Did you know that only 9% of b2b companies rate their digital promotional efforts as highly effective? So chances are that’s you (and me, and everyone else too for that matter)…
So than what do we do when our marketing isn’t working? When no one is clicking our stuff, liking our posts? Just crickets…
According to marketing expert Adam Erhart, 90% of businesses ARE NOT posting near enough content (what he calls the minimum effective dose to trigger the algorithms) for anyone to notice.
Don’t you skip this part, it’s way more important than you think.
Erhart explains that most businesses dabble in too many things and totally fail to find their sweet spot online.
Here’s why….
In a recent video, Adam Erhart breaks down where most businesses fail online and covers 7 effective strategies to finally take your online presence by storm in 2022 (or skim the full summary below for the highlights).
WATCH:
Adam Erhart’s 7 Effective Marketing Strategies for 2022
#1 Most Businesses Don’t Post the Minimum Effective Dose:
When competing online, you’re not simply competing against your competitors, or even simply inside your industry for that matter. Instead, you’re competing with Youtubers, Twitter, CNN, Fox, Disney, Pandora, and millions of other sources of content distractions all fighting for the same attention.
So like Adam mentioned, as simple as it sounds, 90% of b2b businesses simply aren’t creating enough content on one single platform to stand out from anything else. A couple posts a week isn’t going to cut it.
Not even close…
Most companies “try social” or will spend $100 on ads and won’t see any sales and thus conclude…”the platform doesn’t work.” Spoiler alert, it doesn’t work that way.
If you’re not standing out, it’s almost always the case that you haven’t created enough content or a minimum effective dose to stand out on a particular app (let alone all of them). This is where 90% simply fail.
#2 The Marketing Rule of 7
Okay, so then how much content and how many touch points does it take to stay in front of someone long enough to get them to buy?
Fair question…That’s where Adam’s “rule of 7” comes into place.
The rule of seven works roughly like this; if your product is inexpensive, say $1-$20. You will likely have to get someone to see your message 7 times before they will open their wallet to grab their credit card. Higher ticket item? Plan on 14 or 21 touch points.
The higher the ticket price the more times you will likely need to be in front of your prospect. Just like a sales person doesn’t close someone usually on the first call, it’s even harder for a marketing message to close a sale to cold traffic post.
The average digital touchpoint to close a sale online is typically between 17-29 touch points!
That’s why volume is so important and again why 90% of companies are not producing enough.
But it’s admittedly a bit more complicated than just social posts, you will most likely need to create a subscription to create what Adam calls the “Mere Exposure Effect”.
Here’s what that means…
#3 The Mere Exposure Effect Explained…
The mere exposure effect is a psychological phenomenon where people develop a preference for things that are more familiar to them than others. Repeated exposure increases familiarity.
In short, it’s the familiarity effect. The more often people are exposed to your brand the more they will trust you and willing to buy from you (or recommend you to others).
- Post enough to reach a minimum effective dose.
- Keep increasing the volume until you see results.
- Implement the rule of seven until you discover how many touch points it takes to generate a lead.
The most effective way to get to the rule of seven is by getting your customer to join your communication list (email, newsletter, podcast, youtube).
Then finally continue to nurture them to create the Mere Exposure Effect.
#4 Go Deep on a Subject, Not Broad
Rule #4 is short and sweet. There’s billions of people on the planet, you can’t and don’t want to serve them all.
In fact, the broader your content, the easier it is to fail.
Instead, focus on making better connections with fewer people. The easiest way to do that is to find people that see the world the same way as you and who have the same goals.
Find them by sharing your beliefs and values in your content. Share your story of how you overcame the gist hurtle your customer is experiencing (as it relates to your product or service).
Sharing is caring…
#5 Develop Your ICA (Ideal Customer Avatar)
Get clear on the demographics, geographics, and psychographics beliefs, values lifestyles that make them who they are. What are their fears and frustrations, goals and aspirations?
The easiest way to develop your core message is to write down the top 5 things your customer wants to achieve and the 3 things that are stopping them from achieving their goals. Choose the top obstacle to focus your story around.
That’s where you will identify your brand story. Adam refers to this as knowing your customer’s miracles and miseries…
#6 Know Your Customer’s Miracles and Miseries
Dean Graziosi always says; “customers don’t buy from you when they understand what you sell, they buy when they feel understood.”
The miracles are all the things the customer wants and desires. Their miseries are all the things stopping them from getting what they want (as it relates to your product or service).
Knowing what’s stopping your avatar from getting what they want will allow you to position your service as the bridge that can help them overcome the misery gap to achieve what they want and see you as the hero.
This is where conversions take place.
#7 Sell the Benefits – Not the Features
When it comes to marketing, it’s not about the features, it’s about how those features will get the customer what they want. The real value is in the benefit.
People don’t buy based on logic, but rather emotions. That’s why promoting features doesn’t work, it doesn’t engage people at an emotional level. But connecting the feature to the outcome will overcome that.
Follow these 7 steps to take your marketing to the next level in 2022.
