Once upon a time, a retailer could place an ad in the Yellow Pages, slap a logo and phone number on a billboard, and call it a marketing plan. Today, new marketing opportunities abound. Here are some trending marketing practices that might be worth adopting to give your business a boost.

1. Mobile first. The number of web searches done on mobile devices is at least 50% and growing, according to Google. Optimize websites and other digital content to be viewed on mobile devices. Make sure content can be viewed and performs equally well across all devices — desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones — by hiring a web developer who can optimize your website and emails for mobile devices first, and then consider other platforms.

Optimizing content for mobile devices means understanding the conditions under which people use their smartphones and devices. Consider, for example, how long it takes under average conditions to load a page over a mobile network. Insist that when your information is viewed on a mobile device, the viewer can call your store with a single click.

In general, personal computers are used for research, but mobile devices are used for action. If someone asks Apple’s Siri where they can find a gun store, odds are they are serious about shopping and will take action, so make it easy for them. And if you really want to get into mobile marketing, the next step may be location-based marketing that uses technology to determine where your customers are so you can connect and interact with them on their mobile devices in real time. 

2. Live video. Facebook has made live video streaming simple for anyone to do. How can you use Facebook Live to market your company? Let’s say you’re set up at a local gun show in your town and stream a Facebook Live video from the scene showing gear being unloaded and set up with the show in the background.

What do you accomplish? You’ve reminded your Facebook followers to attend the show, which shows you’re a team player. Plus, you’ve impressed your Facebook followers with the knowledge that your company is serving this great gun show, making you and your company awesome by association. It’s also an ego boost for your employees to know you’re bragging about their hard work at this event.

Be sure to zoom in on the company logo and phone number on your booth signage. Why take the time to go live? Because you have nothing to lose — all of this trendy marketing is absolutely free.

3. Personalized marketing. It’s easy for consumers to get lost in the sea of marketing messages they encounter every minute of every day. That’s why marketers are increasing their use of data collection, analysis and automation technology to provide individualized content to potential customers. That may not be possible for a small company lacking in IT staff, but don’t underestimate the personalized touches you are able to provide.

If customers have trusted your company enough to share contact information, they will appreciate individual attention, which can inspire or deepen loyalty. Ironically, in this age of sophisticated data-driven digital marketing, personalized or one-to-one marketing like a direct phone call, an email addressing an individual decision-maker by name, or a face-to-face meeting can be a refreshing, memorable marketing tool.

 4. Purpose-driven marketing. Have you noticed there are more ads today that tell a story? These ads don’t just describe the product or service being promoted; they tell why a company does what it does or how it makes the world a better place. Attempting to establish an identity as a business with a conscience is sometimes called purpose-driven marketing.

Young people especially want to do business with companies that give back. While consumers can spot a phony message a mile off, you may benefit from a well-crafted messaging touting company efforts to be environmentally responsible or actively supportive of the community.

5. Increased voice searching. Voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana and Google Assistant get asked a lot of questions these days. According to Google, 20 percent of searches done on mobile devices are voice searches, and the number of voice searches on all devices is growing. As people see and hear their peers talking to devices with more frequency, they feel less silly doing it themselves, so the number of voice searches will continue to increase.

Make sure your website content includes key phrases and words that answer questions potential customers would ask to find a tactical retailer or gun range. How are voice searches different? Consider this: If you wanted to know the name of the tallest U.S. president and you were at your desktop computer, you’d probably type, “tallest U.S. president.” If you were asking Siri, however, you’d likely say, “Who was the tallest U.S. president?” The difference may seem negligible, but it can actually make a difference in search results.

 

Update the Marketing Menu

Not every marketing technique works for everyone. What’s most effective varies from day to day, company to company and customer to customer. Marketing is constantly evolving, and if you want your company to remain relevant and grow, it’s in your best interest to keep up on the trends.

Don’t abandon the tried-and-true, but occasionally review your marketing plan and implement some fresh ideas. After all, if no one ever upgraded their marketing efforts, consumers would still be getting all their information from cave paintings.