We know that modern marketing is difficult. So many channels, so many audiences, fickle algorithms, bots, myriad data sources and changing appetites for content – paid or otherwise.
Even with a properly thought-out marketing strategy, it is really challenging for SMEs to implement and measure campaigns that really work.
One of the key issues is that there is a real generational divide in terms of communications. Younger audiences who have grown up with internet, instant messaging, short form video content and multi-screening will require entirely different customer journeys from older audiences who prefer a more traditional approach to sales and marketing.
Pity then, the poor middle-aged marketer or business owner who attempts to understand the vagaries of TikTok or produce content they think will attract the attention of teenagers.
For many older people in the workplace, trying to manage Gen Z channels such as Snapchat, Insta or TikTok is akin to going to a student nightclub and pretending they are 18 again. It’s not authentic, its cringe (see what we did there!) and it just won’t work.
So what is the solution? It is actually very simple. Harness the power of these younger generations who are digital natives and instinctively understand what their peers want.
There are thousands of youngsters who play their smartphones like a 70s prog rocker would’ve played multiple keyboards. Creative, quick, adept at shooting and editing videos and able to learn new skills quick, these people also know the language, the trends and nuances required to craft modern marketing campaigns.
What they lack in terms of traditional marketing knowledge - soft skills such as talking on the phone and letter writing – is massively outweighed by their vast knowledge of the new media landscape.
We would advise all SME owners and marketers to at least consider bringing in someone aged 16-25 to the business to act as an informal Gen Z ‘ambassador’. For smaller enterprises, this may be a young adult or family friend who can be enticed with the offer of pocket money or teenagers looking for work experience over the summer.
You may also want to consider taking on a marketing apprentice. Over the course of their apprenticeship, they will more than likely teach you as much about modern marketing as they will learn about traditional techniques so it’s a win/win situation.
For larger organisations, it makes sense to take on people who perhaps don’t want to go to university but want to get a head start on their career in marketing. Instead of relegating new starters to day-to-day tasks such as analytics or social media management, they should be brought into the planning and strategy sessions so they can add their insight and knowledge of their contemporaries.
Remember that we should never stop learning and there’s no reason why older generations cannot swallow their pride and take advice from younger peers.
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