Friday 8 March, 2013
In today’s digital world, companies have to focus on a number of marketing strategies in order to create a well known brand; however Gavin Walsh, managing director at MarketStorm Global Ltd , is certain that businesses should not forget the direct approach with customers on a face-to-face basis in order achieve successful branding.
Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn are rated to be highly efficient marketing tools by many companies. New research however shows that most links that are shared reach only five to ten people. The study also reveals that less than one percent of brand fans on Facebook have any type of active involvements (blogs.wsj.com). Gavin Walsh at Market Storm Global says: “A world without online social networking is hard to imagine, but marketers should never underestimate the power of one of the most traditional marketing tools: face-to-face conversations with customers.” According to research, 90% of word-of-mouth conversations about brands take place offline, primarily face-to-face, in people’s offices or homes, restaurants or stores for example (blogs.wsj.com).

MarketStorm Global Ltd is an outsourced direct sales and marketing company based in Leeds. “We help our clients raise brand awareness through face-to-face conversations with potential customers”, explains Gavin Walsh. “Direct marketing is one of the most effective tools to create a successful brand. When our sales force talk to people, they actively build trust through personal connections between the customer and our client’s brand”, continues Gavin Walsh at MarketStorm Global Ltd The power of direct marketing is underlined by a report from Meeting Professionals International (MPI) that reveals that 40% of prospects are converted to new customers via face-to-face meetings, and 28% of current business would be lost without face-to-face reunions (marketingprofs.com). “Of course, most people nowadays engage online, but it is just a normal process that we would rather trust someone we can actually see in reality and who can respond to questions straight away or demonstrate a product or service, rather than a virtual platform” says Gavin Walsh.

Direct marketing certainly plays a major role for successful branding, nevertheless “we cannot ignore the social media wave”, adds Gavin Walsh at MarketStorm Global Ltd. While direct conversations on a face-to-face basis bring greater credibility, a greater desire to share with others and a greater likelihood to purchase a product or service being discussed than conversations taking place online (blogs.wsj.com), a combined use of both online and offline appearance create higher chances to increase a company’s return on investment. Today’s marketplace is highly social, but not only because of technology or certain online platforms. Gavin Walsh agrees that successful businesses are the ones putting people, rather than technology, at the centre of products, services, campaigns and market strategies (blogs.wsj.com), not only now but also in the future.


Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/