With an increase in remote workforces in the wake of the pandemic, budgets and marketing plans are evolving more than ever. As where to spend your money is becoming more of a question, Scott O Hirsch knows how marketers can boost their bottom line, even on constricting budgets.
No matter who you are, the name of the game in 2021 is improving digital sales. But how do you accomplish that with so much competition? Not to mention achieving this without falling into the trap of trying to outspend the competition?
CEO Scott Hirsch wants to remind marketers that the keys to increasing ROI are already at their fingertips and don’t require massive marketing spending.
“With budget allocations up in the air given the business’ shifting paradigm, marketers should be relying on email and search-oriented marketing to stay ahead,” says Hirsch.
“These tools are cheap, in some cases free, and utilizing them effectively can boost your bottom line in a major way during a time when there is increasing confusion as to what works.”
Good Old Fashioned Emails Are Still Effective
Recent studies show that half of all consumers prefer email outreach over other avenues, and when it comes to email, there is a three-point approach to increased profitability:
- Create Opt-in lists
- Target consumers whose attributes most closely align with your brand
- Tailor messaging to those chosen consumers
Ecommerce is only becoming more crucial as time goes on, adds CEO Scott Hirsch, and businesses must maintain that their eCommerce is reliable. Once marketers effectively utilize budget-savvy tools to build up consumer bases and grow revenues, they will be ready for what comes next.
Hirsch explains, “if you don’t know how to set up an eCommerce site and how to engage with potential consumers on social media, find someone who can. If you are needing to trim your budget while still hitting sales targets, social media is a premium.”
Social Media Continues To Gain Prominence
Speaking on the potential of these ultimately free platforms, Scott O Hirsch stresses the importance of a robust social presence geared towards specific buyer metrics. “Target Facebook for the older generation, Instagram & Pinterest for Millennials, and TikTok & Snapchat for Gen-Z.”
Having a reliable, searchable online presence is essential in 2021, and that means having a traditional eCommerce website, excellent Google ranking, and a strong social presence. All of these are in the service of meeting customer expectations, the most crucial step in the eCommerce journey, and to do it effectively requires actively listening to your customers.
Hirsch explains that “the most important role social media plays for any brand is that it has opened the door for unprecedented social listening. No surveys or big marketing spends are required to know how you are doing: now all you have to do is ask, and the answer is right there.”
Search-Oriented Marketing Is The New Competitive Edge
Acquiring the customers that make these channels operate is more valuable than ever, so finding unique ways to bring them in will determine who survives in this new landscape. CEO Scott O Hirsch sees the next big thing in customer acquisition as search-oriented marketing (SOM), or identifying users via keyword searches and then deploying an immediate digital offer.
“Less than half of users click on SEO links, and only 1 in 20 will click on a PPC ad. There are affordable, widely available tools in the marketplace geared towards effectively targeting searchers to make every keyword count. Being able to target instantly will give the marketers an edge in 2021.”
SOM can seek out existing customers in a search and focus on only those who are merely looking around uncommitted, with sophisticated algorithms able to segment potential customers by hobbies, affiliations, spending habits, and more. Since each qualifying attribute can be measured in real-time, it gives marketers unlimited options to connect with the customers they want and need.
Scott Hirsch Encourages Marketers To Listen
Scott Hirsch recognizes how marketers are looking for a competitive advantage as budgets continue to be thrown into a tailspin. By putting customers at the forefront of marketing decisions, Hirsch says, customers can become a de facto sales team via positive feedback.
“You can’t beat free advertising. When expenses are tightened, but the bottom line is still expected, ‘word of mouth’ should be embraced at every possible turn. The way you embrace consumers as a part of your company’s journey is just as important in modern marketing, so don’t be afraid to let them into your world. That’s the secret to rapid growth, and you can begin that journey today.”