Grow your business with next-gen marketing

As the marketing landscape changes, so must the tools and tactics businesses use. “Tried and true methods of brand marketing and promotion that were effective in the past may not be as effective in the future,” according to Kim Morelos, Director of Marketing at Capital One. Fortunately, this disruption plays to many growing businesses’ strengths.

The next generation of marketing leverages existing customer bases to spread brand messages via community building, storytelling and low-cost social media platforms. Small and medium-size businesses have the upper hand when it comes to serving up timely, tailored content and messaging. Here’s how to leverage it.

• How brands can elevate their voices
• What stories resonate with your audience
• How to authentically connect with prospects and customers
• Why agility is the largest competitive advantage

Before you invest any resources in marketing your products or services to your prospects and customers, research the following:

• Where. Online search engines used to be the universal starting point for finding potential answers to questions, but no more. Study where your target audience is turning for information. Is it social media, online forums or LLMs? What are the preferred platforms?
• Why. No longer can you take information searches at face value. Today you need to dig in to uncover the intent—the why—behind their questions. What’s driving their online queries?
• Who. Social media influencers are becoming frequent sources of information and recommendations. Discover whom your audience is paying attention to.

“Many social media platforms offer tools that can be very effective on a limited budget,” Morelos says. “A brand can build awareness by starting with organic content placed in these channels [for free].”

Compelling content shared on any social media platform could include:

• Educational. How-to content is often popular. Brands can share tutorials on how to best use their products or services, provide troubleshooting tips for when problems arise and address commonly asked questions.

• Entertainment. Many social media users turn to their favorite platforms for a break or a laugh. Help them find your brand with content like a funny meme or stories of amusing situations involving your brand.

• Behind-the-scenes. Audiences often enjoy learning about “a day in the life,” seeing videos of how products are made or watching your creative process unfold.

• Business insights. Business-to-business (B2B) brands especially should be generating industry reports based on research data, designing infographics to make data easier to understand and commenting on market trends.

Once you confirm which messaging resonates with your audience, consider scaling by investing in paid advertising on those same platforms, using hyper-specific targeting tools. Morelos says, “[These] targeting tools allow a smaller brand to reach a very specific audience on a limited budget.” Here are several types of ad formats:

• Videos can provide effective product demonstrations.

• Photos (static images with text overlaid) are the simplest.

• Carousels offer multiple images and can show before-and-after photos.

• Stories use the whole screen and are best on mobile devices.

• Messenger uses direct messaging to communicate with prospects.

Leveraging user-generated content and partnerships with influencers can also boost the impact of your marketing without going over budget.

What makes a business different is its story. Compelling business origin stories and background information on the founder(s) and nonprofit partners help attract attention and notice from potential customers. Commonalities that align buyers with the business can reap rewards in the form of vocal advocates and higher sales.

Position your company as the preferred small-business alternative. Showcase your authenticity through less polished videos and photos that emphasize your company’s advantages. That’s what today’s consumers want to hear—real stories that make them feel something.

“Start with your existing customer base as a source of brand promotion and overall growth,” recommends Morelos. Engage with them through:

• Live events

• Email campaigns

• Social media

“You can build and often expand current customer relationships while also creating brand fans that recommend you to their friends and networks,” says Morelos.

Mastering the progression of next-gen marketing involves the elements of good communication: Know your audience, then deliver content that your targets need and want. Study what’s working, then amplify and replicate those themes, formats and stories.

“You should absolutely leverage the advantage of moving more quickly than larger competitors,” advises Morelos. “Big corporations have scale but not speed, so think about ways to get to market more quickly with a timely and relevant message or test a new channel early.” Be an early adopter whenever possible, but don’t give up before you have real data to inform decisions. That’s how the next generation of marketers will win.