I read this article a few days ago and I thought it acted as a really good reminder to us marketers when we’re creating a campaign or making recommendations for a company who wants to improve their online marketing efforts. This is especially pertinent right now to us as we draw closer to finalizing our own recommendations for our class project and our respective clients. It’s one thing to tell them to get online, revamp their website, reach out to their target market by interacting with them on social media, and engage them through a company blog. But it’s another thing to really educate them about how they can harness all these platforms in an effective manner that will be received positively by their prospective clients.
The article is completely right when it says a a lot of companies don’t want to admit to their marketing efforts because there is such a negative perception of marketing. It’s manipulative. It’s overwhelming. It’s overbearing and obnoxious. It. Is. Everywhere.
I think this sentence sums it up quite well: “It’s clear that just as social media allowed us to have a personal connection to everyone, marketers have found a way to exploit that connection for commerce.”
As I move forward in making recommendations to my client, I would like to keep in mind these three top reasons for why many people hate marketers and ensure that I caution my client to steer clear of these pitfalls.
No Empathy
People can’t stand being spammed with marketing ploys that assume they have what you need. People want to feel like they’re being understood so marketing efforts should be tailored and targeted and with the abundance of tools readily available, there is no excuse for not doing so!
No Authenticity
Be real with your potential and current customers. Honesty, contrary to popular belief, does have a place in marketing and people appreciate it when they feel like you are truly being genuine with them. The example they use is those who claim to be “authentically tweeting and Facebooking 20 hours per day” when in fact, everyone knows about the industry of ghost tweeters/Facebookers that are utilized. Plus, as a customer, I’d be concerned about why you’re tweeting 20 hours a day instead of running your business.
Wasting Time
“We marketers use up the most valuable commodity of people…time.” I definitely agree that it really matters sharing content that is relevant and thoughtful – something that adds value, educates, truly entertains, and actually is perceived as serving a useful purpose. This is a classic case where it’s all about quality, not quantity.
Perhaps if everyone pulls together and makes an effort to learn from these…there would be just a little less hate and a little more love.