It is no secret; marketing is continually changing. As marketers, we can no longer just be competent at creativity but must also be skilled in analytics. Gone are the days of pitches solely based on attractive creative ads. Of course, as marketers, it is our job to remain at the forefront of new trends. However, if you run a business, marketing changes aren't your primary focus, or could quite possibly not even be on your radar. We get it; getting across to your client is a complex process, but we hope that by reading this article, you'll feel in the know. 

1. Change your mindset 

Marketing used to be all about the 4Ps - product, price, place, and promotion. But that is no longer the right marketing approach; instead, your marketing must focus on engagement, experience, emotion, and exclusivity. For a while, people have been buying experiences that they base on their feelings. Think of the big brands: Apple, Disney, Nike, Coca-Cola. 

None of those brands pitch product specs as an advertising technique. Imagine Apple making a commercial for the iPhone that lists all the phone's specs.

• All-new-triple-camera system (Ultra Wide, Wide, Telephoto)
• Up to 20 hours of video playback
• Water-resistant to a depth of 4 meters for up to 30 minutes 

Instead, their ads look like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99rHpOIpqCA

It's about experiencing life, not a laundry list of all the phone's features. It is no different from other successful brands that depend on uniting with their clients on a deeper emotional level. Forget about the product you are selling and focus on how the consumer's life will benefit. 

2. Build intimacy

Yes, we get it the digital landscape has made it extremely easy to reach targeted groups of people, never having to interact with them, and merely hoping for clients to buy something. The ability to reach people digitally should never be a replacement for customer service. 

We have so much digital information that we forget that at the very core of every customer is a real person, one that wants to form a genuine connection with others. 

Now, we've got bots everywhere. It seems you can't even reach a real human. A company that wants to stand out against its competition needs to build a strong relationship with its clients, and they must put in the work to do it. 

Your marketing strategy must involve individual service and a personal approach, sure the digital information and all the automation systems can help support this, but it can't replace customer service. Go ahead, show your clients that you care, use client information to understand their preferences and interests, and then create personalized marketing messages for them. 

3. Show emotion 

As a business, you don't want clients to think of your company as a corporate dinosaur. Before social media, and all the digital tools now available, it was almost impossible to penetrate the corporate veil. However, these days clients demand and expect full transparency from the companies trying to earn their business.

Clients won't be able to build a real connection with your brand if they don't know the brand, so show your target audience that there are real people behind the curtain. 

Authenticity is a great way to show emotion and show the human side of your company. Even allowing clients to see the flaws and the growing pains or struggles faced by a company is exciting and allows for clients to forge a deeper connection with a brand. 

Buyers want to see people that are honest and genuine in what they do and more so that they are just like them. Focus on your audience's real problems and needs, relate to things that are relevant to them and become meaningful in their lives.

4. Know your audience

If you are selling to young people, aka Millennials, don't spend your money on a Super Bowl ad, instead connect with influencers on Tik Tok, Instagram, and YouTube. Millennials already trust the people they follow, and they will value their opinion. 

Of course, you will have to go in search of the right influencer for your product; it has to feel genuine, and the influencer must genuinely relate with your brand and product.

Influencer marketing offers different options for marketing: you can shoot a commercial using an influencer, you can have them simply promote your product on their platform of choice, or you can sponsor an event. When it comes to working with an influencer or an opinion leader, the options are pretty vast. 

Traditional media for the majority of young consumers is losing a lot of favor because it is untrustworthy. To get over this hurdle, you'll have to be honest and genuine. Offer your prospective clients something of value that is relevant to your audience before you can gain their trust. 

5. Music makes everything better. 

If you want to create an instant emotional connection with your audience, music is the way. It also helps to make a brand memorable and more easily recognizable. Consider that music is a universal language that allows us to communicate our most complex thoughts and views with a global audience. It has a direct impact on our mood and how we feel. 

Music is the perfect way to increase engagement, create an experience, and emotionally inspire your audience. 

6. Do you belong? 

Psychologically speaking, a sense of belonging and importance is critical for all human beings. When your audience uses your brand or products, they want to feel like they are part of a group of people, a community that is like them- a community that is exclusive to only the people that align with a particular brand and their products. 

Exclusivity isn't just about being a luxury brand; it's about aspirations and experience. Some great ways to market exclusivity by telling a brand story that allows buyers to connect with it, another great tool is discussing beliefs. When your audience aligns with your ideas, they will feel they are part of an exclusive group of people that also share those beliefs and, therefore, purchase a particular product. 

Yes, marketing is always changing, and yes, if you want your marketing to be successful, you can't rely on traditional media. You have to connect to your audience using exclusivity, emotion, engagement, and experience. 

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