Every business on this planet is fighting for attention, trying to sell a product or service to the consumers and sometimes it just backfires despite your effort. So why market your product? Don’t bother producing promotional campaigns – you’re wasting your money and here’s why:

#1: Consumers Don’t Care About You

And they really don’t. In the eyes of the consumers, you’re just ANOTHER product / brand. Yes, you may be the best among all but think about it – your competitors are shouting the very same message and this will result in a long, and perhaps an unfavorable journey for your business, simply because it will take time for the consumers to consider your message, evaluate and compare them with your competitors.

#2: Consumers Are Surrounded With Marketing Campaigns (and Gimmicks)

You can look at the outcome from two perspectives:

1. Consumers today are better decision makers – they tend to research and ask around for opinions before purchasing.
2. Consumers today had it enough with marketing campaigns – they simply avoid you (see short video here).

Neither outcome favors you as an marketer, especially when your business is new – budget constrains and lacking in credibility.

#3: Consumers Want Solutions

“Enough of selling! How about giving me a solution to my problem instead?”

Today’s consumers had it tough. Not only they have to put up with marketing spams, they have their own problems to attend to as well and all they want is a solution to their problems. If your marketing campaign only talks about your product, give it up – consumers won’t buy-in.

Going Beyond Marketing – to Creating an Experience

Instead of talking, why not try listening to understand what is it that the consumer wants rather than assuming? While it may be difficult to reach out to consumers before, social media platforms have made it easy today. Focus on creating an experience with the consumers instead of pushing the product to the consumer and you’ll see the difference as below:

The lines in grey illustrates the processes involved in the conventional consumer purchasing funnel and the one in red shows how powerful a bond / relationship with the consumer can be. It builds confidence among the consumers allowing them to jump into purchase – more powerful than conventional marketing efforts.

It Takes Time

I’m no way suggesting that this method is a shortcut to success. It takes time to build a bond with the consumers but its effect may be greater than conventional marketing efforts and social media makes it possible. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are great tools to approach the consumers because they are already on it. Approach them like how you would to approach a friend without being pitchy.

5 Things to remember when approaching consumers on social media:

1. You’re there to offer a solution to their pain.
2. You’re there to build relationships.
3. You’re there to give value.
4. You’re there to ultimately convert them into advocates.
5. You’re there to listen.

It’s time to do away with conventional marketing and let the ‘human’ do the job. Let people drive your business, not products.

What are your thoughts on conventional marketing vs social media marketing? Does the buying power solely rests on the consumers themselves now?

diagrams adapted from: Harvard Business Review.