Wisdom is oftentimes hidden in the most unusual of places. You have to look closely in order to extract one lesson or another out of it. That is exactly what happened when we took our pups into the office. Cute and cuddly, they surely brighten up a workplace and keep the employees’ performance-optimized. But other than that, they teach us some of the most important lessons in digital marketing. ‘Digital marketing?!’ Yes, of course. The knowledge you’d think you could only find online or in books lies in the behavioral traits of these dogs. Find it hard to believe? Come and meet a few of these pups and find out what valuable tips they offer.
Bella and her Customers’ Journey:
Bella, the white poodle, may simply be a weekly visitor, but when she comes to the workplace with her mom, she manages to get teats from several employees all day long. Sounds like a successful transaction, no? What does she have to offer? Her friendly attention, and when that’s done, the office people shower her with doggie snacks. She sits with them, plays fetch, gives proper time to each and every one of her ‘customers’ by going to their desks, and they award her for her charisma. Now, it might seem like Bella is just gamboling around haphazardly, but she is indeed at work, i.e. catering to her customers’ experience and leading them on a journey from awareness to advocacy.
What ‘digital marketing’ lessons can we learn from her? Helping random consumers transition into dedicated clients. Here’s how the process goes:
- Identification and Search: The office workers become aware of their problem/challenge, which in this case might be ennui or workplace stress. They initiate a search to find a solution, either on the online engines using their Spectrum internet or some other such network. At this point, they’re coming into contact with potential options that could meet their challenge heads on.
- Evaluation: Next, the customers consider each and every available option, which could be anything from a gaming console to a pet visit, check out its pros and cons and evaluate them before reaching a final decision.
- Narrowing Down: This is the stage at which they finalize ‘pet visit by Bella’ as a viable solution to their problem. Then, they look through the multiple services offered by this dog and select those that they like and can afford. Now, they’ve become paying customers.
- Indirect Advocacy: After being satisfied by Bella, they become ardent advertisers of Bella’s services and urge others to try them, based on their own success.
This is how random office-goers undergo a transformative journey down the sales funnel, lead on by super-charismatic Bella.
Luna, Loki, and Steadiness:
Success isn’t achieved overnight. Slow and steady wins the race. Nothing great ever came that easy. You might have heard of these dictums before, but you can see them actualized by Luna and Loki, our resident senior dogs. They have completed a whole journey to earn the appreciation and status they have achieved up till now. Slowly and steadily. This is something that works well in the digital marketing sphere too. Chart-topping ROI doesn’t happen all of a sudden. Strategies take time to develop and mature before they start yielding effective results. The key is not to get impatient and frustrated. Luna and Loki are always calm, mature and consistent, instead of being flaky or rambunctious.
Milo and the Importance of UX:
An eight-month-old black poodle is the latest addition to our office pups. If there is one thing you should know about Milo is that he is shy, a little confused yet full of curiosity, and entirely sweet. He’s got a lot of love to give, but you should know how to call him and attract his attention. You cannot say: ‘Milo, be a dearie and come to my desk for five minutes please.’ This gentle yet convoluted request would be ignored, and the pup would look at you all puzzled. You have to be clear, concise, loud and confident to get Milo to visit you. Only direct commands like, ‘Milo, come here,’ ‘sit, boy’ or ‘rollover’ will get him to listen. Sound familiar?
This is precisely how online consumers of this present generation function. And for virtual commercial ventures, getting their attention is absolutely crucial, as consumers hold nearly all the power these days. If your online business doesn’t get enough traffic, then the chances of it flourishing are as slim as a pickle. So, knowing how to entice an online audience is highly important. How do you do that? By pushing complexity and confusion out of the equation. Online users, like Milo, have a lot to offer and the only way to make them listen to you is by giving out loud and clear directives. Craft your digital marketing strategy by keeping UX (user experience) at the forefront, as this will increase your conversion rates and maximize ROI. If your website propels the visitors into clouds of confusion, then they’ll simply shift over to a new site that offers them clear solutions.
Stella and Sharpness of Senses:
Stella is a first-class canine with a high-spirited, albeit skittish nature. Even when catching some Zzzs, she’s alert and aware of her surroundings. A weird, random noise and her ears are up and pointed. Then, she looks around and assesses the situation. If it’s a threat, she deals with it head-on. If not, she sleeps on. That’s what kind of a dog Stella is. What can you learn from this behavior? What digital marketing pearl of wisdom can you glean from it? Being on the alert for industry changes, that’s what. Google is a giant, hands down. But it is not a static industry. It keeps on incorporating sudden changes in its makeup and introduces one update after another. You, as a marketer, need to pay attention to these breaks in the ice and mold your strategy accordingly. This is how you’ll be able to stay ahead of the game and gain an extra edge over your competitors. All by being alert like Stella.
Mickey and Uniqueness:
Mickey is a cute dachshund puppy with angelic eyes that can melt any heart. Now, he can perform most ‘tricks’ like other dogs, but there’s something which makes him super unique. Mickey has a secret talent which almost always impresses any onlookers. If you say, ‘bang, bang!’ he will roll over to his side, moan like someone who’s shot, project his tongue out and play dead for some time. You don’t see that every day, do you? This is the kind of unique content that online users pine after. They don’t want monotonous, run of the mill content. One of a kind stuff is what they look for, and it is something which you should give. Try not to bore your audience. Be interesting. But more importantly, be relevant. Apart from amusing, help your customers and they will help you.
So, do you see what useful lessons these examples can teach you? All of these dogs and their behavior can help you frame an effective digital marketing strategy.
