I know, I’m young. To make matters worse, I even look younger than I really am. Why is that a bad thing? Well, in the business world, in fact, in the entire grown- up domain, age tends to lend to a person’s credibility, especially when dealing with decision makers. It’s not a gripe. Honest, I can live with the realities; I don’t have to like them, but I can live with them. I choose to see it as a challenge. How can I be more valuable despite my baby fat?
I have never been responsible for anyone else’s livelihood but my own. It’s a good reason to imagine I have very little to say that might help your business, right? Very possible. But I think I may be able to add value.
Because of my age it goes without saying that I am likely to be less experienced than you, but what I am, and have been for the majority of my life, is an avid consumer. Ever since seeing my first ‘Cabbage Patch Dolls’ TV ad, I knew there were things I wanted, things I needed and that you ‘the general business community’ were the people to get them from.
How does that help you? I have been fine-tuning my consumer choice from a very early age. I know what I like, what I want and I know the difference between real value and cheap imitation (I’ve thrown away my fair share of iPod wanna-be’s). I’ve grown up in the age of instant gratification; I want it, I want it now, I’m going have it now and tomorrow I will want something else). You have more chances than ever to prove to me that you have something I want and to give it to me.
So here’s the kicker… I also know that in today’s world not only do I have an enormity of choice options, but I don’t even have to leave my chair to find, inform and make my buying decision. How does this impact on you? If I’m not already your customer (says the young buck to the mortgage broker), tomorrow I might be.
I am your future customer and I do 90% of my decision-making online, and if you’re not there then your competitors are getting my dollars. You might hate the social media revolution or you might simply not understand it. You might think it’s evolving too quickly and that you should wait until it peaks and slows down. I hate to tell you this, but it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.
I know how to make my decisions. I’ve been making them for over 20 years now. The thing that matters, and has always been the case, is who’s right in front of me when I make it? Is it going to be you? Social media counts because that’s where I am and millions of others like me. Search marketing counts because that’s what I’m using along with millions of others like me. Digital mobile marketing counts because that’s what I’m using for quick impulse decisions just like millions of others like me.
Of course, traditional push media matters but just make sure you don’t push me into the arms of your competitors.
So with all of this in mind, what can I tell you to help you sell your business, your service or your product to me?
Get online – Be everywhere you can so that when I come looking for you, you’re there. Social media, online directories, search results – SEO instead of Google AdWords – why? Because we know what a Google ad looks like and we don’t like them – organic search results are preferred (85% more preferred, in fact) and general consensus is that they are more believable than AdWords. That being said Google AdWords are better than nothing.
Connect and engage – Simon Sinek, founder of Sinek Partners and a Ted Talks Speaker, will tell you that “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it”. This is your chance to get people to believe in you and your product, and gives you a chance to add an honest human level to your business. The more engaged your customers the more likely they are to come back when they need what you offer.
Embrace the unknown – We live in an increasingly ‘risk adverse’ world which is teaching employees to be ‘risk adverse’. The ‘Careful you might fail’ school of thought. But as we know, failure can lead to better successes because we learn and adapt. The digital marketing world is largely unchartered territory but it’s instantly measurable territory which allows for ‘calculable risk’. Yes, it’s a risk, but it’s a highly measurable risk. If you’re worried about a lack of knowledge, coupled with the level of risk, speak to COO’EE. It’s our responsibility to understand the space and provide support by helping you manage and maximise this risk (real or perceived).
Don’t let a lack of knowledge or experience be the reason you say you can’t find a way to say you can.
If this hasn’t helped you take a bolder step into the digital market place, that’s sad, because you are about to lose the race for me and my peers’ disposable income. It’s not just us either, today’s children are entirely ‘Digitally Native’ and won’t have the patience to wait for you to come to the party.
Good luck, get excited and get passionate because wanting something goes a long way into helping you make it happen.
Check out our other blog postings for more on this and other topics here.
COO’EE Crew
I think the hardest thing for the next generation will be convincing the decision makers that are ideas are not only valid but can make a difference to their business.
Great post! You make a strong argument, who better to listen to than the youngsters when it comes to this techy stuff!
I love the intro into the post, I also look a lot younger than I am and find it hard for people to take me seriously in business! I guess as soon as you part with wisdom like this it shatters those preconceptions!