All posts by Shruti Shukla

Financial Planners- Let’s See how a Digital Strategy can Work Wonders for You

Financial services need not always be perceived as a straight jacket field, but with the continuous innovation and expansion happening in this particular sector, there is an overwhelming need to explore the untapped sector of digital marketing laden with innovation to reach a wider audience and create an inquisitive mindset amongst the untapped audience, all this can be done successfully with a well crafted digital marketing strategy.

In a short span of time, financial services have undergone major transformations and disruption that has changed the set norm followed for years. There has been a major shift in the operations of the wealth firms, regarding how do their employees work and are their consumers ably managing their finances. The way financial institutions use this data has undergone sea change; ‘Digital Engagement’ is the way forward, which basically involves establishing a healthy relationship between your brand and your customers. With growing competition and more-so with events like Covid-19, the emphasis on direct and engaging customer interaction has increased manifold, because an engaged customer is the best customer to have and most importantly serve as your loyal brand ambassadors to the outside world.

So what exactly does Digital Marketing entail?

Digital marketing is a realm that is too vast to be understood in a jiffy, but getting all those emails in your inbox as promotions or seeing suggestions on your social media, or searching for something on your search engine are all forms of digital marketing. Digital Marketing has many channels be it, social media marketing (SMM), Content creation and marketing, e-mail based marketing and campaigns, Search engine optimization (SEO), PPC advertising for instance Google Adwords, online events, and webinars, etc.

A well thought of and designed digital marketing strategy can ensure the success of your financial services firm. Thereby, it’s of immense importance to judiciously invest your time and energy into framing and implementing a highly efficient and effective digital marketing strategy that shall aid you in enhancing your SEO ranking and furthering the prospects of your sales conversion rate.

How Digital Marketing can help you

Digital marketing is an intensive and thorough field that requires in-depth knowledge and to understand the market, it is important to know about the basics from the scratch, and knowing how busy and intensive your work is, we at Zivanta Analytics are always there to help you ace this game.

Digital marketing and how can it help you;

  1. Target new customers – Digital marketing strategy if properly implemented can help you attract and target new customers and take favorable actions that your brand desires them to take. Though it’s the website visitor who has full control to initiate sales, a digital marketer, if cleverly deploys innovative actions and designs calls-to-action in an innovative manner then that can encourage the conversion to sales. Thus, having creative website designs, forms, texts, graphics, aesthetics, and content will all work in tandem to create the best results for your financial firm.
  2. Increase brand awareness – Digital Marketing can help in generating brand awareness and the necessary buzz for your business. Irrespective of you being a financial advisor, a financial planner, or run a wealth management firm, it is for you to target the customers who are looking for similar services and are willing to know about your organization’s products and services offered. Though they might have already fixated their idea to buy those specific products or services, all you have to do is make your brand interesting enough to for them to buy. A satisfied client can act as your unpaid brand ambassador, in the process help create trust and authenticity for your firm and maybe open up new avenues for your firm.
  3. Hit target audience – Digital marketing helps you gain new clients by employing the latest internet-based tools over the older methods of marketing. To design and kick-start your future course of action it is important to understand the needs and demands of your and gain insights into what your audience expects of you. By employing data analytics you can improve customer experience, inculcate good consumer relationships by gaining their loyalty, and, most importantly, improve your ROI and here is where our team at Zivanta Analytics can give you that cutting edge input for you to race ahead of your competitors by using valuable inputs after a detailed analytical study.
  4. Convert Website users to potential clients- Your digital marketing strategy’s success is determined by how ably and successfully are you able to convert the incoming customer traffic on your website into leads, resulting in sales and subscriptions. Appropriate call-to-action measures are needed on your website to enhance lead conversions; otherwise, all that traffic means nothing for you at the end of the day. Thus, the main aim for financial advisors here should be to work towards ‘conversion optimization’, there are various tools to enhance this for instance SEO, social media and e-mail marketing, etc. shall help you in achieving your digital marketing success.
  5. Building client portfolio- With digital marketing being dependant on social media tools, these days it is of prime importance to have your own social media presence and platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, etc. have become a market-place of sorts and the best part about having social media presence is the fact that you can have direct virtual interaction with your customers and target audience. According to a report, 79 percent of the consumers expect the companies to respond to their queries and comments within 24 hours time span when connecting via their social media pages, for instance, major firms like KPMG, PWC, etc. all have a considerable social media presence to interact with the virtual audience.

 Irrespective of the kind of financial services offered by you, digital marketing holds the key to your future growth and expansion and if you are toying with the idea of employing any such strategy, then Zivanta Analytics can help you achieve that goal of yours with elan.

Innovative Marketing strategies and planning for Small Businesses

‘Innovation is the key to Success’ and it is rightly said so, irrespective of your organization’s size, continuous innovation keeps you ahead in the ever so dynamic field and most importantly relevant in your area of operation. So we at Zivanta Analytics have come up with some out-of-the box ideas for you to implement….maybe all might not work but even if one fits the puzzle; Voila!!! Your work is done and you are steadfast on the road for success.

But before we start, we should know that there’s no magic pill for all problems, a proper calculated and well-thought-of planning is imperative to ensure businesses’ prosperity and long term sustenance, because marketing is a channel which builds a bridge between your customer base and your core business values.

(P.C.- Unsplash, @slidebean)

Before proceeding further, it’s important to keep in mind certain points before deciphering your marketing strategy, for instance;

  • Your target demographic base
  • Their geographical location
  • Where do they hangout online and what exactly they search for
  • What influences their decision prior to buying your product or availing your services

Until and unless, there isn’t a viable and a definite answer to these questions, creating any market strategy won’t be fruitful or let’s say it sounds like ‘building castles in the air’, doesn’t it. Without further ado, here are some strategies which can be fruitful for you, if you are a small business owner or have a start-up and want your voice to reach out to the people out there:

  1. Advertising on Facebook – With nearly Two millionsmall business owners using Facebook for their advertising campaigns, it shows that the popularity of Facebook as a medium to attract customer interest is huge and at the same time, it’s cost effective and attractive. The main reason behind resounding success for the use of advertising and marketing is because of their precise consumer targeting and profiling based on your product or service segmentation, thus reinforcing the fact that data analytics play a huge role in consumer targeting and we at Zivanta Analytics can help you achieve that by profiling your niche audience and saving your time, efforts and money.

 The ease of using Facebook Ad Manager makes it a no-brainer winner, but if your business is more oriented towards visual appeal, then Instagram can be a better platform for you to reach out.

  1. Google Adwords- By mentioning Google, it is sufficient to assume the out-reach offered by this portal; with a mind boggling figure of approximately 40,000 queries being Googled every second on Google, the way Google reaches out is incomparable. Google Ad words are not only competitive but also expensive, but if you know the way to reach out to your audience and use the right keywords and have a planned SEO strategy in place, Google Adwords can undoubtedly help you deliver relevant search results to the users. Google has a feature of assigning a relevant quality score to your ad, dependent on CTR (Click Through Rate), ad relevance and the landing page your ad sends traffic to. The best part about Google Adwords is that it is symbiotic in nature and can be paired accordingly with other marketing channels, to rationalize cost and enhance your reach.
  2. Organic Social Media – Use of Social media for interaction these days has become a non-negotiable aspect in our lives, therefore, a visible presence on Social Media of your business has to be there, and if you aren’t actively engaging on such platforms, then undoubtedly, you are giving away your share of business to your competitors!! The point of contention here is that how much actively you are using the platform and are employing suitable resources in terms of money and efforts to channelize maximum viewer attention and capture virtual audience.

The key point here is to identify whether you need to invest in such modes of interaction, for instance, using Instagram as a channel of communication is of high priority if you are in a business related to media, fashion, culinary skills, or are a social media influencer, etc. For instance during Covid many people inculcated new skills be it regarding bakery or crochet designing and opened up their business pages on Instagram and Facebook and in a short span of time have managed to amass huge popularity.

  1. Webinars- Due to the pandemic forcing people to work from home, so has the need of interaction on a virtual basis increased manifold and webinar is one such medium where virtual meets/ seminars happen on a regular basis. They can be in the form of presentation, discussion and/or demonstration.

 Webinars are commonly used as lead magnets for email based marketing and choosing the right topic can attract a large batch of new subscribers to your list. As well as webinars help in building credibility amongst your audience. Webinars are more interesting and engaging than simple videos, even if they are used in exactly the same way. Just giving the feel that it is all happening in real time, i.e. the actual start time and live Q&A makes people feel like they are getting more value than watching a pre-recorded video with the exact same information.

  1. Write a column as a guest writer – Possessing decent writing skills with a dose of creativity can do wonders for your business. Writing columns on different virtual platforms and even in print-media can help build great audience for your business, the best part about it is that it is cost-effective, many a times you won’t be paid and as well as you won’t be needed to pay, either. Column writing gives you an opportunity to regularly interact with an audience, creating an actual relationship with the respective publication’s readers. That develops a psychology of the audience who then believe you to be experts of your field, thereby creating authenticity and building long-term trust.
  2. Being part of a local business group – Being part of local business groups offer a great opportunity to share ideas with other people having various talents and interests, share and find referrals, find talent, and identify new opportunities as well as, open new vistas of growth for you. They also act as a major propeller in expanding your professional circle around your area. Though there are a lot of general entrepreneur groups, some might also be your area specific groups and they might have regular meet-ups in your area. If seriously worked upon, then these connections tend to increase manifold, and if your group networks actively and seriously, then you can seemingly translate minor connections into significant ones. Though these groups have a presence online but meeting face-to-face still carries a lot of weight and impact, and gives relationships, the much needed personal trust.
  3. E-mail Marketing- E-mail marketing still forms the touchstone of digital marketing and carries immense importance, even though various new channels have been developed. Though, it is but natural, that all the traffic that land son your website won’t convert into direct leads, but by capturing information, i.e. ‘lead nurturing’, you can use the captured data for future use and tap into the valuable target audience database which you have collected over a long time. Email marketing to attract customers, begins with a “lead magnet”. There has to be something so unique and compelling offered on your website, which shall prompt visitors to share their email address. Many ideas are there to accomplish this, for instance, giving access to a free digital download, access to a webinar, free site membership, a discount coupon, etc.

Platforms like Hubspot, offer various tools and services to promote your business and that too at no or minimal cost. These tools help you in efficiently reaching out to your target audience, as well as engage with them.

  The benefits of E-mail based marketing are many, for instance,

  • Massive outreach
  • Low or no cost of operation, in terms of finances involved
  • Offers immediate and direct communication
  • Ease of operation
  • Ease of tracking and running campaigns

 These are just some of the suggestions to get you started on with your online marketing strategies; your success depends on how creatively you are able to mould your campaign and are able to profile your customers. Not all of the strategies mentioned might work for you but even if one does work out for you, then we at Zivanta Analytics shall feel happy to be a virtual part of your success…here’s wishing you all the best!!!

Post Covid- 19 Business Ideas to look forward to!

With the pandemic now setting in for most of us as a part of our lives, it’s time to move on and look forward. USA has always been a land of thinkers and achievers, where innovation and independence are duly encouraged and with the current trends, thanks to the pandemic shifting towards online activities, the user interest resulting in increased online traffic, shall be a natural outcome. With people now working across the globe, from the comfort of their homes, any business based on the online module is expected to sky-rocket, not only they enhance efficiency but also save time, cost, and other resources, therefore, giving the entrepreneur scope to further diversify and generate new ideas, simultaneously.

(P.C. – Unsplash, @nkachanovskyyy)

   Let’s brew some coffee and look up what business ideas are expected to boom, if pursued online:

  1. Setting up E-commerce portals specially for small businesses – With the burgeoning growth of E-commerce in USA, the revenue earned in this sector has been in billions of Dollars, though the picture looks rosy but the ground reality remains that the big whales are targeting the smaller fishes, for instance Amazon is a huge company, which makes it tough for smaller businesses to survive, in the industry; but this isn’t that bad, because it promotes ingenuity and creative ways to survive this competition. Smaller businesses are able to survive and thrive by providing shipping, storing and distribution services. With the smaller companies’ now gaining foothold, it shall be possible for them to manage their online sales by themselves, in an effective manner.
  1. Virtual Doctor Services – An overwhelming population in States is catered by the baby boomer generation and undoubtedly, contributes highly towards the revenue for the healthcare consumer expenditure sector. Therefore, considering the trend in the sector, it shall be a great decision to open a virtual clinic and further your medical practice, where you can provide medical services from the comfort of your homes and offer relief to the patients, virtually itself. This can also be of great help to the senior citizens who can’t access good medical services due to mobility issues, and simultaneously, this shall help you in expanding your services beyond the already set geographical barriers and ultimately resulting in enhanced income for you. For this all you need is, a simple and an easy to navigate website and Zivanta Analytics can help you in designing that, the way you want it to be for your target audience.
  1. Virtual Interior Designing and home uplifting services – Do you have that creative streak jump in you, upon seeing dull and lackluster properties, then providing virtual decoration and interior improvement suggestions, could be your field of action. Though undoubtedly the economy has taken a dip but this business shall never go out of sight. Re-modeling contractors can earn a handsome figure, due to their field being highly specific and in-demand. Home-owners in USA on an average spend $3,000 yearly on home-renovation services, therefore, just start with creating an aesthetically pleasing website and you are good to go.
  1. Online counseling- With the onset of the pandemic, the stress levels of people have gone up, due to the prevalence of uncertainty, be it the fear or stress of job loss or being able to physically survive the pandemic and ensure survival, as usual. The mental health industry is also looking up and there is an enhanced demand for qualified psychologists, therapists, counselors and in case if you aren’t qualified, then you can pursue a course to supplement your practice.

Online counseling can be of various types too, i.e. education and career counseling,   motivational counseling, etc. The field is huge with innumerable opportunities, the decision to pursue one, depends on your area of interest.

  1. Setting up your own online education classes- Due to the disturbance in the schedule because of Covid-19, many things have turned upside down and so has the traditional mode of education. Approximately 1.716 billion learners have been affected due to this 2019-20 pandemic. These numbers go on to show that online tutoring classes are required at this hour of crisis. So, if you are someone from the educational sector or have a vocational talent, which you can share with others, then this is the right time to tap into the booming market.
  1. Creating your own Freelancing platform – With the presence of many freelancing platforms like Fiverr, 99 designs, etc., they help you in connecting with employers based on your skill-set. You too can accordingly build such a freelancer platform, that too with minimum investment. This can prove to be a great idea because due to the pandemic, many professionals have either been laid off or their offers have been rescinded. This has resulted in an upsurge in the freelancing platform and this is the best time to build a suitable platform to capture those talents and guide them to a meaningful job, as well as provide the employers a viable range of prospective employees.
  1. Setting up your own local hyper-delivery platform- The online delivery business has gained momentum post pandemic and undoubtedly people across the world are preferring online shopping. Many of the existing online delivery companies already existing in the market, have made use of this opportunity and are doing good for themselves. But there are just few of the online delivery businesses focusing on the delivery of miscellaneous commodities. This could be your chance and a turning point for starting your own hyper-local delivery business. You could either start by delivering medicines, alcohol, every-day essentials etc and gain strong-hold over the market, as well as diversify at a later stage, once your brand is established and we at Zivanta Anlaytics can help you by providing valuable data insights by tracking your consumer behavior and create your niche in the particular sector.

 It’s true that every one of us is greatly impacted in some or the other way because of this global pandemic. But the key is to stay optimistic and progressive and take those decisions that can help you in overcoming this crisis. These are some of the ideas discussed here, start with any of the above-discussed home business ideas, and you are all set to go.

Business ideas for Start-ups to look forward in 2021

With 2020 being a roller-coaster of sorts, not only has it brought in many challenges but simultaneously has thrown up innumerable opportunities to look forward to. In a way, start-ups have a golden moment to look up to and create a niche’ market for selves. USA as a country has always been looking towards the future and it is imperative to assess the upcoming trends to secure competitive leverage in your field. Business is always about innovation and taking measured risks. With the onset of the digital economy, a plethora of options have been discovered, with many people now wanting to be their ‘Own Bosses’ and have their own independence, so we at Zivanta Analytics are throwing up some ideas for you to start your wagon!!

(P.C. – Unsplash, @mbaumi)

  1. Small Business Cyber-security software – Do you possess a knack for technology? Do you dream of keeping hackers away? Folks, look no further, let’s look up-to creating software to protect online accounts for upcoming and small firms is also a good business to start, more so because they are tight on budget and your economical services can help them achieve their target. Consumers would any day prefer keeping their online accounts safe and secure as they indulge in transactions online. Sectors, where this type of service is most needed, are online banking and retail businesses are some that need such protection.
  2. Digital Assistant Integrations company- HNI’s and busy executives require continuous help to maintain a track of their activities and appointments in order. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools help in enabling digital assistants which are capable of performing such tasks, which can be repetitive or dynamic and at the same time are required to be efficient. Digital assistants operated via voice commands can solve problems for instance searching for a doctor or a restaurant near to your place or switching on A.C in your home before reaching your home. IT developers, who have a knack for creating AI, have an untapped potential in this booming market.
  3. Chat-bot developer- As businesses are growing virtually, so is the demand for maintaining direct communication with their customers, and chatbots have gained immense importance. Be it small or large firms, they need chat-bots to interact with customers, depending on their needs, the chat-bots can be complex or simple in functionality. Chat-bots provide an efficient way to assist companies with their customers when they land on their webpage and surf through their products, services, and also provide feedback.
  4. Exploring Virtual Reality – The scope of VR has expanded beyond measure and now isn’t only limited to Gaming, but has spread its tentacles to various sectors like health, education, tourism, etc. Post-pandemic, the travel industry is offering Virtual tours to exotic locales of the world, all that from the comfort of your homes…how convenient and relaxing!! According to Statistica, this number would rise up-to $40 billion in revenue. So IT professionals, the world is looking up to you.
  5. Social Media Management – Though, undoubtedly a lot of competition still exists, the need for digital marketing and social advertising is never going to subside, as long as brands are there, so will be the need for their promotion. Initially, to begin with it is enough to have technical expertise and sector knowledge, but with the expansion of business, it shall be a prudent idea to have a team of experts, specializing in data analytics, algorithms, marketing, and targeted content creation, etc. to name a few.
  6. Web development – It’s always a good idea to start small, so creating websites for businesses of your friends and family can be a morale booster as well as polish your skills. You can initially offer your services at competitive rates and with time, once your efficiency is enhanced and you have a strong portfolio to build up, you can hike up your rates and offer cutting-edge services. Web development is proving to be a valuable skill to fulfill the needs for a burgeoning demand for launching and upgrading websites; more-so as nearly half of the world is using the internet to access some of the other content online. It is imperative for any developer to have basic coding skills in computer languages like CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and Java.
  7. Virtual Assistant – It’s going to pay you well if you are able to productively channelize your excellent organizational skills. The demand for virtual assistants is on the rise be it by large companies, freelancers, or any other kind of business. This also provides excellent opportunities to network and create a useful professional connection. The best part is that you have the freedom and opportunity to work from anywhere in the world while working on your professional skills.
  8. WordPress Website Consultant- WordPress is the go-to platform for upcoming bloggers and posting formal content over the web, and if you have the requisite skills and expertise over its working then you can earn handsomely. Once you have created your demand, then you can diversify your customer base and earning stream. Once done, not only can you bring relevant traffic to your website, but if you establish yourself as a successful WordPress consultant, who knows you might own your advertising agency soon!!

      These are just of the suggestions to start off with, based on your area of interest; you can diversify into related ancillary fields. The good idea is always to start, start be it small or big, but depending on your area of interest, budget, and market viability….you can be truly successful if you listen to your true calling. So fret not and jump-start your journey.

Reasons why Digital Marketing plans aren’t always successful

Digital Marketing is as easy and simultaneously as tough for the marketer, simple, if the proper strategies have been put into place and tough because it’s always dynamic and needs undivided focus to target your campaigns to yield the desired results. With the economies now opening up and major changes being observed across consumer palettes, it goes without saying that the older decisions and style of approach have to undergo visible changes to stay relevant in the game. So why does it so happen, that even after putting in efforts, money, involving meticulous planning and time, plans go wrong? Let’s see some points which can help you further streamline your efforts and help you achieve the desired results.

Reasons why Digital Marketing plans fail?

  1. Lack of clarity regarding vision and mission of your organization and campaign goals.
  2. Lack of understanding of your competitors or under-estimating them.
  3. Inconclusive core marketing strategy.
  4. Lack of clarity on the product and services offered by you and inability to define marketing persona on that basis.
  5. Unclear understanding on your industry standing and how to operate there, therefore, being unable to position yourself strategically.
  6. Lack of proper tracking of your business goals and digital marketing plans and if there’s no sync maintained between the two on a timely basis, and then it will definitely create huge issues.
  7. Inability to drive traffic to your webpage without converting traffic to leads, or
    getting the wrong traffic, because there’s lack of regarding understanding which keywords are needed to show up in Google.
  8. Not using the correct type of digital campaign and mode of their delivery.
  9. Being impatient with results, because sometimes it takes even more than a year for your efforts to fructify.
  10. Insufficient budget allocation for Digital Marketing.
  11. Poor customer relationship which can result in bad reviews for your business, leading to bad word-of-mouth publicity.

These are just some of the reasons why digital marketing plans fails to yield the desired results, listed below are some ways for you to re-orient your digital marketing strategy if it is floundering:

  1. Attention on Re-marketing/Re-targeting – This is a type of paid advertising which isn’t resulted from a search by someone, but this happens once a person already is aware about your website and the product or services offered. The ad display you see while you are exploring the Internet is an example of remarketing. There is also a subset of this known as dynamic remarketing, wherein the content of the shown digital ad changes as per the change in the content on your website. These types of ads are mostly seen for the Automotive Dealer industry where vehicles are changed on a regular basis.
  2. Streamlining Content-based marketing – Freshly brewed coffee and freshly curated content, both have one thing in common, i.e., they both attract people by re-invigorating their senses, thereby, the importance of attractive content churned out on a regular basis, shall give your business the much-needed boost. Content written for educational purposes and focused on Call to Action (CTA) at the end; can help your business further. Attractive content not only helps your website rank higher for keywords but also gives the readers a peek into your business.
  3. Back-linking/ Off site SEO – This is a highly imperative tactic which can be effectively used for building trust and authority for your website on the various search engines, as these two factors determine how well your website shall rank. A trusted and authoritative website implies a better experience for users who land on it; this is simply because the search engine’s main aim is, that their users have interactive search experiences on their platform.
  4. Social Promotion – Any content which is created and posted by you should be shared across various Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, etc. Considering this, it is best to create informative and educational content, so that it attracts the attention of the users and doesn’t seem preachy at the same time, thus, achieving your goal of high customer engagement.

These are some ways to achieve your desired digital marketing goals and any error or deviation if tracked timely can be nipped in the bud. Digital marketing is very interesting and can deliver wondrous results if properly planned and implemented, and Zivanta Analytics can help small businesses and not-for-profits to grow your business fast and deliver desired results.

Trends in small business to look out for in 2021

‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’

This adage stands true for everyone in every situation and the current times bear a testament to the same, and now that this year is going to end soon, it’s a good idea to amp up your game for 2021. With the Pandemic hitting people, businesses small and large alike and economies in general, those who have are far-sighted and have a better thought of strategy to work upon, shall move ahead in the race, especially when the competition is fierce. By knowing the latest trends in businesses, you not only are aware of your competitor’s next step but are also in a position to grow sales, operate effectively, reduce costs, market on the target, offer diligent customer support and finally build a loyal customer chain.

So let’s look at some of the trends which you shall look out for in the upcoming year

1. E-Commerce boom is here to stay and dominate – As per a report from Statista , global e-commerce shall touch a staggering figure of $5 trillion, within the next four years. Unsurprisingly, many big and small retailers operating from a brick-and-mortar store, are either diverging to operate online as well or have shut their stores and moved totally online. Therefore, it is of prime importance to realize the untapped and diverse importance of social media, apart from traditional importance of marketing, it can also help your business gain more sales, create new customers online and build relationship with them, develop new product lines, ship orders efficiently by maintaining a proper supply chain, etc.

source: https://www.statista.com/chart/14011/e-commerce-share-of-total-retail-sales/

2. The rising power of Voice controlled devices – Who hasn’t heard or doesn’t know about Voice command devices like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home or Siri by Apple? Not only heard, today because of the convenience offered by these devices, they are present in majority of the households across States and are hugely popular. As per a report from Gartner , almost a third of the web searching shall be voice command activated this year. Isn’t it convenient to give voice commands and initiate a meeting while driving or maybe place a food order while picking up groceries late at night?

 This is undoubtedly an opportunity in waiting to be tapped by small businesses, which should have a ‘voice’ presence on their social media channels and website, let’s agree, ‘make hay when the sun shines’, since the field is picking up, it can give you a competitive edge amongst your competitors and Zivanta Marketing’s expert team, can exactly help you do that.

3. Tap into the boundless opportunities of remote working ­­- With the strike of the pandemic, many countries went into lockdown, thus forcing employers across the sectors to enable working processes from the perspective of the employees; spotlight was again on the topic of giving access to employees to work from home and it turned out to be successful. As a small business or organization, where you are looking to save up costs, cutting expenses on a landed property and other miscellaneous services like electricity, internet, maintenance, etc. can save major overhead expenses for you. Remote working, shall not only give your employees the freedom to work as per their convenience but also be more productive; nowadays having virtual meetings, internal apps, creating virtual check-lists etc. can be more impactful and give you the desired results in less cost, but it’s always a good idea to know before-hand the expected challenges, resultant benefits, and solutions of remote working.

4. Spotlight on Consumer reviews- The importance of relying on user reviews prior to making a purchase decision, be it a fridge or a mattress has gained tremendous importance these days, factors like cost, after-sales support etc. do play a major part but so do positive reviews which motivate the buyer and gives them an inner sense of confidence before spending their hard-earned money on a product or service. Having a collective positive audience voice on the net empowers the decision making rationale of the future buyer, i.e. if there’s a product even from a reputed company which has bad or no reviews won’t inspire much confidence but the same product having plenty of positive reviews can make the buyer sure of their decision and has more appeal to the people, at large. Since small businesses or not-for-profits don’t usually have deep financial grounding, therefore, when the actual users or audience become your brand ambassadors online, your business gains authenticity and trust, hence bringing in, the desired leads for you.

5. Growing importance of Gig economy- According to Gallup, around 36% of the workers in USA are in the gig economy, hence showing an upward trend in the rise of remote workers. This is so, because apart from earning better, it gives a sense of ownership to a person and enjoying flexibility at the same time.

As a small business, it can work perfectly for you where you won’t have to spend time and financial resources on hiring permanent employees, rather work out a convenient schedule for yourself and the gig employee to work temporarily, where they can work remotely instead of, at a permanent office.

These are some of the suggestions which can help you stay ahead in the race, as it is still sometime for 2020 to get over, thus, enabling you to use this period in the meantime to effectively strategize and build a knock-out plan.

Digital Marketing strategies for Credit counseling agencies

With the evolution of technology happening at a breakneck speed, financial institutions have to adapt and bring selves at par with the changes, to use gathered data and advanced analytics to gain substantial advantage via personalized communication and enhanced customer experience.

Changes are though visible in all the fields but are more pronounced in the field of marketing, there is a vast array of new  technologies  and strategies available, for which banks, credit counseling agencies and credit unions must  not only be agile but also open to willingly accept the change. Creating and establishing an efficient marketing communications strategy— as per client’s perspective — enables growth, loyalty and profitability. Diving straight into the marketing process without proper planning and not taking advantage of the available tools of technology available is a sure-shot failed project, from the start.

Some trends to look forward for the credit counseling agencies-

  1. AI and Machine Learning (ML) – The importance of AI based tools can’t be emphasized more for financial institutions. As they maneuver beyond its use in detecting risk, fraud and compliance, AI and ML have taken centre-stage and are becoming mainstream technologies, thus the fact that marketers must understand their benefits and uses, is undeniable. It is imperative for every financial marketing organization to have a well thought of AI strategy in 2021. Use of keywords and search histories to configure consumer intent, is in the past now. With the availability of AI based tools and techniques and machine learning, credit counseling agencies and credit unions can identify the consumer’s intention automatically, thereby effective use of sources such as social media, online account transactions and related behaviors can self-determine the match and the resultant intent to offerings.

(P.C. – Unsplash, @photoshobby)

2. Chat-bots – The use of this technology has already gained stronghold as a key component of various online portals, whether they be of customer care or marketing or banking, etc. With the current trend witnessing a surge in the usage of this application, the use of chat-bots is only going up north. The initial purpose of chat-bots were that to replace human customer service representatives who were managing predictable inquiries, routine tasks or frequently asked questions, in a bid to save extra financial costs, chat-bots were launched and hence their efficacy has improved the fortunes of many. The best part about Chat-bots is the convenience offered, i.e. they can be integrated with a website, an application, or even with a social media platform. The information gathered and stored, can later be used to better customize financial marketing strategies. As more and more credit counseling agencies and credit unions have gained ease for using chat-bots, more has been the increase in the use of chat-bots for sending personalized advisory mails as well as, enhanced and productive engagements with customers and members, has been observed. We at Zivanta Analytics can assist you with this technology to help you gain the exact traction you are seeking.

3. Mobile Marketing- With such a large population now having access to mobiles and prefer performing search inquiries and accessing their financial accounts via their mobile devices, it is high time now that credit counseling agencies and credit unions urgently re-work their marketing strategies focusing on mobile, and not only now keeping it limited to providing account information, but also designing it in a way to inform, engage and advise customers who are on-the-go. This doesn’t halt at ensuring that your site has been designed and created with mobile users in mind from a design perspective, but also seriously focus and emphasize on the content provided. It is of prime importance to work as per the intent of the consumers who in all likelihood are going to search your website on a mobile, and, those as well who shall engage in a transaction on digital devices. Therefore, it is for the agencies and banks to ensure that it is convenient for their client to access the information that may be needed and to productively engage with them using on-time insights generated via analytics.

4. Geo-location Targeting – Geo-location is a part of latest technology offering that can help with the use of devices to help in knowing the location of a customer or a future client. The location of the mobile device can be tracked and monitored via Bluetooth, Internet, IP address and/or GPS.

With the help of this financial institutions can target specific messages created for a those users who lie within a particular geographic region simultaneously, at the same time. With the help of geo-location, credit counseling agencies or credit unions can keep a track on consumer behavior on the basis of information available as per their last location’s, this can be further enhanced with the use of data analytics tools. This information generated and stored over time, can assist financial institutions in predicting the locations/areas frequented by the users and thereby, tailor personalized offers with the help of that information.

5. Interactive website design and content – Consumers are always looking for beauty and comfort, leading to an easy consumer experience, therefore establishing a healthy company-client experience in the initial step itself. Therefore, the website should not only be pleasing to the visual senses, offer ease of usage but also be knowledgeable at the same time and that can be possible only if there’s engaging and relevant content to capture the interest of the users.

(P.C. -N26s polished Google-style website)

The financial market is under lot of stress and generating adequate ROI as well as maintaining and enhancing their customer base is of prime importance. Therefore, enhanced use of technological tools and data analytics will prove to be a game-changer and the key to go forward.

Non-Profits….Here’s How You Can Rise up with the Help of Digital Marketing!!

Social media is an immensely powerful tool, which can help social organizations to achieve their target goal and effectively carry out their operations, be it for human or animal welfare or helping the environment, the list is endless; but one thing which immediately strikes the mind of the people is lack of funds, which stands true in a lot of cases across the board.

Since charities and not-for-profits mostly work on a limited budget, it is a challenge that can’t be over-looked and with the ever-growing expenses, performing a multitude of activities becomes a task in itself. Digital Marketing encompasses a lot of different activities be it brand recognition, engaging consumers actively, running membership campaigns, etc. Therefore, it becomes easier for the bigger charities but the real deal happens with the smaller and medium organizations, and here is where Zivanta Marketing can help you set your goals and achieve your target.

A highly feasible option can be maintaining an active and an interactive social media page, across various channels and tap the audience there as well as create a user-friendly interaction and at the same time ensuring that the message for which your charity stands for is being dispersed to the audience at large and ensuring their participation, at the same time.

Ways to promote your message

1. Use of channels like Instagram, Twitter, FaceBook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc. – These are varied platforms and offer interaction with audiences in a different way and each channel has their own set of unique users and thus, maintaining an open communication line across different channels, shall bring in people from different walks of life, enlarge your consumer base and most importantly, if the message given is effectively spread out and is felt as genuine, then people themselves shall spread a word about your activities, thus, in the process, making your organization trustworthy and reliable

2. Relevant O.G. tags, meta-tags and use of hash-tags – While creating any social media post, it is important to use relevant hash-tags(#) to easily track, segregate and categorize your content. If your Keyword is preceded by a hash=tag then it lets the user easily search for your content within a particular category, if it falls under their area of interest. In the same manner, pre-fixing relevant meta and o.g. tags for the articles and media galleries on your webpage but not using the hash-tag symbol, can result in letting the user track your content and land up on the desired content. So, basically tags help in organizing same type of posts under a common heading and once the mouse has been clicked upon, it shall divert visitors to the archives page.

(P.C. – Unsplash, @jontyson)

3. Interactive e-mail marketing – Though, people when often are bombarded with a slew of irrelevant mails, they either delete or ignore them, until and unless, they aren’t something of significance to them or unusually stand out apart from the rest. But, it shouldn’t be forgotten that e-mail marketing campaigns are a very strong medium to convey your message to the people, at large. Adding a visually appealing subscription link to your website or social media page and once when the user reaches there, then collecting their e-mail ids to keep them abreast with the latest happenings of your organization, latest initiatives, articles, membership drives, etc. can prove to be a game-changer.

(P.C. – Unsplash, @hostreviews)

4. Use of back-links and influencers – Use and presence of back-links on any website can’t be emphasized more, i.e. in order to build your authority and reach online. Effective use of sharing icon across social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) will definitely help a lot, but the key to seeing optimum results is being pro-active.When your page is linked to other sites, it’s you who is benefitted the most, i.e. your website’s reliability as a source of go-to information is improved. Google shall give higher credit to a website that has a maximum number of back-links, thereby making it more relevant.

Reaching out to relevant influencers and celebrities, who feel about your cause, undoubtedly can help in generating buzz around your activities and give you the much needed leverage, for instance Brad Pitt supporting Donate Life America.

(P.C.- Unsplash, @diggitymarketing)

5.Video Campaign Optimization – Since videos are a constant on your website, they can be used in direct digital marketing initiatives, for instance, using videos in your mail campaigns can instantly double or even triple your click-through-rates and immensely boost your landing page conversion results.

 Videos give a golden chance to the creator to make such videos which can inspire emotions in the hearts of the viewers with the help of strong images and music, this not only helps in creating an impact, building genuine trust but also enable people to make donations for the said cause.

There are immense ways in digital marketing to chart out a customized strategy for you to attain your goals but with proper planning and a well laid out strategy in place, not only can you make your voice heard out and stand apart from the competition but also have a positive ROI to boost your earnings and our experts at Zivanta Marketing can be your partner in this exciting journey ahead.

Why you should care about Digital Marketing

“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” –Simon Sinek

This quote couldn’t have been truer, for any marketer and their targeted audience, it is imperative to sell not only their products or services but the story behind it, because ultimately, that’s what convinces the customer to be genuinely attached to your offering and most importantly, build faith over it. So, where does digital marketing come in? Digital marketing is a tool whose importance can’t be undermined for any business or profession, per se. Therefore, those who are successful have a well thought of and a well strategized plan behind their digital marketing initiatives, those initiatives are designed in such a way which tug at the hearts of the audience, thus, not only an invocating feeling of trust but also building a bridge for genuine connectivity, and we at Zivanta Marketing can precisely help you do that.

Maintaining competitive market relevance, reputation, relevance, and positive customer engagement will determine the sustainability of your business ultimately which links back to great marketing.

(P.C- Unsplash, @clarktibbs)

How does Digital Marketing help you?

  1. Helps in consumer gaining insights about your business – Avoiding guess-work is imperative to create the right set of metrics; therefore, testing a different sets of messages before hitting the targeted baseline message for your audience is the key. For every marketer, it is important to understand the needs of their target audience and create the right content to convey the message for what the business stands.
  2. Targeted digital marketing helps the business stay relevant – Sometimes businesses take everything to be fine when there is no complaint or any issue raised by the consumer but is that sufficient? Sadly, the truth is no, the most important thing to look out for is determining whether you are on the top of your consumer’s preference. Thus, it is very important to tap on the potential of staying relevant in your clients mind and this can only happen if the relationship is personal and carries meaning for the consumer. But, one thing should be kept in mind and i.e. that before rapidly acquiring new customers, due respect and importance should be given to the existing ones, not only does this help in maintaining brand loyalty but also makes the existing users feel privileged and important.
  3. It opens up avenues for revenue and boosts sales – For small businesses, start-ups, not-for-profits, earnings and savings form a major part of their sustenance. Since, in the early days the afore-mentioned types have a limited cash chest to splurge upon, that’s where proper and directed marketing plans can help you penetrate the new markets. Once, your presence is established, therefore, it shall result in generation of more cash and thus opening of more opportunities for you. This shall also enable you to have the freedom of letting go of those customers who don’t further your sustenance rather creates unwarranted burden. If proper marketing isn’t done, then you shall have to tap those limited market opportunities and work with limited clients, even if they aren’t of your liking.

In terms of sales, if the proper targeted channel has been effectively utilized and features on the priority of your audience, voila, your work is done. Hence, following a genuine yet an innovative line of thinking, shall trigger the decision of purchasing your offered product or service and if they like it, then they shall become the best investment, because they act as unspoken brand ambassadors for your business and help in generating a positive aura around your work.

  1. Maintaining an effective and an engaging channel with your audience- To stay relevant in the game is of prime importance and that can happen only if there is dynamic and vibrant engagement with the customers and targeted marketing helps you achieve that. Therefore, sharing news-worthy, fresh and relevant content is where the magic happens and most importantly being appreciative of your clients time makes them feel important. Therefore, conveying your message in a short yet engaging and crisp manner definitely rules the roost.

An undoubtedly, effective tool for you in this battle should be those various platforms of Social media, which can help in spreading your message to the people, across the globe and help them engage effectively with your organization. We at Zivanta Marketing can help you in creating and maintaining your social media channels and create useful and engaging content for your targeted audience, to help you generate the right kind of publicity.

(P.C- Unsplash, @merakist)

 

  1. Digital Marketing metrics help the management to make informed decisions – A proper and a detailed study of trends and their subsequent data analytics shall help the management of any company to formulate future course of action, maintain budget and undertake corrective measures, if required. Why is this data of importance, this is so because, it helps maintain a link between the business and the society, so that they are able to generate and receive the directed message, respectively. At Zivanta Marketing, we have a dedicated team of experts who can help you in analyzing the complex data for you and help you in charting out the areas for your future growth and undertake corrective actions, on a timely basis.

(P.C. – Unsplash, @campaign_creators)

 In this highly competitive world of marketing, where competitors engage in aggressive marketing to stay on top of the game, proves the efficacy and efficiency of a well designed digital marketing plan. The importance of the same can’t be denied for any business of any sector, but attracting your customers after a good research and maintaining a positive aura around your campaign can result in wonders for you; but having said that, innovation is the name of the game and hence, continuous new ways to generate attraction and engaging your customers will not only boost your image but also make you stay ahead in the race.

Consumer Behavior & Marketing Practices after the Pandemic

Everything which was a given or was constant pre- COVID 19 has turned topsy turvy, the routine which was a given earlier is now rapidly changing, therefore, people are changing their priorities and way of living. Marketing is one field which is highly dynamic and there shall be possible permanent alterations that have to be incorporated to keep up with the changing times.

Need of the hour- Focus on the basics

 To say the table of needs has inverted won’t be wrong, as the basic needs and necessities have gained prominence and luxury goods and services have taken a hit, which is true for obvious reasons, as people are losing jobs and source of livelihood, managing finances prudently is the need of the hour and even if not that, then since people are mostly spending most of their time indoors, hence spending on items apart from necessity, don’t create much value. This is where businesses dealing in essential services, goods and commodities or selling medicines or safety goods are in a good position to overcome this pandemic and shall stay afloat even after COVID-19 gets over. Unfortunately, the news isn’t that great for tourism sector, entertainment or the beauty industry, per se and a lot of strategic re-working has to be undertaken.

For instance brands like Sephora, L’Oreal, Bobbi Brown, etc. are offering customers’ virtual make-up application try-ons, this has ushered in a wave of tech-based virtual customer acquisition and interaction, thus, where companies may not need the conventional brick- and – mortar stores but can carry on business virtually. Therefore, the immense importance of a strong virtual presence and an interactive website can’t be undermined and Zivanta Marketing can help you in achieving that advantageous spot for you.

Changes in Consumer pattern- Areas to focus on      

1. The Three ‘E’s – E-commerce, Education and Entertainment E-commerce activities have jumped to a new high during the pandemic and this trend has been noted worldwide, be it for delivery of essentials, grocery, medicines or anything under the roof. People prefer shopping online, whilst sitting at home and avoiding contact with others due to safety concerns and this trend shall definitely continue, more-so, small online players too have picked up the pace and have created their own niche during this time, thereby not only building loyal customers but also building a reputation for selves.

Education – With children staying at home and studying online, so are the college going youth, therefore a lot of online education portals have taken up this space to encourage people to effectively enhance their skill-set. Latest, jumping on the bandwagon are the working and experienced professionals, who have enrolled themselves in these online courses to not only brush up their skills but also keep themselves abreast with the latest developments and progress professionally, for instance platforms like Udemy, Domestika are offering professional, short-term courses at cheaper rates to attract people and have considerably captured a huge market.

(P.C. – Unsplash, @thomascpark)

2. Focus on no-touch product and service deliveryWith still major parts of our activity being digital-based, there is still an overwhelming need felt for human-based interactions in some crucial sectors like retail, thus, there arises the need for low and no-touch delivery. From QR code reading to text messages, outside post pickup and delivery, organizations are changing service standards and operations to meet the new safety standards and expectations around adapting to consumer and employee health and safety practices.

Although with these changes being introduced, retailers shall continue to find new ways to display products and services in a safe environment, thus, they should actively leverage tools which can work with the help of augmented reality, virtual reality and building sapid websites that facilitate online orders and/or other e-commerce features.

3.Tapping changes in eating habits – With the pandemic unleashing its wrath on the immunity of the people, there was an unprecedented spurt observed in the focus of the people changing towards health and immunity-boosting foods and avoiding outside food, rather focusing on home-cooked food. In the post-pandemic order, once people start their hectic routine life, they shall still look for healthier options but those too shall be quick and easy, hence, opening avenues for small businesses who are dealing with organic packed food, healthy dietary supplements, home-based pre-cooked meals, DIY kitchen kits, etc. Therefore, there is a huge opportunity for small businesses and upcoming entrepreneurs to tap this market which has a booming potential, and build their own digital space, to not only expand their customer base but also create an interactive digital platform to support the growth of their future business expansion and Zivanta Marketing can help you do just that, by creating and launching a professional and an interactive website for your business, which customers shall love to interact with.

(P.C.- Unsplash, @kimzy)

4. Focus on mental and physical fitness- With the fear and uncertainty of the pandemic affecting even the strongest of the minds, due to lack of clarity and an unaccounted for upheaval, people have turned to online meditation and yoga classes for gaining mental peace, building mental resilience and also building a healthy physique. With sitting and working from home and, leading to a sedentary lifestyle, people have joined online gym classes to continue with a healthy lifestyle and at the same time avoiding contact with others. Therefore, tools like VR/ AR and effective use of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram etc. have helped generate buzz around these services and have enabled in creating a holistic environment wherein the beneficiaries are able to use all these services within the comfort of their homes, but most importantly have opened a plethora of opportunities for small gym-owners, health centers to build their name and reputation in the highly competitive market.

(P.C. – Unsplash, @jareddrice)

With every challenge comes an untapped opportunity, it is up-to the organization and marketers to decide, how they wish to go ahead. Nowadays, money is being invested more on digital media platforms; therefore, it shall be prudent to create a good digital media mix of mobile phone, social media and videos, by keeping in mind the reaction of your targeted audience. Focus these days, is more on personalization, a clear point of communication has to be established with the customers and most importantly, those organization/brands which focus more on the social good, definitely have an advantage as that helps builds positivity amongst people to weather these tough and negative times. Consumer patterns have changed, and that change is irrevocable, it is now for the companies to decide how to invest their money and reap a good ROI, even in these challenging times.