Kyle Braatz, CEO
I am the co-founder of Netgen. When I am not initiating and stimulating creative ideas, I am training for triathlons or working on my charity: Typically Canadian. I am dedicated to living an adventurous life and using my fortunate experiences to help others.
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Is the evolution of marketing in sync with the evolution of the customer?
This is because the new customer is smart, connected, has an opinion and wants you to listen. The good old days of telling a customer how to behave is over. It is now more important to focus on educating and involving the customer through a number of mediums which include a mix of both professional and user generated content.
Is it because the customer has changed? Would the new engaging techniques have worked in the past?
The answer is yes the customer has changed but these tools used are not that dissimilar. Yes you can reach a targeted market much quicker, involve the customer more effectively and exponential growth can be accomplished at a much cheaper price with technology such as the internet and mobiles. But it is more obvious that the issue is the way the older tools were used. The messaging and call to action that marketers used was a strong message focused on point of sale (push marketing), rather then providing relevant information that would captivate a potential customer and evoke an emotional connection with the brand or the message. A connection that would ensure the customer seek out this brand for further information and consumption (Pull Marketing)
Even with these new effective tools, that have potential for Return on Marketing Investment well beyond old static media, marketers continue to make the mistakes of not connecting with the new customer and not listening to what the customer wants. These new tools will continually be adapted and marketing will continue to evolve. It is how we use these new techniques, such as viral videos and targeted microsites, that will define the success of a campaign. Marketers must focus on understanding, listening to and providing customers with what they want rather then telling them what they want.
These new tools just help us market quicker, more effectively and to a larger audience. It is our job to still use them correctly.
