If you're in a business that depends on blockchain technology, you're used to things moving at lightning speed, and taking advantage of cutting-edge technology.
Yet when it comes to growing your blockchain-based business, you may find yourself marketing in a world that isn't always digitally or technologically up to date. In order to succeed, there will be plenty of times when you'll need to take a more traditional approach to marketing and sales.
Here are a few tips on how to successfully do blockchain marketing in a not-so-digital world:
1 - Understand your audience
Always start with your audience. In order to market and sell your blockchain business successfully, you need to have an intimate understanding of who your target audience is.
What are their needs? What are their pain points? What would make them want to use your product or service rather than anyone else's?
What traditional solutions have they already tried in order to solve a particular problem, but which keep coming up short? How is your solution superior?
Once you have a very clear understanding of your target audience, you'll be able to better craft your marketing and sales strategies to appeal to them.
2 - Build trusting relationships
Business — like the rest of life — is all about relationships. You need to build strong relationships with potential customers, partners and other stakeholders in order to succeed. Creating and nurturing these relationships takes time, so you need to be patient. You can nurture these relationships by providing value, whether that's through helpful content, discounts or simply being a good listener.
Remember, people do business with people they know, like and trust. So if you can build strong relationships for the long haul with the right people, you'll be in a much better position to do successful blockchain marketing.
Intentionally and patiently building these kinds of relationships will pay off in the long run.
3 - Use stories in your marketing
People love stories. When you're talking to a prospect about blockchain adoption, it's important not only to tell your own story or the company's story, but also the stories of some of your most successful clients and customers. Also, use stories to explain exactly what blockchain technology is, how it works, and different types of applications of blockchain technology.
Remember to use emotion in your stories so your audience can connect on a deeper level and see how the story you are telling relates to their own story and their own personal experience.
4 - Focus on quality
Focus on quality over quantity. It's better to have a small group of high-quality customers or partners than a large group of low-quality ones (meaning, people who either aren't truly interested or who don't have a strong need for your solution). Don't be afraid to turn down deals that aren't a good fit for your blockchain company.
When you connect regularly with high-quality customers, partners and colleagues, it opens doors to other top-tier opportunities like exciting investments, innovative concepts, new technology uses and even more excellent and influential connections.
It's also important to focus on quality when it comes to your marketing materials and content. Use the best copywriters to make sure everything you put out there is not only well-written and informative, but also uses the most successful direct-response marketing principles.
5 - Be prepared for questions
People will want to know how exactly blockchain technology works and what it can do for them. Depending on their interest in working with you, people may ask questions like:
- Is blockchain the right technology for this application?
- How resilient, scalable, secure and recoverable is the technology?
- How will using blockchain technology disrupt my business and how might we adjust our business strategy to prepare for it?
- What do I need to know about blockchain infrastructure?
- How does a blockchain network work?
- Which blockchain platform is best for my needs?
- How can blockchain technology reduce some costs or improve customer service?
- How do we plan to implement blockchain technology over the next three to five years?
6 - Be prepared to educate
In addition to answering questions one-on-one, you will be helping the blockchain industry as a whole by educating the general public, since most people don't understand how blockchain works.
General education includes such activities as: creating informative blog posts, hosting webinars, writing articles for the local newspaper, teaching local high school or community college students and giving speeches at conferences. By educating the community at large, as well as your target audience, you'll be able to build trust and create interest in your business.
7 - Use some of the more traditional methods of marketing
Attending and exhibiting at trade shows and conferences and joining online industry groups can open doors to completely new audiences.
In addition, don't forget about marketing avenues such as print ads, radio and TV commercials, and direct mail. Consider advertising in standard financial publications, and blockchain-related media and magazines, on YouTube channels and in social media. Create ads where people in high tech hubs — like Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, Beijing, Tel Aviv and Berlin — are most likely to see them.
While these methods may not be as effective as they once were, they can still reach a large number of people and help you get your blockchain business in front of a new audience.
8 - Focus on SEO
If you want to reach a large number of people with digital marketing efforts, you need to focus on SEO. Search engine optimization will help your website rank higher in search engine results pages, which will make it more likely that people will find your website and learn about your business.
Become familiar with tools like Google Ads keyword planner, Google Trends and Google Search Console. Consider investing in paid tools like SEMrush, so you can keep track of how your SEO efforts are working in comparison to your competitors.
Remember that you need to have a combination of marketing strategies: both paid and organic. Like investing, you want to diversify your marketing portfolio.
9 - Create valuable content
One of the best ways to generate interest in your business is to create valuable content that educates your target audience about blockchain technology. This can include blog posts, infographics, eBooks, white papers and more. Make these assets available on your website and run targeted ads to them. They help build trust with your audience and position yourself as an expert in the field.
10 - Use social media
Social media is a powerful tool that can be used to reach a large number of people quickly and easily. If you want to succeed with social media marketing, you need to create interesting and engaging content and ads that capture attention and get people talking. You should also consider building relationships with influencers — both online and in person — within the blockchain industry.
11 - Invest in paid advertising
While organic reach is important, it can be difficult to achieve without a large budget. So, if you want to make sure your marketing efforts are seen by as many people as possible, you should invest in paid advertising as a key marketing strategy. Paid advertising platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads can be very effective in reaching your target audience.
12 - Hire the best marketers
If you want to be successful in marketing, it's always a good idea to hire the best marketers, either in-house, or through an agency. Your best marketers will have a deep understanding of the blockchain industry and know how to reach your target audience. They'll also be able to help you craft an effective marketing and sales strategy using the most successful direct response principles.
13 - Run a PR campaign
A well-executed PR campaign can do wonders for your blockchain business. By generating positive media coverage, you'll be able to reach a larger audience and improve your brand visibility.
14 - Focus on building a strong brand
A strong brand is essential for any business, but it's especially important in the blockchain industry. Because blockchain is such a new and disruptive technology, there's a lot of confusion about it. By focusing on branding, you'll be able to identify what clearly sets you apart from the competition. Over time you can use growing brand loyalty to build a devoted customer base.
15 - Get involved in the community
The blockchain industry is still relatively small, so it's important to get involved in the community in order to become visible and more well-known. It will also help you better understand the needs of your target audience.
There are a number of ways to do this, such as attending meetups, joining online forums, sponsoring non-profit organizations and events, holding employee community service days and more.
Participating in your local community, as well as relevant virtual communities, will help you build relationships and generate interest in your business.
16 - Hold an event
Events are a great way to generate interest in your business and build relationships with potential customers. If you're thinking about holding an event, make sure it's well-planned and well-executed. You will also need to have detailed, engaging follow-up prepared in advance, from giveaways to personal phone calls and visits.
17 - Keep up with the latest trends
The blockchain industry is constantly changing and evolving, so it's important to stay up to date with the latest trends. Read books and blogs, listen to podcasts and attend conferences and meetups. The more you know, the better equipped you'll be to sell your blockchain business successfully. This will help you identify new opportunities and make sure that your marketing efforts remain relevant to your target audience.
18 - Be creative
Be prepared to think outside the box. There are a number of different ways to reach your target audience, so you need to experiment until you find the ones that work best for you. By being creative, you'll be able to stand out from the crowd and get people talking about your business.
19 - Have a long-term vision
Blockchain technology is still in its early stages, so it's important to have a long-term vision when you're marketing your business. It might take a few years for the industry to mature, but if you're able to stick to a well-defined strategy, you'll be in a much better position to succeed in the long run.
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Blockchain is a relatively new technology, and as such, there aren't a lot of established marketing channels for it yet. Although it may require a bit more effort, growing your blockchain business in a not-so-digital world is possible. With a little ingenuity, creativity and perseverance, you can experiment with different marketing and sales strategies. Be willing to try both some old, more traditional tactics, as well as some new, out-of-the-box ideas, and you'll develop an excited, loyal audience.
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