Marketing strategies have often consisted of companies creating their materials and sending them out into the world – essentially a variation of “throw it against the wall to see if it sticks.”
Over time, marketing efforts were finessed and became more directed. Sales personas were developed, funnels created, and prospects were channeled through.
The “one fits all” approach has become obsolete and marketing efforts have changed and evolved. According to Forbes, the change is “fueled by the evolution of technology and the demands of more discerning, sophisticated and impatient consumers.”
A change in focus
Over time, the focus has shifted from pushing content and materials at prospects, to instead, engaging them in a conversation. If you’re doing a hard sell trying to push a product that is not what the prospect is looking for, you’ll lose the sale and likely turn them off.
Instead, talk with the prospect, learn more about their needs and what they’re looking for. How can your product fill that need? If it’s not an exact match now, might it be in the future? Plant the seed for a future sale.
Drift sums it up with what they refer to as a Conversational Framework:
- Engage
- Understand
- Recommend
When it comes to marketing, try a prospect-centric approach. Engage with your prospect, listen to what it is they’re looking for, and go from there.
If you’d like to learn more, give us a call and we can discuss.