16 March 2021

The insatiable demand of social media for new, fresh content has skewed the way we think about marketing content. Post, issue, upload is the order of the day – it’s more important to get it up and out there, than care too much what it’s saying.
“Don’t overthink it,” say the social media gurus. Maybe true, but, perhaps, take a moment to think.
What we’re talking about here isn’t your own, personal facebook or twitter page, where you can happily post and chat nonsense (or trade insults) with your ‘friends’ and the wider, online community and nobody really cares too much (unless you’re a celebrity or other public figure and metaphorically put your foot in it). We’re talking about marketing and, specifically, marketing a company.
While it might be OK for an individual to post up videos of their dog doing daft things on a beach, or to share a TikTok video showing themselves horsing around with friends, it’s not really ‘the thing’ for a business. OK maybe it is for some, like BrewDog or PaddyPower, but these brands are all about ‘enjoyment’ and self-indulgence. Most aren’t, especially in the B2B sector.
What customers really want to hear
“But our customers want to know that we’re a fun-loving bunch.”
No. They. Don’t.
They want to know what you’ve got that can help them.
OK, maybe we’ve gone over the top with the dog videos and TikTok memes stuff, but there’s a point to be made and it’s about how effectively your marketing resource is being used.
First and foremost: You’re a business and you need to sell things. That’s it.
Your marketing should bear that in mind. Yes, it’s OK to have things around the edges to spell out what a brilliant and helpful company you are, but these shouldn’t replace the core messages your marketing should carry.
What’s in it for me?
‘What’s in it for me?’ is the question your marketing should be answering. Give you customers a reason to buy. Better still, can you make your marketing so compelling that they need a good reason not to buy? Make them want it, make them need it.
Talk about your product(s) and how they will make your customers’ lives better or easier or more fulfilling or more profitable.
Of course, these messages don’t have to be ‘in your face’ all of the time; subtlety has a lot to be said for it. But, generally, and especially if you have a limited budget (who doesn’t?), don’t be tempted to substitute the ‘reward’ of likes on your social media posts for the real reward of customers actually wanting to buy your products.