The New Digital Normal: How COVID Changed Our Online Behavior Forever
Chase Fairchild • March 29, 2022
The New Digital Normal: How COVID Changed Our Online Behavior Forever
It's no secret: the internet has changed our lives forever. Think back fifteen years ago, when you had to pick up the phone to call and see if a business was open. Today, we would just Google it.
We rely on the internet for everything, from buying groceries and booking vacations to managing our money and socializing with friends.
Where is all of this headed? And, what does it mean for your business?
PRE-COVID
Even before COVID, the internet was an essential part of our lives. For the most part, the internet was reserved for email, social media, and online shopping. A handful of early adopters used the internet for online dating and booking trips.
But many business owners were able to operate in the "way things have always been." With business cards and maybe a Blackberry, most continued business as usual without going online.
While younger generations flocked to the internet and learned to use the digital world to advance their physical world, many business owners were busy sticking to their tried and true methods:
"We don't need a website- all our business is referral-based."
"You want me to pay how much for photography? My nephew has an iPhone - he can do that."
"All these kids are on social media, frying their brains out."
"Print, TV, and radio have always worked - why would I advertise on Facebook?"
This has been the mindset of many in traditional industries such as law, medicine, construction, insurance, etc.
What they were doing wasn't broken, so why fix it?
HOW COVID TIPPED THE SCALES
The future was always going to be digital. As a millennial, I remember learning about the internet in grade school. By middle school, we had a computer connected to AOL. I came of age with the early social media platforms like MySpace and got Facebook as a Junior in High School. I was comfortable with the internet but had a front seat watching it develop. Still, I can certainly remember a time without computers in the house.
Compare this with my youngest sister's experience. She is ten years younger than me and never remembers a time without the internet. She was five years old when the first iPhone came out. She is as comfortable in the digital world as she is in the physical. Her generation uses the internet with ease, making major life decisions online. The dawn of technology with those born after 2000 has created a different reality that many older generations are unfamiliar with for better or worse.
This is where we’ve always been headed: the future was always going to be digital.
Still, COVID expedited this process by maybe ten years. When the government shutdown happened, small businesses had to get creative. For perhaps the first time in a long time, the way they always did it didn't work anymore. We had to get comfortable online both as consumers and as business owners.
Unfortunately, many small businesses were forced to close, and the others struggled to survive. What emerged on the other side is a more versatile way of doing business. We learned to be agile and figured out new ways to solve our customer's problems online:
• New websites were built
• Delivery apps became integral parts of your business.
• You started making content to keep your audience engaged.
• Coffee meetings were replaced with Zoom calls.
• You created new products to adapt to the new reality
Most would still admit that we'd rather have in-person interactions, these digital resources got us through, and they are here to stay. We live in a hybrid world, where the digital experience has meshed with the physical.
THE NEW REALITY
So, what does this hybrid digital reality mean for growing your business? You need to differentiate yourself from your competitors and engage with current and future customers.
Whether you are a new business or an established brand, one thing is becoming more and more important: a strong online presence.
It can take a long time to build an effective online brand which is why many are hesitant to get started because they don't know the first step. You want to start with building a foundation for your online presence, which consist of the following pillars:
- Messaging & Positioning
- What is the story you're inviting customers to experience with your brand?
- Who is your customer? What problems are they facing?
- How are you going to solve their problems?
- Brand Identity
- Your visual identity. Think logos, colors, photos, etc.
- How will people interact with your brand online?
- Stock photos are not your friend. Use custom photos and videos to showcase your brand online and build trust quickly.
- Website
- Can people easily navigate your website?
- Does your website reflect what it's like to work with you?
- Is your website mobile responsive?
- A Marketing Plan
- What is your game plan for generating new business?
- What is your content strategy? What social media outlets will you use?
- How do you turn warm leads into happy customers?
- How do you continue the customer journey after purchase?
When you establish these four pillars, you can feel confident in your future. Your online presence is a living thing, and it grows with you as your business grows. This type of work needs to become central to your business approach.
COVID forced business owners to think on their feet and embrace the digital world. Remote work and leveraging digital technology to grow your business is here to stay. If you have trouble accepting that, you need to embrace the change because this is just the beginning.
The anecdote for all this change is focusing on your online brand. Do this by investing in your business with messaging, branding, video, websites, and a marketing plan.
You've just launched a brilliant marketing campaign - slick ads, targeted emails, a social media blitz. The excitement is palpable as the clicks, likes, and shares roll in. But weeks later, as you look at your sales numbers, something's off. Your revenue isn't reflecting the buzz you created. What went wrong? Was your message off-target? Did you miss your audience's prime buying window? Or maybe, just maybe, your efforts worked - only for the wrong demographic. That's where metrics can make all the difference. Let's go through what to know about business marketing metrics.
Are you struggling to make your local business stand out in a crowded market? With the rapid pace of today's digital world, traditional advertising methods just aren't enough to keep up. The competition is fierce, and reaching the right customers has never been more challenging.
It's time to rethink your approach. Many service businesses excel in their areas of expertise—whether managing marketing strategy, handling financials, or providing specialized consulting. But when it comes to closing deals, there's a disconnect. Why? Clients don't buy your process. They buy results and value you bring them. Many businesses make the mistake of focusing too much on their expertise, making it harder for clients to say "yes." What if, instead, we shifted our mindset to focus on solving client problems creatively, anticipating needs before they even arise? That's where the magic happens. Enter productization. Productization transforms complex services into easy-to-buy packages, just like physical products. At Bolt Marketing, we've seen firsthand how this approach can streamline the sales process, turning expertise into structured offerings that are easy for clients to understand and purchase. This practice has added thousands in monthly revenue for our clients. Benefits of Productization: • Simplifies the sales process • Improves close rates • Helps leads qualify themselves • Enables upselling and down selling • Leaves room for custom quotes • Frees up time and bandwidth to focus on results Package Structure Wireframe Example: • Small: Basic access to expertise on a monthly or quarterly basis • Medium: Expertise + core services • Large: Premium access with expanded services • Custom: Tailored for larger clients with specific needs • A la carte: Add-ons that enhance core offerings Once your services are packaged, the next step is to fine-tune them to match specific client pain points. This could mean developing packages for a specific industry or experimenting with new offerings. The goal is for your client to say, "Wow! This feels like it was made just for me." While productizing services takes time, the payoff is worth it. You'll expedite your sales process, gain deeper clarity on client needs, and make it easier to train your team. Your offerings will always evolve, but by demystifying your service delivery, you'll create a clear path for clients to solve their problems—and for you to close more deals.
According to peer-review website and software marketplace G2, about 53% of marketers spend at least half their budgets on lead generation. Without the right small business marketing tips, however, you could waste that budget on ineffective strategies. Instead, consider partnering with our experienced advertising agency. Working with an experienced team can ensure your next campaign's success. You can reach new customers, boost your ROI, and accomplish lasting growth. Not convinced? Read on to discover the benefits of advertising agencies before deciding. Accomplish Specific Goals The best advertising agencies will develop personalized solutions based on your business goals. For example, perhaps you're prioritizing: Brand awareness and recognition Brand trust and loyalty Website traffic Credibility Lead generation Our team will help you develop campaigns customized with your goals in mind. We'll track key performance indicators to ensure you're accomplishing distinct goals. We'll develop a comprehensive strategy, allowing you to reach consumers on different channels. These strategies may include: Content marketing Website design and development Search engine optimization (SEO) Paid advertising Social media marketing Email marketing Together, these strategies will allow you to direct consumers through the buyer's journey. You can show consumers the benefits of choosing your brand before winning their business. Using a comprehensive digital marketing strategy will enable brand awareness to grow. According to market insight company Exploding Topics, around four in five consumers need to trust a brand before buying from it. Generating brand trust can lead to more sales and long-term customers. Your cost-per-acquisition will decline as repeat customers keep shopping. At the same time, your ROI will soar. In fact, consumers are more than twice as likely to buy first, stay loyal, and advocate for brands they trust. Generating brand trust can increase word-of-mouth marketing, allowing you to reach new customers. If you're struggling to accomplish business and marketing goals, you'll waste time and money on ineffective campaigns. Before that happens, consult our experienced advertising team. You can use our proven methods to ensure your success. Reach Your Target Audience To experience business growth, you need to find and appeal to your target audience. Relying on local business advertising solutions can help you reach these customers. Your advertising team will personalize your marketing campaigns to appeal to a specific audience. About 90% of marketers say personalization triggers a measurable lift in business results ( software review platform Business2Community ). Another 98% say personalization advances customer relationships. Building strong connections with customers can lead to brand loyalty and increased sales. Your advertising team will gather audience research to specify your target audience. We'll consider demographic and psychographic information like: Age Gender Location Salary Marital status Buying behaviors Interests Hobbies Online behaviors Pain points Recognizing the consumer's pain points will allow you to empathize with their needs. You can forge lasting connections with customers to build your audience base. Specifying your target audience will lead to more successful campaigns. You can reach consumers who want and need your offerings to generate more leads. Your ROI will improve with targeted, personalized advertising. Remain Competitive Working with our experienced advertising team allows small businesses to compete with big corporations. Our expertise will ensure you don't make costly mistakes while executing advertising campaigns. Instead, you'll gain access to our professional tools and resources. Purchasing these tools yourself (tools you may only use once) isn't cost-effective. It can also take time to use them effectively. For example, perhaps you want to advertise using Google Ads or Facebook Ads. It can take time to learn how to navigate these platforms. As you learn the ropes, you may rely on trial and error while developing your campaigns. This tactic can waste valuable advertising dollars while costing you potential customers. Instead, work with an experienced advertising team that understands your industry. We'll recognize opportunities your competitors have neglected. Relying on our expertise will help you gain a competitive advantage. Ongoing AttentionHiring an advertising agency ensures your campaigns receive ongoing attention. Otherwise, you may not recognize you're wasting money on faulty: Targeting parameters Advertising messages Display ad imagery Keeping an eye on your campaigns will ensure you're not overspending or neglecting audience groups. If there's an issue, our advertising team will make immediate changes to your campaign. This ensures you don't blow through your advertising budget prematurely. It can take time to learn how to analyze data from your campaigns to make informed changes. Our advertising team will review the data to recognize trends. Once we recognize which tactics generate results, we can adjust your campaigns to improve your ROI. Meanwhile, you won't have to spread yourself thin by checking on your campaigns. Instead, you can keep your focus where it belongs: on your budding business. Cost-Effective Advertising Methods If you're new to digital advertising, it may take time before you recognize which methods work and which are wasting your time. Rely on our advertising team's expertise instead. We'll apply proven, cost-effective advertising methods to boost your ROI. Your advertising team can use A/B testing to determine what language or imagery best appeals to your target audience. We'll target different groups and keywords to reach your ideal customers. Our proven strategies can ensure your business experiences lasting growth. Meanwhile, you can save valuable time by reaching customers immediately. The sooner you reach your target audience, the sooner your campaigns will generate results. You can stop wasting time and money on ineffective strategies with help from an experienced advertising team. As we help you expand your reach online, you can grow your business and start reaching new customers. Hire Our Advertising Agency Today To recap, what are the benefits of advertising agencies? Our experienced team can set your business up for success. Partnering with an advertising agency will ensure you generate brand awareness, reach customers, and experience long-term growth. Want to leverage local business advertising solutions to grow your business? At Bolt Marketing, we provide agency-quality services to small business owners at rates they can afford. Our all-in-one digital marketing agency can push your business forward. Trust our local expertise, proven results, and personalized approach. Contact us now to schedule a call to discuss your goals!
If you're wondering whether you should hire a local marketing agency, the answer is yes! Don't think it's that simple? Let's consider the alternatives! Option #1 : you go without marketing. This isn't a viable course of action, and it will simply put your business on the fast track to failure . After all, if it worked, everyone would do it. Option #2 : you hire someone to take care of your marketing needs in-house. To an inexperienced entrepreneur, this may seem like the most cost-effective approach. In reality, it's anything but, and this article will explain why. Option #3: you hire a big, out-of-town marketing conglomerate. Though they have an impressive list of clients, they won't have their hand on the pulse of your local area. And if that's the case, are they worth the money? Still not sure hiring a local agency is your best bet? Read on for a list of key advantages of teaming up with a local marketer! Local Marketing Is Cost-Effective When you're starting out, the costs of outsourcing your marketing can seem high. As a result, many businesses try to manage their marketing in-house. As we mentioned above, this may not be as profitable as you think. For starters, you'll need to invest in: Talent recruitment Software expenses Employee training Long-term scalability All these costs are non-negotiable and can add up quickly. On top of that, you'll still need to pay your employees their actual wages and benefits. Unless you already have marketing experts on your team, the math is unlikely to work out. If you hire a local marketing agency, none of the above costs will apply. What's more, you can only pay for the services you need. For instance, you may hire a marketer for a particular function ( such as SEO ) or a specific campaign. Another way to save money is to negotiate payment terms that fit your needs. Your local firm may allow you to pay by the hour or even in kind. Many of them also allow you to put your marketing on hold if you hit a slow period. You'll Get More Attention One of the biggest local marketing benefits is that you'll get personal attention. With national marketing firms, this is often not the case. Why is this important? Simple: running a business is all about building relationships , and that includes marketing. When you have a close connection with a local marketer, it's much easier to let them know what you're looking for. Smaller agencies are also better at pivoting when necessary. For example, if your clients don't like a recent ad campaign, you'll need to find a quick way to regroup. A local agency should be readily available and able to change things on the fly. A smaller marketing agency also has less overhead. This gives them an opportunity to go with some bold and creative ideas. Oftentimes, that's exactly what you need to separate yourself from your local competitors. In the ideal scenario, you and your business marketing partner would grow together. Instead of hiring a new agency for every campaign, you'll always have a reliable partner. This will make it easier to branch out into other markets. Local Agencies Know Your Market Are your local digital marketing campaigns failing to result in conversions? If so, you may need an expert to help you identify your target audience. To an extent, defining an ideal customer is relatively simple. It involves factors like: Age Interests Profession Spending habits A local agency can help you with this by doing market research. Since they're familiar with the area, they can identify holes in service that your business may fill. In doing so, they'll redefine your target audience to suit your needs. Once you know what your ideal customer looks like, all that's left is to reach them. With digital marketing, creating the right brand guide can be a great starting point. You'll also need to use the right keywords and references for your area. For instance, let's say you're running a sandwich shop in North Jersey. If so, your marketer should know to buy Google Ads for "grinders" and "subs." If they invest in keywords like "hoagies," they'd be marketing to South Jersey residents! You'll Gain Access to a Local Network When it comes to marketing agency pros and cons, networking is clearly in the first group. Marketers have other clients, and they all want a deal. Let's say there's a local company that has a similar vision to yours. If so, your marketing team may suggest a sponsorship opportunity. If you're using social media for promotion ( as you should ), this is as simple as linking to their establishment. Local marketing companies also likely have long-standing relationships with local vendors. This allows them to negotiate more reasonable packages for you. In the long run, this is another reason why local marketing helps you save money. Another advantage of hiring a local marketer is their relationship with the media. These days, traditional PR isn't too effective since there are fewer reporters to write those stories. If you're going for nationwide coverage, the competition is fierce. Instead of going down that route, you should focus on reaching local news outlets. Fortunately, local marketers tend to work with local reporters all the time. They'll be able to put your products or services in the news quickly and efficiently. Partner With a Local Marketing Agency Today! There's no denying it: small business marketing can be a tough nut to crack. Without a solid plan in place, you'll simply be treading water. The best way to come up with that plan is to have a local marketing agency develop it. They can deliver results within your budget and on par with your vision. Of course, you'll also need to hire the right agency for your purposes. At Bolt Marketing, we're committed to helping Kentucky entrepreneurs market their businesses at a rate they can afford. Schedule a call with our experts and we'll provide you with a custom marketing plan that will bring results!
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It takes more than an exceptional service or product to stand out among your competition no matter what your industry is. Around 81% of consumers state that they need to trust a brand before they'll consider purchasing from them. Branding, especially brand messaging, allows companies to define their values and clearly state them to their audience. If you're new to learning about marketing for your company, you might be wondering, "What is brand messaging?" Developing your brand messaging has more to do with building a customer base. It's not only about your services and deals. This blog will discuss the basics of brand messaging. We'll also talk about the brand messaging framework and how you can easily craft your own. What Is Brand Messaging? Brand messaging refers to how your business speaks. It's streamlined communication that's led by a strategy to convey your brand promise to your target audience. The goal of brand messaging is to make sure you're saying the right things at the right time. Once you nail that method of communication, it'll help with your word-of-mouth marketing as it influences how others feel and talk about your business. Potential customers only have a few seconds when viewing your website or an ad to decide whether or not they want to spend money on your wares. Consistent and strong brand messaging is the best way to make an impact and turn them into a paying customer. Internal Brand Messaging How you and your staff define your brand is a jumping-off point for your overall messaging. Some of the things that affect your employees as much as the public include: Mission Values Vision Your company's culture develops from the way your internal brand messaging circulates amongst your staff. It's important to define the above three things when you start developing your company. They'll serve as the foundation for your business and comprehensive brand messaging strategy. External Brand Messaging External brand messaging refers to how your business communicates with the general public and your customers. These types of messages tend to be more actionable and informational. This is unlike internal messaging, which revolves more around ideas. A few of the elements that are included in external brand messaging are: Value propositions Slogan Differentiators Position statement Developing these core statements will keep your messaging consistent and marketing campaigns successful. How to Create a Brand Messaging Framework There are many factors to consider when determining your brand messaging. Communicating your brand story builds trust between you and your customers, encouraging them to opt for your products or services over others. Let's go into more detail about the various things to keep in mind when working on your brand messaging. Mission Your company's mission statement can be one or two sentences that are the "why" behind your business. One of the ways you can craft your mission statement is by finishing one of the below sentences: We exist because We do what we do because Come up with a few different options so you can determine which one perfectly encapsulates your brand. Make sure you stay on track and stick to the "why" in your statement. Vision Your vision statement refers to an imaginative and forward-thinking statement. This statement sets a goal of what you want to see happening in the future because of the work your company is doing. You can easily focus all of your brand messaging around the clear goal you have for your company in the future. Values Your values determine how you do your business. Your values are the map that guides your company toward your journey to your final vision. Examples of values include : Putting people first Courage Help others be successful Innovation Value Proposition Value propositions refer to short statements about what you can do for your target audience. They convey what the value of your product or business is. Most businesses have more than one, especially if they have multiple customer segments. Well-crafted value propositions distinguish you from your competition by identifying your unique selling points (USPs). They can quickly show the benefits your customers can experience from working with you. Positioning Statement Your positioning statement is essential to the success and health of your brand because a lot of people will see it. Some of the areas it'll hit about your business include: How What Who Your positioning statement will cover your industry, what you promise, your target audience, and your evidence. Your external marketing should always connect back to your positioning statement. Differentiators What sets you apart from your competition are your company's differentiators. Your business model and brand strategy will define these. However, your brand messaging needs to convey your differentiators to your audience. One way to get started on them is by listing what makes you better and different than other companies in your field. Some of the things you can consider include: Materials Values Audience Quality Price point Service Ingredients Anything you do differently than other companies is a differentiator. Pick three or four of them that are the most important to your audience. Highlight them in all of your graphics and messaging. Slogan Your business's tagline or slogan is a crucial element of your business's external brand messaging. You can create a message that will resonate with your audience in just a few words. Businesses can use their slogan in any way they choose. You may want to elicit emotions or describe your business. Just make your slogan memorable, short, and to the point. Take Your Brand to the Next Level With Bolt Marketing We hope we've answered the question "What is brand messaging?" Taking the time to develop well-thought-out internal and external brand messaging will assist you with connecting to your customer base. Craft exceptional business communications and connect with your audience with the assistance of an experienced marketing agency. Branding experts at Bolt Marketing are here to guide you through the process of crafting your brand messaging. Our full suite of marketing services will elevate your business and enable you to achieve your goals. Reach out to our office to book a consultation with our marketing team.
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