2024

I recently had a conversation with a solopreneur who has nearly two decades of experience in the Digital Marketing industry. He’s highly selective about the clients he takes on board. However, even as a solopreneur he has been working with some of his clients for almost ten years. Despite his extensive experience, he does not consider himself as an industry expert. Also, he acknowledged the fact that, as a solo entrepreneur, he finds it challenging to keep pace with the constantly evolving digital marketing industry. He shared valuable insight on how he manages to retain clients for so long, and that is giving a good quality of service. Exceed expectations. Surpass standards. Give 110%. Leave no stone unturned. Go beyond expectations. He believes that maintaining the highest quality of service should be constant, even if one attains expert status in the field.

Encouraging businesses with smaller teams through gestures of appreciation or motivation is always beneficial. After completing my tax filing last year, I transferred the fees to my Chartered Accountant. This time, however, I decided to pay more than the usual charges as a token of genuine appreciation for his and his team’s hard work, ensuring proper scrutiny of all the documentation. Shortly after, my CA reached out to inform me of the overpayment. I explained to him my intention behind the extra amount, expressing my gratitude. His happiness was evident, and I simply conveyed my thanks to him and his team. It’s as simple as that. If a small act of gratitude in any form can boost confidence in others, then why hesitate? Just do it

Creating is something to strive for. Creating helps us untangle knots of thoughts and expressions within our minds. Whether creations receive few claps, likes, follows, or engagements is not important. Does not matter even if we have a small audience. A small audience who engages will grow over time. Also, having a small audience makes it easier to feel close to them and build relations. As Seth Godin said in one of his blogs, “Small audiences are your friend because small audiences are specific and specific increases your percentage.” So what will we create today to both entertain and provide value for that one and only person sitting in the audience?

I was chatting with a friend who is a doctor and planning to open his own clinic. He was worried about how tough it is to succeed in this cutthroat competition and asked me about digital marketing. “Do you recommend any courses for learning digital marketing?” he asked. “Why do you want to learn digital marketing?” I asked him. “To promote my services online.” He said. “Let’s say I am feeling unwell and worried about my health. Would it be wiser for me to study medicine to treat myself or seek a doctor’s assistance?” I countered. He got my point. While people can certainly develop and refine skills in any profession over time, the crucial question remains: will it address the need of the hour?

Are soft skills a requirement for digital marketers? Not always. Are soft skills necessary to excel as a digital marketer? Absolutely, without question. Anyone can acquire the skills to become a digital marketer. To truly stand out, focus on developing strong soft skills.

I have always been a fan of digital sales funnels. Creating them gives me a dopamine rush every time. What’s even more fulfilling is witnessing brands that you are a fan of prioritize post-sales funnels. Recently, I experienced one such instance that used an effective post-sales strategy: After ordering groceries (ordered a couple of items from the organic section), I received a personalized email from the CEO expressing gratitude for choosing organic products, and how they are better for me, for farmers, and for the planet. The email also recommended some more organic items, which I happily added to my cart. Learning here is to stay connected with a customer even after a sale. More than just cross-selling or up-selling, this approach is about nurturing customer relationships and building trust by helping them make the right decisions. Does this contribute to building a strong brand? Absolutely. Sales funnel is just a small part of it.

Today marks my 4000th day in the field of digital marketing. Over these years, I spoke with many industry experts, leaders, and entrepreneurs, and some of those directly or indirectly asked me how good I am at digital marketing. And my response was always: I don’t claim to be a 100% expert. Now, there are some marketers who have been doing digital marketing since the Internet began. But in my opinion, even they might not be 100% perfect. They might be good, really good, maybe 99%, but that 1% is a learning curve. Digital marketing is an ever-evolving industry As I write this and you read it, new developments may have already rolled out – algorithm updates, automation-based software launches, shifts in market dynamics, and more. Maintaining even a 99% expertise requires constant learning and upskilling. These 4000 days have been a journey filled with challenges and growth. Am I at 99% now? I wish there were a definitive scale to measure it.  

Back in 2015, while freelancing for a media agency, a team member asked this question: “We want to go viral. How do we create viral content on YouTube?” At that time, I found myself without a clear answer. Jumping ahead to 2024, I still don’t have a magic formula, nor do I anticipate discovering one. However, one principle stands out: consistency in putting out content that aligns with your brand. It is interesting to note that well-planned content might not always gain virality, whereas a random thought, perhaps occurring during a shower, could become a viral content piece. So, what’s the key? It boils down to consistency. Maintaining a steady stream of content will gradually attract an audience in the chaotic world of content creation. And this audience has the power to make your content go viral.

There is always a debate about whether to ask questions before or during a discovery call with potential customers. Personally, I think it’s best to ask questions before the call or give the prospect an idea of what to expect during the discovery call in an email. This gives them time to prepare and might help us learn important things during the call that could benefit the campaigns if they decide to work with us. But an even better idea is to skip the discovery call altogether by sending a detailed and customized questionnaire. Hey Tom, Thanks for chatting with me about your business. Based on what we talked about, I have put together some questions for you to answer in a questionnaire customized based on your requirements. Take your time with it. Your answers will help me understand your business better and create a proposal that fits your needs. If you have any questions, we can still connect on a call. I understand it gets difficult for you to manage time from your busy schedule, so I have tried my best to include all the essentials in the questionnaire. Looking forward to hearing from you. Cheers! And that’s it. Everything in written, and documented.

During my recent visit to a doctor’s clinic, I noticed something interesting. While waiting for the doctor to arrive, I saw a group of medical representatives gathered at the clinic entrance. Upon the doctor’s arrival, the representatives began distributing pamphlets and endorsed for the medicine brand they represent. With a gracious smile, the doctor accepted the pamphlets, listened to their brief pitches, and then proceeded into the clinic, placing the pamphlets on a stack of numerous old pamphlets. As a digital marketer, I couldn’t help but wonder: Is this potentially a wasted impression share? How can they effectively engage with the doctor via remarketing? What methods can they deploy to monitor whether doctors recommend their medicines to patients? How will they track its impact and determine the ideal Return on Investment (ROI)? While traditional marketing strategies persist, I am intrigued by the possibilities for scaling certain businesses by combining traditional marketing approaches with digital marketing.