If it feels like times are changing faster than ever before, you are not alone in feeling this way. Thanks to modern technology there is more innovation to keep track of across every field imaginable, including digital marketing. There are new apps, programs, and tools launched almost every week, each of them promising to make your life easier and the marketing side of your job more efficient.
But is every single product really the best out there? Is it necessary to keep up with every little change? How does one have time to keep up with all of this innovation?
Those are all questions that the Summa Media team hears quite often from our roofing clients. And to answer them briefly –
Of course, each new product isn’t “the best out there.” It is not only not necessary, but it is impossible to keep up with every change. And finally, coffee, lots of coffee.
As a roofer, your job is to focus on the projects in front of you, not complicate things by overanalyzing each and every digital marketing trend. To help you better navigate the ever-changing digital marketing world, the Summa Media team is sharing our five tips for cutting through the noise and keeping track of your priorities below.
Navigating the Ever-Changing Digital Marketing Landscape
1. Choose your priorities
The best way to navigate changes in the digital marketing landscape is to start from within. What are the areas of your digital marketing strategy and toolbox that you feel need improving? Are you not generating as many leads as you would like to? Are you struggling with SEO? Do you forget to post to your social media channels in a timely manner? Think about the areas where you need help, prioritize them from most important to least important, and only let yourself research tools related to those business functions.
2. Respect your budget
As a business owner, the financial well-being of your roofing business should always be your number one priority. Oftentimes we see our roofing and contracting clients become blindsided by a new tool they feel they need to incorporate into their digital marketing toolbox. It doesn’t matter that it wasn’t in their yearly budget or that they would be pulling funds from elsewhere. They get so distracted by the –often false—promises new tools make, that they absolutely have to have it. Remember to always defer to your budget when making business decisions. If you have some wiggle room and you really feel the benefits will outweigh the costs, who is the Summa Media team to stop you? But if you would be stretching financially, maybe reconsider until you have the cash flow to make the purchase.
3. Survey your team
Take the time yearly or quarterly to survey your team on the tools that they currently have available to them and how efficiently they feel they are able to do their jobs with said tools. They are, after all, the experts in their domain. If they feel their job or performance is being substantially impacted by old systems or tools, it might be time to evaluate a new solution for them. But if they are happy and able to efficiently do their jobs, then don’t change things just to change them. That may actually do more harm than good.
4. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it
How often in our personal lives do we see a brand we love to launch a new version of an old product and all of the sudden you absolutely have to have the latest model? It doesn’t matter that there is nothing wrong with your old model, it works just fine, maybe the old one actually has better reviews and specs, but your logic is overpowered by your immediate urge to purchase the newest version. At Summa Media, we like to call this “New iPhone Syndrome”. Every fall when the new iPhones are announced, suddenly millions of people with perfectly good phones absolutely need to get their hands on a new one.The iPhone example is an obvious one, but this applies to any new technology. Suddenly, when something new is released we just have to have it. As a business owner, it is important that you learn to tune this noise out. There is always going to be a newer, better, shinier version of the products and tools that you are using. You wouldn’t replace perfectly good jobsite equipment just because a new version was released, would you? Of course not. Unless there is a substantial change that will cause you to lose your competitive edge, it’s important to remember that sometimes good is good enough and if it isn’t broken, there is no need to fix it.
5. Find trusted resources
Don’t just trust any Joe Shmoe you meet on LinkedIn who insists a new tool is, “A game-changer for their marketing automation! A must-have!” You never know if Joe Shmoe is an investor in the product or if his brother was the inventor. Do your own research by reading trusted resources such as HubSpot, SproutSocial, Neil Patel, Summa Media’s blog, and more to evaluate new tools and technology through an unbiased lens. And if you do want to take Joe Shmoe’s recommendation, at least do your background research on him and confirm his credentials and expertise before trusting his opinion.
Bonus Tip: Seek Third Party Services
Working with a trusted digital marketing advisor such as the team at Summa Media is one of the best investments you can make if navigating digital marketing is challenging to you. As a roofer and a business owner you are already stretched so thin, you likely just do not have the time and resources needed to properly navigate these things alone. Working with a marketing firm will help ensure that you have experts on your side who can make custom recommendations based on your unique business needs and goals.
If you are looking for guidance on any of your digital marketing practices, the Summa Media team is here for you. Give our team a call today to learn more about how we can partner together to ensure your roofing company reaches all of your goals!
