Marketing needs to be realistic about sales processes
Buying a pair of trainers is a different process from choosing a divorce lawyer or a tax consultant. We all know that to be the case from personal experience.
For some products we might simply trust a brand name, perform a Google search and buy a product in a matter of minutes.
For higher value professional services we might start off by asking people we know and trust if they have anyone they would recommend.
For high value largely intangible services, trust goes a long way in converting a client. Trust can be developed through the comments of a known referrer.
Products and services have variations in the sales process but this is often overlooked in marketing strategy or day to day marketing activity.
If an organisation relies on reputation and referral for its new client generation, its digital marketing should take on a different role to that of a fast-moving consumer good. Much of it should be focused on verification, capability communication and unique propositions. This should then permeate social media and other channels.
LinkedIn profiles are regularly reviewed after referral, yet individual consultants / lawyers / accountants etc. may have seriously outdated profiles, whilst their web profile may not have been reviewed for years. Many good referrals can be lost through this lack of attention.
Marketing teams can also miss the point and spend a great deal of time and effort on relatively light weight general content. There are many themes that play a role in projecting a brand, but core solid information that prospective clients need must be available given it plays a key role in the sales process.
A sobering question is how much referred work has been lost, through outdated, thin online content?
Without grounding marketing plans with the realities of the sales process much marketing activity can become run of the mill, ineffective and crucially ignore the prime concerns of a potential client.
One set of marketing tactics clearly does not fit all.