Keen-eyed readers may have noticed a shift in the kinds of services we offer; from general marketing advice and support for small businesses towards a more specific focus on content creation and content marketing.
The move is partly to do with the kind of work we enjoy doing (one of the perks of running your own business) but more so in response to the changing landscape. To our minds content is becoming more important but as a specific marketing strategy we think it’s a little overlooked.
In a similar vein, MarketingSherpa features a case study (available free until Sept 5th) of Angie’s List – a subscription based online business featuring reviews of local trades.
Amongst other key strategies Angie’s List highlights the need to evolve their business over time in response to customer and market needs.
It’s a certainty that markets evolve. This can be prompted by new technology, new delivery methods or new marketing methods. But most of all it’s driven by customer expectation, and the pace of change is increasing.
What do you customers and potential customers expect now that they didn’t five years ago? What about five months ago? Do you know? Are you making the changes?
Of course, the last thing you want to be doing is reinventing your business with every new fad or chasing the latest social media platform as your marketing panacea. But that doesn’t mean you can rest blissfully unaware in the hope that change never affects your industry.
Every business needs to know where the market is going to at least keep pace with it. The best business might even get a step or two ahead.
[Pic via tecnabob.com]
