1990's Marketing

If you grew up hoping the radio DJ wouldn't talk over your favourite song (because you were recording it!) then this one is for you!

In this episode, Victoria takes us back to the tape deck days of the 80s and 90s, when we picked holidays from catalogues, waited hours to hit ‘record’ on the perfect song, and hoped our disposable camera photos weren’t all blurry. It was a simpler time… but one where we just had to hope for the best.

Today, however? It’s a different game. And your customers expect a lot more.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• What’s changed in buyer behaviour, and why “waiting and hoping” is no longer an option
• Why speedy response times, personalised messaging and real-time proof are now the basics
• How snackable content and human-led brand storytelling win attention in a noisy digital world
• The truth about AI in marketing, and why “brains before and after bots” is non-negotiable
• The one question every business owner should ask: Are you adapting to changing expectations… or stuck in 1990s marketing?

If you’re still sending blanket emails, using stock photos or relying on luck... it’s time to modernise and make your marketing match how we really buy now.

Tune in to find out what’s changed, what matters most, and how to stay one step ahead in the fast-moving digital world.

Grab free templates, checklists and guides at allstarmarketingclub.com/resources - everything you need to market smarter, not harder.

About Victoria: Marketing Coach & Trainer Victoria Vickery serves up marketing advice with fewer buzzwords, more belly laughs, and stories you’ll never un-hear... because memorable marketing starts with memorable lessons.

For More Tales, Tips & Tangents: @victoriav1ckery

Transcript

In the 80s and 90s, we did not know any better or any different. We would pick our holidays from a travel magazine and turn up there and hope for the best. With nothing else to go on. We would record songs from the radio and hope that the DJ didn't talk right over the end bit. You wanted to get the full song in there. There were so many different things that happened in the 80s and 90s and it's moved on so such a long way now. And the same is true of marketing and within businesses. We need to know what these changes are, otherwise we're not able to get the best from the opportunities that are around us. Welcome to what's that Got to Do With Marketing? Where we start with a story you did not see coming. It might be fun, could be funny, or even a little bit frantic, but in the end it will all make sense, leaving you with a takeaway, a to do or a transformational way forward. And I'm your host, Victoria and you my friend, are here for unlikely lessons and unforgettable marketing advice. Just for small B2B expert led business owners. Let's get into it. Today's episode is called 1990s Marketing. Now, I was a girl that grew up in the 90s, the 80s and 90s and things were a lot different then. Lots and lots has changed in the world since the days when I was a young girl. For example, we booked our holidays by going to the travel agents, getting the brochures, looking through and picking somewhere by just looking at one or two photos and a very, very short description of what that place was like. We used to do things like record radio stations and try and wait and wait and wait till our favorite song played to capture that song by pressing record on our cassette tape recorders. And as a result of that, you would just then hope that the DJ did not talk over the end and ruin the very end of your favorite song. We made arrangements with our friends to meet up on our landlines and we would just have to go meet that friend at the time we said and hope they turned up. And if they were late, you had no way of knowing whether or not they were actually going to show. We rented videos from Blockbusters. You would actually go to a store, choose a video, take it home with you, watch the film and you had to have it back by a certain date. And if you didn't, you were fined, you didn't have a choice, so you'd have to pay twice for your video. We did all sorts of funny things, you know, for Example, we used to take a disposable camera out with us when we went out for nights out, because no mobile phones to just, you know, snap a picture and if it was any no good, you delete it. You would have to take that disposable camera out, get it developed, and you had to wait until those pictures came back from wherever you got it developed from. For example, your local supermarket or a boots pharmacy or boot store or something like that. And we only bought what was in the shops. That was it, that was our choice. You'd have to go to the local town center, choose whatever clothes you wanted to buy or whatever it is you wanted to buy and buy it there and then. Or if you, you were lucky enough, your nan had a Freeman's catalog and perhaps she would let you buy something from the Freeman's catalog, which you would have to pay back about 2 pounds 50 per week for whatever item of clothing it was. So things were a lot different back in my day. But you know what, that's not how it is now, is it? People expect a lot more and as a business, you have got to deliver it. So that's what today's episode is all about. It's about how things have developed and what we actually have to think about in this day and age. When it comes to our marketing, for example, instant bookings and purchasing happens now on websites, doesn't it? Even in apps. Tick Tock Shop, Anyone, anyone like to buy from there? It's all about, you know, being able to look at reviews, looking at prices, being able to compare. That's just one example of how the world has changed around us compared to what I told you about, of buying things just in, in the shop. Now, these days, instead of just going out there and looking at what's on offer, we want to see the walkthroughs, the demos online, we want to see the Q&As. We want to see the ratings of products and services, real time information about the products and services that we actually want to buy. We want to be able to communicate with these brands these days in things like WhatsApp. And we want to be able to, you know, look at different locations of things and where we can get information from, where we can buy our products and services from. Real time communications, we stream now, don't we? So rather than going off to Blockbusters, we're streaming stuff all the time, whether that's stuff to do with our business or indeed our personal life. For example, using Netflix, using Prime sky, it's instant gratification we want everything here now at our fingertips and even to the point where in many of these channels we now don't want to see adverts. So we will do and pay more to have ad free streaming. We want full control over the entire customer experience. Other things. So thinking about, I told you about the disposable cameras and taking them out with you when you want to get to capture your night out these days it's smartphone, isn't it? Smartphone, photos, instant editing, instant uploading, editing and sharing in real time. And of course online shopping is now 24,7 with next day delivery, livestock updates, get what you want, when you want it, build your wish lists and all sorts of things. So it's changed a fair amount and I think it's changing now more than ever, especially with the introduction of AI, which we'll talk about in a little while. So thinking about the world of marketing and your business, how do these things all tie together? Well, as I say, things are changing ever so rapidly and it is impacting every business that is out there. You don't have a choice. You can't stick with the the same thing that you're always doing. You've got to move. Because even in the last few years, digital marketing has dramatically changed. And I would say that's literally in the last year even it's changed even more. And that's largely down to, like I say, the likes of AI, but also customer behavior changes as well. The way we consume information, the way technology has moved along, we just move with it and our expectations become even greater. So I want to go through with you in this episode some of the expectations for digital marketing in these current times because you can take so many key steps in the right direction to help your customers and to do better by your brand by embracing what's out there and supporting your customers in their customer experience. So let's walk through some of the different things that you need to consider as a business right now when it comes to digital marketing. And this is just scratching the surface, but if you can start thinking about some of these things, it will stand you in good stead to think about the next level of change to expect. So first of all, let's talk about speedy response times, I think it goes without saying. And think about your own purchasing habits. People want answers now. People need things right now. So when you think about how you're working with a prospect and how you're working with people that are moving towards your business, are you able to give them the instant replies that they actually need if they were to phone up, how easy it is it for them to be able to speak to someone? If they go onto your website, how easy is it for them to get the right information that they need? If they go onto your social media channels, can they actually speak to someone there? And then we have to open ourselves up to our audience and make sure that if they want something from us, we're there for them. The expectations are much higher. So this brings into play things like chatbots, autoresponders and WhatsApp for these immediate replies. So if that's not something that you're looking at right now, it's definitely something to consider. I would advise you to go and have a little look at all of the marketing channels you're using and how could you start to give that immediacy to your customers? Think about the steps that you can take so that when they are looking for a reply, you are there and you're ready to deliver it to them. Secondly, personalization is absolutely massive. No longer do we want to be treated just like one of many. We want our experiences with brands to be absolutely bespoke to us. And for that reason, things like sending out blanket emails to everybody in your list, those days are gone. Included in that, I would say, is thinking about your marketing campaigns. So no longer is it really appropriate for you to try and sell this one thing to all of the people. You've got to be much more considered in the way you talk to your audience and really kind of resonate with what they want, how they want it, and how they go about their, their day and what they think about their pain points and requirements in relation to your product or service. And we have to think about exactly what's going on in their mind. So when you're talking to them through your email market, through your social media, whatever channels you're using, you're getting them to nod along going, yeah, that's me. This person really understands me. This business really gets me. They, they really understand everything that I'm going through and what I need. So personalization is really critical. So no longer kind of chucking content out there that hits everyone and means nothing. Breaking it down is much, much more fruitful for you as a brand and it just plays into those specific types of niches much better and you will get better results from it. So thinking about behavior triggered sequences is really good and tailoring your journey to that specific type of person that you want to do business with. So can you start thinking about how you can talk to different segments of your email database in different ways, or talk to different segments of of your social media followers in different ways, turn up at different events, whether they're online or offline, and give the right type of messaging for the type of person you're trying to attract. So personalization is absolutely critical. So it's worth you thinking about the different types of customer you want to attract. Think about where they're showing up and how you go where they are in a more personalized manner. The third thing is about snackable content. So whether that's in the form of social media, email marketing, YouTube videos, if you're turning up and doing keynote speeches, anything like that. Snackable content is something that people expect these days. Attention spans are probably at their lowest. So when you are creating content, it's worth thinking about how you can put something out there that is very meaningful, very valuable and is going to help somebody to make a decision or take an action that will not only help them, but point them in the right direction of seeing you as a really valuable person in their life. So think about quick tips, quick Q&As, carousels, reels. Think about LinkedIn posts that get to the point. So it's really important when you're doing snackable content, you really think about the hook, what is going to bring someone in. So hook first, reel them in and from that, give them that core information to really help them. But if you can't make snackable content, it's going to make things really difficult for you because people won't turn up and listen to, you know, minutes and minutes and minutes of content. So quite important there that you think about your way of doing that. So design some snacks and get them out there. Number four is clarity over cleverness. How many times have you seen adverts or pieces of content out there where you think, well, what does that even really mean? Clarity is king when it comes to marketing at the moment. These well thought through marketing campaigns that try to be a bit too clever, they often miss the mark. Now people want to be able to absorb information, understand what it means straight away and take action. So it's definitely about clarity over cleverness right now. So are you trying to be a little bit too clever with your marketing? Instead come back to clear, plain messages that are very much outcomes focused, that don't make people think. Because as humans we try to conserve energy and when we've got to think too much, it stops us from taking action. In fact, it stops us from even bothering to read any further. So clarity over cleverness is a move that I would suggest that you make. And number five is all about proof over promise. So instead of telling people, this is what we're able to do, this is why we're gray. We've got this accolade, that accolade and the other accolade. So start showing evidence much more because this is the tipping point. This is what people see. They start to understand who you are, what you're about and they can clearly see that you know your stuff. So think about showing screenshots of results that your customers have sent in. Show testimonials, show before and afters. All of that content is really important if you are going to actually prove your worth. Because something saying it is not enough, you've got to prove it. The next one I want to talk to you about is multi format visibility. So in essence, being in one place is just not enough. You've got to be showing up in all of the right places all of the time. You want people to be saying, oh, I keep seeing you everywhere. That's what we like to hear, show up in the right places. Of course, don't just choose anywhere. You need to show up where your customers are going to be, but get that mix out there, be in the right places and get the videos out there, the written content, the audios, the visuals, get a really good mix of activity going because that will really help you to raise your visibility in a digital format. And number seven, for me, this is about real people, not about stock stuff. Because we see a lot, don't we, of these stock imagery out there or little stock videos. And that doesn't show any business in their best light. People want to do business with people, not with brands that have got this big shiny exterior. So for me in digital marketing right now, it's about being authentic. It's about showing the behind the scenes stuff, thinking about, you know, showcasing what you're all about, showcasing your team members, showcasing what you're up to. Because if you are just relying on the stock stuff, it doesn't allow people to create relationships with you. And for me, that's what it's all about. People want to build relationships, they want to to know you, they want to do business with people they actually, you know, like. So let's make that possible. Let's get them to be able to build a relationship with you rather than with glossy pictures that you've chosen from whatever free picture site that you've used. Okay? And finally, my biggest point here is also being intentional and not random. So rather than thinking I should be getting some content out there or I should be getting my digital marketing done and throwing anything out the door. Let's be more intentional, intentional about that. Let's plan it out and have that level of consistency there. Because showing up regularly with the right information is going to do you way more favors than just chucking anything out there because you feel like you have to do just doesn't work. And I guess I'm gonna have to leave you with the biggest one for me. And it's quite controversial, but I'm gonna say it. AI. AI produce content is not good enough. Stop it. Let me say that again. AI content is not good enough. Stop it. There is a level of AI content that you can use, but let me tell you, it's. It's only good enough if you have sandwiched it with human. Okay, so we want human at the front, human at the end, and the AI bit comes in the middle. So if you are doing things like producing content, throwing it out there, and not actually thinking too much about the content, you will lose. So what I want you to have a little think about is what are your big ideas? What are the things that make you you? What are the things that your customers truly believe in when it comes to your business? What are you absolutely fantastic at? What results have you got? So think about all of that goodness that builds your brand? What's the essence of your brand? What do you really stand for? Take all of that fantastic content and then if you want to use AI to help you generate some content around that. Okay, so we're actually using our own brains to think about our big ideas, to think about what we're all about, to think about what we want to bring to our customers, to think about who our customers are and what they need from us. Then use AI to support you in creating that content. But once it's done its job, it's back to you. It's back to you to edit. It's back to you to make sure it still carries your brand voice within it, your own self. So you've got to make sure you've got brains before bots and brains after bots. Unless you do that, you just will not build up your brand as you want to. People see straight through AI these days, there's so many telltale signs. So I want you to think twice before just getting something done. In AI, it helps you. I've said it before, AI is the rocket fuel to help your business absolutely fly forward at a much faster pace. But you cannot do it without you and your brain at its side. Because otherwise you are going to lose the soul. The soul of your business will be lost. Okay? So I'm going to leave you with that thought. Brains before and brains after. Any AI Content that you have. And if you would like to get hold of my AI Guide, you are more than welcome to have a copy of that. Do head over to all StarMarketingClub.com forward/resources and we'll see you soon.