What is Marketing 4.0?
There’s no need to introduce Professor Philip Kotler. If there is, you are either here by accident, or marketing isn’t really your thing. He’s the guy that wrote marketing bible back in 2000 and now has published another piece on digital marketing, calling it “Marketing 4.0”. What’s the new approach all about?
“Marketing 4.0 is a marketing approach that combines online and offline interaction between companies and customers. In the digital economy, digital interaction alone is not sufficient. In fact, in an increasingly online world, offline touch represents a strong differentiation. Marketing 4.0 also blends style with substance. While it is imperative for brands to be more flexible and adaptive due to rapid technological trends, their authentic characters are more important than ever.” — Kotler describes his approach, but in a more detailed manner, we could divide this idea into few sectors.
Being connected is the factor.
As people are more and more connected, it’s important to meet them, before they enter the market. That’s where multichannel marketing comes into play, with Google AdWords, Social Media Marketing, Content or Email marketing. Sales happen online, and informations are distributed online too. Best way to make people notice your product? Fight for their attention in a differentiated way, before they even consider a purchase.
From 4P’s & AIDA to 5 A’s.
I remember being taught different marketing strategies, with a golden approach “This will work, this time!”. After some experience, I know, that those models are temporary, and now the approach has switched to 5A’s, adjusted to internet technologies and online content present all the time. Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist and Arrange are basically steps that make you first research (based on customer responses), then suggest a solution (just like in inbound marketing), then help out and sell your product. This is leading us to the next point — basing on more accurate personas.
User Experience Anthropology
When coming to personas, a detailed customer journey map is the key to arranging a great campaign, with detailed channels of your offer distribution. Think not only of your customer as a person, that needs your services. Ask — what else do they need, what are the obstacles and what content would be the most appealing & helpful. When adjusting the 5 A’s, the key feedback is information, only thing you have to do is understand it. The closer you are to your user, the better you can gain data on your leads, and understand what needs to be done to make them your customers.
Multichannel Marketing
As you probably know, customer journey map has to include all the channels and platforms on which your users can meet your offer. Whether it’s a Search Engine or Linkedin, design the content for each channel. Understand why this users are engaged with this particular platform, what they want to see or read there. Multichannel interactions can be a key to success, but remember that each channel is different and needs to have a different content & call to action. Change the perspective to your users and design interactions that are suited best for them in each channel that they stumble upon your offer.
Engagement Marketing — again
Engaging multichannel practises, you need to understand too, that you have your user on board not only up to the point of sale. Engagement marketing is all about your followers, interested leads, that might make a purchase someday, clients that remember your offer and product and want to stay with your company, and finally — brand awareness. Let people participate and interact with your brand even if they are not completely the target, that needs to be addressed. Being social and engaging can be a great business card.
