Arlea Hoffman. “Our goal is to build a brand that lasts as long as a business. We will always be a partner with our clients, so this award is for them as well. We work together to meet desires, wants and needs in an industry that is ever changing. Branding is a top priority for a business so it is important that we are on top of our game with knowing what is happening in the branding world. Special thanks to DesignRush for bringing together agency professionals and leaders to learn and collaborate with.”

True Fit Marketing is a full-service marketing advocacy firm powered by technology and grounded with foundational marketing. The agency has grown immensely over the past two years. From clients to staff, they are proud of their growth and the growth in the region. 

A Blog on Why Video Marketing is Important. Isn’t that Ironic?

Published May 10, 2021

Here we go. A blog about video marketing. It is so ironic, yet, we are still writing about it. Think about the last time that you were on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. How many videos did you see in your feeds? How many did you watch? Did you share any of them or tag someone in it? As our True Fit Marketing team scrolls through their own social media feeds right now, there are a ton of videos that pop up. Some are just for entertainment purposes, some are just friends, kids and animals, but others are for business purposes. The common theme? We are watching them! Video content marketing is at an all time high because people being online is at an all time high. But why should a business use video marketing?

According to Makenzie Walker of topfloortech.com…

  1. 97% of marketers claim that videos help their customers better understand products.
  2. 81% of businesses are now using video as a part of their digital marketing strategy.
  3. Live videos account for 13% of total traffic.
  4. 90% of consumers claim a video will help them when making a purchasing decision.

Video Sells

From the early ages of commercials on television, to the late night infomercials, to the daytime talk shows, video has always been used to sell in many ways. Except in today’s world, commercials are fast forwarded through and popular streaming services offer options to purchase packages that don’t even have commercials. So where is video supposed to sell now? Online…on your computer and especially on your mobile device. Video is viewed more on mobile devices (phones) than television now than ever before. According to JWPlayer, more than 75% of worldwide video viewing is mobile. As a business, you have the ability to market your product or service directly to your customers on their social media, in their search engines, and directly on your website in front of their very eyes. 

 

Is Video Marketing More Important Than Other Forms of Marketing? 

Video isn’t necessarily more important than other forms of marketing, but it sure helps that video can be used in a variety of ways. Video comes in many different forms like webinars, live streams, courses online, and of course published on YouTube or other social media platforms. It can also stop you in your tracks, well scroll, if you see something moving and interesting. The longer someone watches a video, the longer they are on your website or social page. This means the viewer is now engaging more with your business/product. Did you know that when this happens, whatever social media platform they are on gets notified of the amount of time the potential customer viewed your video and the platform keeps pushing more of your business posts to them? This is because the social platform knows the person viewing the video for a longer period of time is interested in whatever you are showing. Now your other marketing content, i.e. blogs, articles, images and other social posts, will be shown on their social feeds more than before, allowing your product to be front and center, just waiting to be bought. 

 

Video Versus Written Text

While articles, blogs and other written text serve a wonderful purpose, videos allow the viewer to comprehend the message much faster, especially if your product is in action. Customers will only buy your product/service when they understand what it does and how it will help them. Sometimes that product or service needs to be shown in action! But with action comes text. The written text is still important for search engines. According to Moovly, a brand is 53 times more likely to show up first on Google if you have a video embedded on your website. And with video comes the video title and the description, which you may also use on your social media post – all written text. So video and written text go hand-in-hand! Additionally, it may take many different forms of marketing to make the final sale. So a video, followed up with a blog, followed up with an image, followed up with a different video may all come together to entice the final sale. 

 

Video is Personal

There are a lot of great writers in this world who have the ability to speak directly to the reader. But video allows the viewers to have a deeper glimpse inside your business world. Whether it is a video about the owner’s story, or a hands-on video about the product, viewers will get a front row ticket to whatever you are talking about, potentially from a familiar voice of the company. Video makes the product/service and business even more real than it was before. Additionally, pulling at the heartstrings or a feel good video hits home for a lot of people. Making your business or product relate back to your potential customer’s needs can help make the sale. Sometimes a relationship starts with a video. Say a potential customer saw your video about why you sell a certain product. They then came into your store and found you, the person in the video, and said that they really resonated with the reasoning for your business to sell this product. Now they are interested in the product and you can grow that personal relationship with them. What a win! And all because of a video.

 

Don’t Miss Out

Videos aren’t the one stop magical solution to a marketing plan. It is necessary to be realistic about your goals when it comes to planning, producing and sharing out video content. Always be thinking about who should view your videos (and at what point in the buying process they are in – i.e. they don’t know anything about you, they are aware of your brand, or they are already a customer), where you can find those people and how should you speak to them. Do they like funny videos or do they like more serious, informational videos? Do they want to see the owner or another familiar face like a mascot, or does the voice not matter at all?

If you aren’t creating video, you are at risk of missing out on one of the most popular ways that people consume content. Video does not have to be boring or long. You can have fun images and graphics incorporated, a spunky voice or a voice of an angel, engaging music (but always be careful of copyright!), or whatever you can think of. The possibilities are endless. 

Need help on where to start with planning a video? True Fit Marketing is here to help! Contact us to discuss your ideas and how we can best serve you. 

 

Why Your Business Would Benefit From Videos

Published October 29, 2020

Do you think that having a high-quality video about you and your business could really help? But at the same time, the thought of hearing, seeing yourself, or creating that video makes you cringe and maybe want to hide under your blankets and not come out for a while? You can push the sheets back because you’re not alone in feeling that way. This is why we offer Video Production and Editing as a service.

Using video for your business can really help your business stand out and showcase many things in one video, compared to different posts about each service and why you started your business. It also makes you front and center, and people buy people. Your customers can see your personality shine through dynamic, attention-grabbing videos compared to static pictures. You can also showcase some of your best customers and clients and have them talk about how much they love your business and why others should check it out. Seems like a win, win right?

Let’s explore a few types of videos that you could use for your business.

Showcase your product and/or services. Take a deep dive into what you offer to customers and clients and why they would need these in their life. With creative B-roll and editing, while you’re explaining them, the viewer will see them showcased and explained in depth.

What is your why? This video will be a focus on you as the business owner. You can explain why you started your business, how you got into the industry and the passion that you bring to work every day. This is a great way to catch viewers’ attention and keep them intrigued with your personal story. This video, and every video, will also use creative B-roll that will be shown over you talking with you working with a client or creating something if that’s your business.

Testimonial videos. Testimonial videos will feature a client that has dealt with your business for some time now and has an incredible experience every time. This gives your business even more credibility. Asking the client the right questions helps to really bring out what they love so much about your business and why they love working with you.

Videos of events. If you are organizing an event or attending one on behalf of your business, this is a great opportunity to showcase you outside of your physical business location and how you represent yourself. An interview with you at the event and explaining what it is and why you’re involved along with shots of what’s happening will make this video a hit.

You and your business in the local community. Most people love their local communities and love being able to support small businesses. If you’re going to be out and about in the community, this is a great time to have a video done. As stated previously, people buy people, and if they know that you’re helping out in the local community, then that’s even more of a bonus.

There are many other ways that you can showcase you and your business through videos. These videos can also be used in many places including on social media, your website, and video ads. We know that this makes many people feel stressed and that’s why we’re here to help. We will plan shot ideas, questions, and edit your videos. Since these are not live, we can use multiple takes and make your video a highlight for your business. We would love to meet with you and chat about what you do and why!