There's no question that modern technology has radically changed the marketing playing field. Whereas platforms for advertising were limited to things like newspapers and TV commercials, there are hundreds of new platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and more.
This allowed also for a lower barrier of entry. It was only big businesses that were able to purchase commercial timeslots or magazine space. Sure, those mediums still exist and are viable to an extent, but the average guy off the street is now equipped with many of the same abilities to market that are available to big businesses. It doesn't cost at all to create an Instagram account, and companies like Wix help regular people make pretty sweet looking websites for pennies on the dollar.
With all these changes in marketing, does that mean the general philosophy behind marketing has changed? I think so, and the title of this post might give that away. Let's get into it.
So not only has new technology changed the marketing landscape for businesses, but it has also changed the game for customers. The Internet has opened a world of possibilities to customers that simply wasn't possible in the past.
For example, as I am typing this post, I am simultaneously trying to convince my wife to get a pair of white-framed glasses. (Because they'd be so lit. Is "lit" the word the kids are using these days...?) Back in the olden days, the only marketing that probably would have been done is a major company like Lenscrafters putting out a 15- or 30-second commercial on some random TV station. Now, I can browse tons of websites with the help of Google.
There's the big kicker: In the past, companies had to use ads just to get attention. Now, they already have my attention. They just have to prove why they're worth it over their competitors.
And that's something, for better or worse, that couldn't have been done in the past. A business can't explain all of its intricacies in less than a minute. They have to get in, get out, and hope they leave a lasting impression.
But that's not really how consumers behave.
I'm using the example of buying a new pair of glasses right now, but I could have easily substituted any other product. Last week I ordered myself a new case for my iPhone. Because the barrier to entry is so low for these companies, there are literally thousands of options for iPhone cases. If, for some weird backwards reason I was trying to buy a smartphone in the 1980s, the only options probably would have been the ones that Apple sells themselves.
As consumers, we invest time in the things we care about.
iPhone cases to eyeglasses, I don't care to see a 30-second commercial about a single option. I want to see as much information as I can about all sorts of options. For the glasses I'm looking at, I want to see varying brands, the material the glasses are made out of, the precise dimensions, other customer reviews, and more. Certainly not something that can be encapsulated in a very short window of time!
In our new world of marketing, we need to focus on that "long game". Consumers recognize there is a world of options out there for them, and they need to be educated on products or services beyond the former bursts of ads.
Like everything, there's a fine balance to this. You can't handhold them through everything, start to finish, or else they will probably get bored. To that end, I would give them just enough of a taste to know what the end product as like and give them the option to be able to explore more if desired.
This allowed also for a lower barrier of entry. It was only big businesses that were able to purchase commercial timeslots or magazine space. Sure, those mediums still exist and are viable to an extent, but the average guy off the street is now equipped with many of the same abilities to market that are available to big businesses. It doesn't cost at all to create an Instagram account, and companies like Wix help regular people make pretty sweet looking websites for pennies on the dollar.
With all these changes in marketing, does that mean the general philosophy behind marketing has changed? I think so, and the title of this post might give that away. Let's get into it.
So not only has new technology changed the marketing landscape for businesses, but it has also changed the game for customers. The Internet has opened a world of possibilities to customers that simply wasn't possible in the past.
For example, as I am typing this post, I am simultaneously trying to convince my wife to get a pair of white-framed glasses. (Because they'd be so lit. Is "lit" the word the kids are using these days...?) Back in the olden days, the only marketing that probably would have been done is a major company like Lenscrafters putting out a 15- or 30-second commercial on some random TV station. Now, I can browse tons of websites with the help of Google.
There's the big kicker: In the past, companies had to use ads just to get attention. Now, they already have my attention. They just have to prove why they're worth it over their competitors.
And that's something, for better or worse, that couldn't have been done in the past. A business can't explain all of its intricacies in less than a minute. They have to get in, get out, and hope they leave a lasting impression.
But that's not really how consumers behave.
I'm using the example of buying a new pair of glasses right now, but I could have easily substituted any other product. Last week I ordered myself a new case for my iPhone. Because the barrier to entry is so low for these companies, there are literally thousands of options for iPhone cases. If, for some weird backwards reason I was trying to buy a smartphone in the 1980s, the only options probably would have been the ones that Apple sells themselves.
As consumers, we invest time in the things we care about.
iPhone cases to eyeglasses, I don't care to see a 30-second commercial about a single option. I want to see as much information as I can about all sorts of options. For the glasses I'm looking at, I want to see varying brands, the material the glasses are made out of, the precise dimensions, other customer reviews, and more. Certainly not something that can be encapsulated in a very short window of time!
In our new world of marketing, we need to focus on that "long game". Consumers recognize there is a world of options out there for them, and they need to be educated on products or services beyond the former bursts of ads.
Like everything, there's a fine balance to this. You can't handhold them through everything, start to finish, or else they will probably get bored. To that end, I would give them just enough of a taste to know what the end product as like and give them the option to be able to explore more if desired.
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