Introduction
The best of inventions in life have all started and failed. These success stories have all shown that one invention took a series of testing before what they are today. It has been a long experience and experimental journey that was first an idea, implemented and then, executed. Although, not all ideas were continued, and in allusions to the holy book, some of these ideas were as seeds spread across but fell on stony soils. It was pitiful to become a tree that bore fruit.
It is very hard to begin and maintain a project but so easy to fail at. It is generally an experience that some of our business lives are wrapped around and if you converse with a typical Nigerian entrepreneur today, the first words you’d hear are, “Entrepreneurship is hard my brother”. Many of these entrepreneurs are scared to include digital marketing because they’ve experienced some sense of loss and gambling with another “unsure” venture is way too risky for their profitability.
Inasmuch as there is a “no risk, no reward” statement inked on their hearts, there are some risks that these men wouldn’t want to take in the business world. They’d prefer to traditionally take things slow and steady till the day they “cash out”. But is this right for businesses today? The answer is a bold NO.
Why Is It A No?
We live in a present day and time where things are evolving. Everyday, there is a new trend that can be utilized (from ideation, implementation and execution). It is important to note that, no matter how ideal your business is, you require the necessary changes due to it.
Now, back to the topic at hand, digital marketing is an experiment.
Yes! We said it. Digital marketing is an experiment which can have a bitter sweet taste. This is as a result of the competition, questions such as: what level of online presence is needed to convert to sales? How much branding and packaging design is needed? How much advertising can my business engage in virtually before I enjoy growth? And lots more.
In addressing these questions and the experimental nature of how digital marketing can be, here are a few tips to consider:
- Have A Basic Knowledge of The Internet and Social Media
Most of the time, digital marketing requires a “Do It Yourself (DIY)” approach to your business where you get approximately 85% of your work done by yourself. This involves you creating content, advertising and also, getting familiar with multiple social media platforms for the effectiveness of your business. With this basic knowledge, it gives you an edge against your competition, helping you in reducing redundancy and mistakes along the way. Also, you’re able to make the right decisions when it comes to you marketing your business to the general public.
- Know Your Audience
Your audience is a ripple effect to what you have done, will do and have consistently kept on doing over the years. It is key to note that these audiences may change but your value remains constant.
In engaging your audience, it is important to know who is the right audience for your business so as to channel your energy towards meeting their needs. One of the business hacks has revealed that it takes one customer to get another customer.
Your referrals are tied around your audience. These men and women become free marketing agents for your businesses.
- Use Simple Tools
In our social media post on Instagram, we had outlined the most simplest forms of social media tools that are a must have for business owners today. These tools include Canva, Notion, Calenly, Zoom, Grammarly and HubSpot.
These tools are required for 21st century business development, management, and execution. It is important to know about them, use them and also, build on them.
In Summary
In digital marketing, patience is a high on-demand virtue. This is because it takes time, consistency and dedication to get the most desired results.
Businesses need to understand that not everyone will patronize you the first time they hear about your business due to the fierce competition. If your product is top notch and your strategies on point, then eventually, it will all pay off. Rushing the process will only steer you off course.
