Reaching Customer Bases Through Digital Marketing and Technology

By Anna Lockhart.  

Utilizing technology in a company’s business and marketing plans can help set that company apart from the competition.  

In an ever-evolving society in which using technology to communicate and relay information is a part of the daily routine for most customers, companies are having to finding ways to adapt traditional business practices to better meet this new generation of tech-savvy customers. In an episode of MetalTalk, featuring John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group and Karen Edwards of Casimir Group the panelists discussed practical ways businesses can easily bring technology into their existing business plans and marketing strategies that will give them a competitive advantage over others.  

One of the most important things for a business to consider is their online, digital presence. Having an active online presence is incredibly important because it showcases your brand identity and purpose to potential customers when they are online researching possible businesses to work with. Karen explained, “I'm sure you've all been in a situation where you've searched for a product and then you see ads start to pop up for that product the next couple days while you're surfing around the rest of the internet. There's no reason your company can't be doing that. If someone is researching solar roofs, if someone is researching metal roofs, you want them to see you and find your company on there.”  

As you’re building your online presence, it’s important to pay attention to your online branding and what your company looks like online. Karen shares a few things to consider, “Are you consistent across all the platforms that you're on? How does your website look? Does it have the same logo that's being used on your social media platform? Those are all small things, but they create a picture in a potential customer's mind of the professionalism of your company, of the consistency of your messaging.” 

This consistency is also key across the company, which is why the panelists recommend building technology into your business plan so all departments are on the same page. John shares, “So the first thing when you're looking at reviewing technology of what's going to work between your entire operation, your entire team, sales, marketing, estimating, operation, finance, human resources, whatever it may be, you need to have a technology vision.” He suggests asking yourselves, “What is your vision? What are you looking for? Where are you at now? Where do you want to be, right? What's your vision for technology?” 

Implementing a solid, basic online ad campaign and consistent activity on digital social platforms or a website can make a big difference. As a business finds ways to gradually add in a focus on creating a consistent online presence for customers to interact with and find, the better chances are that customers will choose them over competitors who aren’t giving digital marketing as much attention.  

Learn more ways to implement technology into business and marketing plans by listening to the “Planning for the Future of Your Business in a Digital Marketing Age.”