If only succeeding at small business marketing was as easy as adding 2 plus 2. The reality is, marketing is part science, part art. This point was clearly drive home at the Adobe Summit early in March 2015. The overall consensus of speakers is reflected in this statement by Brad Rencher, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Adobe:

“Consistent and continuous experiences only happen when marketing goes beyond marketing, and the reality is that brands have to earn it every day, with each experience. With each touch point, we either win or we lose.”

Coming from a big brand like Adobe, the struggle may seem surmountable. For small businesses with fewer resources, the problem may seem insurmountable.  

But it’s not.

Here are the key takeaways from Adobe Summit that small businesses can use to drive their marketing.

Stand at attention

Scarcity is still in play, but now, that scarcity has to do with attention. Consumers are faced with an onslaught of information and data every minute. The key to success is harnessing that minute of attention when a consumer opens an email, scans a search result page or scrolls through social media.

How can businesses grab attention? Be unique. Use a distinct “voice” in your brand’s narrative. Be eye-catching. Construct a persona based on customer data, instead of assuming you know your customer. Use data to uncover what your customers are interested in, what they hate, what gives them pain, what keeps them up at night. Unlock this data, create an effective marketing strategy, and build a campaign that really gets attention.

Because I’m happy…

Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy” didn’t take the nation by storm because of the catchy tune alone. The look and feel of the song and video captured what many consumers are seeking today: happy experiences. If your marketing can capture this feeling, you’ll create an uneven playing field for the competition and gain a huge advantage.

Coca Cola created a happiness campaign for FIFA out of the desire to help people who couldn’t attend the event share in the experience. They created a “Happiness Flag” that allowed people to send in selfies, which were then displayed on a flag that was promoted at the live events and online.

Small businesses should look for ways to invite customers into product- or service-related experiences, local events or special holiday or other events that capture that happiness experience to gain an edge.

You know what else Adobe Summit speakers also repeated? The fact that earning consumer trust and loyalty and achieving the impossible are feats worth going after – because the rewards are great. With the technology available today, it’s even easier to understand your target customer and create effective marketing touch points to “win,” every day. Brainstorm ideas for commanding attention and creating the right experiences to win with customers,every day, with every touch point.

Image credit: http://summit.adobe.com/na/