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What Is Marketing 4.0 & How to Use It to Reach the Consumer 4.0?
Marked by the agility and influence of technology, Marketing 4.0 requires the adaptation of companies and strategies to meet Consumer 4.0.
But, before we get into Marketing 4.0, let’s talk about and understand its predecessors. Understanding the previous stages and marketing development is the best way to introduce the new concept.
What Is Marketing 4.0?
The evolution of marketing
Marketing 1.0
The main characteristic of this type of marketing is the lack of a target audience. Companies made their products and advertised them to anyone who wanted to buy them. There was no personalization, and the competition between brands was much lower.
Marketing 2.0
Here, the competitiveness between companies starts to grow, and new options appear for consumers, giving them more power of choice. Because of that, companies began to customize the promotion of their products for a more specific audience. In short, companies decided to invest in more targeted advertisements that made the audience relate to them.
Marketing 3.0
This is one of the most recent types; it is more connected to individual consumers. Here, brands understood that people look alike and have similar tastes, but everyone is unique. Since then, advertisements have shown they don’t only want to sell products but want to understand and support individuality. Brands started to engage in social causes and movements to show that they were also fighting side-by-side with their consumers.
Now that we have summarized the previous types of marketing, let’s move on to the Marketing 4.0 revolution, but remember that the “previous” types continue to be used by many companies with good results.
Our industry has changed drastically since the Mad Man days. Marketing 4.0 is the next generation of marketing. Let's talk about it.
What is Marketing 4.0?
According to Philip Kotler, one of the most important and respected names on the subject, Marketing 4.0 can be considered a revolution in the area. It is the integration of digital marketing with traditional marketing. It seeks to unite the best of both worlds.
Kotler also says, marketing, as people know it, will continue to exist, but digital will keep gaining more and more strength, becoming the main reason for brands’ results. This is due to the growth and power of the internet and social networks. Both have the ability to influence individuals.
Marketing 3.0 was born with blogs, social networks, and websites, and focused on consumer experience and brand identification. With the arrival of Marketing 4.0, everything previously worked on expanded. The difference is the increase in information and access to networks grows every day, and the biggest challenge of the new marketing is to balance the traditional with the modern.
After all, along with Marketing 4.0, comes Consumer 4.0. It is, therefore, necessary to integrate the human being with technology to find the perfect balance between the two. This is crucial because even though the marketing trends change quickly, it is still done by people and for people. Data is increasingly present in the strategies created, and assertiveness tends to increase. Artificial intelligence and robots are more present in everyday actions, too.
Source: Zapier
What is Consumer 4.0?
Just as Marketing 4.0 directly links to digital media, so does Consumer 4.0. Most of them went through technological changes and transformations. This is perfectly understandable as technology has advanced a lot in recent years.
This consumer knows Marketing 1.0 and 3.0 until he reached the 4.0 stage. In this way, he is the result of these advances and changes, so he knows what he wants, what he likes, and what he won’t accept.
Consumer 4.0 knows what they want and where they want to go, knowing very well the technological innovations, as they have the information in the palm of their hand. Therefore, it has a more demanding and knowledgeable profile.
As Consumer 4.0 was born within the Marketing 3.0 and 4.0 revolution, he is prepared to negotiate, contest, and change his decision when he needs to.
The 4.0 Consumer wants more than a product or service, they want to feel involved in the purchase journey experience.
The individual wants to see themself with the brand, see their personality and the things that make their product different. Above all, he wants practicality.
Nothing pushes a Consumer 4.0 away more than the bureaucracy for knowledge, negotiation, or being served by a brand.
Characteristics of the Consumer 4.0
Consumers with this profile are screen-centric and multi-channel; they want to solve their problems through social networks or in the most agile way possible. Everything is instant!
Now, get to know the main features of Consumer 4.0:
- Well-informed and decisive;
- Connected to social networks and very engaged in them;
- Demanding and aware of their rights and desires;
- It is always linked to the brand’s reputation and what other consumers say about it;
- Likes agility, so the consumers buy products and give them up just as quickly (little loyalty);
- Attentive to social, minority, and relevant causes (brand causes).
It is worth emphasizing: Marketing 4.0 directly links to technologies and their advantages, so no one has the time, much less the disposition for unnecessary bureaucracy. Knowing the characteristics of this audience, it is necessary to know the Marketing 4.0 strategies to reach them. That’s what we’ll see next.
Marketing 4.0 Strategies: How to reach the new consumer?
As we can see in the previous topics, it is necessary to have well-defined Marketing 4.0 strategies to captivate this diverse and demanding audience. Here are some key points of these strategies:
1. Emphasize your unique selling proposition (USP)
The minimum that the 4.0 Consumer wants is to be well-served, but that alone is not enough to hold him. They seek to have a differential in the competitive market and customize your service, products, and services.
This consumer needs to identify with your brand and your products to consume it. Thus, creating good marketing strategies is even more vital for your company. They want to embrace causes that are relevant to your brand, so position yourself on networks with honesty.
2. Have a presence on social media
Currently, this is one of the means that most generate engagement and add value to brands. Engagement in social networks needs to be in line with the Marketing 4.0 strategies.
Taking advantage of the practicality of social networks to resolve any issues is what today’s consumers want to see.
3. Take care of the company’s image
As we saw in previous topics, Consumer 4.0 seeks to identify causes and brands. For the perfect match to happen, these potential customers want to know how your company’s reputation is doing.
Before purchasing a product or service from your company, they will do research, ask around, and find what they are looking for. So you better have the best option!
A negative opinion about your service can cause you to lose many customers; quality is essential.
4. Align your company’s culture with your customers
One of the main attractions for these new consumers is identification. Whether you see yourself in the advertising of the product, or because you believe in the same values as the company, this type of Marketing 4.0 strategy conquers and retains customers.
However, be warned: do not lie about your culture or values! Lies are easy to uncover these days, and your brand image can go down the drain.
Upgrade to Marketing 4.0
A good way to attract new customers and retain old ones is to always be aware of the trends. With a quick search, you can see how companies that mix memes and current affairs with their products and services are successful among social media users.
Seek to unite your image and your marketing with what is currently happening but also has the face of your brand. As we can see, there are always new trends to jump on and it is necessary to be aware of them to remain firm in the market. Looking at your audience, their wishes, and meeting their needs is the way to stay at the top.
Another important factor is the digital transformation of the business. Your company must keep up with technology, the pace of change, and how your market is evolving.. The marketing area is becoming more and more essential for survival in an extremely competitive and modern environment. Invest in knowledge!
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