Jan
31

Real-Time Marketing Takes Control

Thu Jan, 2013 by Digital Bus

As we continue on in 2013, a different form of marketing planning and execution will begin to take over. Traditional marketing tactics are old news; the new strategy of marketing professionals will be real-time marketing practices.

What is real-time marketing?

The concept of real-time marketing has actually been around since the mid 90’s but marketing professionals are just now realizing how truly relevant this idea can be for their business. Real-time marketing is a  “just-in-time” or “right now” marketing technique. This means that marketing messages are made on the spot instead of planned months in advanced. There is less of a campaign approach to real-time marketing, and marketers will see that they are creating the best marketing plans for their business on a day-to-day basis. By doing so a marketer can relay the most current or “real-time” message to a potential customer. What works for a brand one day might completely change the next and marketers must be prepared to tailor messages on the spot.

How does real-time marketing work?

The best way to implement real-time marketing into a business plan is definitely through social media. Social media is the most innovative way to market a brand; instant response is the key to this type of interaction. It would be hard to develop a campaign or plan months in advanced for this type of fast-paced social environment. Marketers should observe consumer behavior on different social media networks and create marketing messages based off these current behaviors. Likewise, if there is a new topic of conversation within a brand’s social media network, marketers should jump on the opportunity to market that message and interact with the consumers. Creating campaigns on-the-go is something brands need to take full advantage of. A topic that one day sparks interest on social media might be a good mini-campaign to develop on the spot.  If there is a new trend in the industry, marketers shouldn’t waste any time implementing that idea into their messages to consumers.

The world has shifted to an “I want it now” attitude and marketers need to adjust their tactics to fit this change. Gone are the days where traditional marketing plans are the norm for companies and brands. As technology continues on its rapidly changing path, marketers will realize they must adapt to real-time marketing, which is slowly taking over the way a message is relayed to an audience.  As we set traditional marketing practices on the backburner, businesses will see improved results by implementing real-time marketing in their marketing strategy.

–By Laura Ene

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