Journal

The Power of Personalization in Marketing

April 8, 2024 by Jonathan Gaby

Have you ever stepped inside a business hoping to buy from them, only to discover you’re just another transaction the staff had to take care of? I think we all have had that experience. I have this experience nearly every time I walk into a big-box store or corporate owned location. I’m just a number, a transaction, and worse, a walking dollar sign as I navigate the aisles and shelves. There’s no personalization. As a consumer I’m sure you’ll agree that this type of experience is less than ideal. How can you avoid this cold, soul-less, walking dollar sign approach to your business?

a picture of shelves of purses, handbags, and briefcases, waiting for embossing for personalization. — Photo by cottonbro studio:

In this post, I’ll cover personalization in marketing and your business. I’ll talk about what it is, how you can incorporate it into your business, what to avoid, and some examples of how I see companies do this well, and how companies have really messed up in their execution of being more personalized in their marketing.

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Reflections of a Rookie Adjunct Professor

December 22, 2023 by Jonathan Gaby

For the past year, I have been teaching as an adjunct professor of marketing at Kentucky State University. It’s a milestone that has been a little unexpected. Perhaps in the back of my mind, I’ve thought about teaching, but only tangentially. I was raised by two educators who taught public school so while it was something I thought of I don’t think I had ever seriously considered the profession.

However, when the opportunity to teach part-time in the field of my graduate degree, I thought that I should give it a shot, do my best, and see where it would take me. In this post, I’d like to share with you my reflection on the year and what I have learned.

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It’s Time to Say Goodbye, In a Sense

November 15, 2023 by Jonathan Gaby

Over the summer I read the book, 10 Arguments to Delete Your Social Media Accounts by Jared Lanier. If you haven’t read it, please do. Your eyes will be opened for sure, and you just might find a compelling argument or two on why you should delete yours as well.

Reading the book was for me an eye-opening experience. I’ve concluded that I must delete most of my social media accounts. While I don’t have 10 arguments, I do have three reasons to share why I’m deleting mine.

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Unique Marketing Approaches in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Industry

May 10, 2023 by Jonathan Gaby

The marketing dynamics in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry are uniquely different from other sectors. The nature of the AEC industry, its business model, clientele, and the intricacies of the services offered necessitate a distinct marketing approach. Let’s delve into how marketing in the AEC industry stands apart from its counterparts.

In-depth Understanding of a Technical Product

Firstly, the AEC industry revolves around selling a service that is technically complex and requires a deep understanding of the project’s intricacies. Unlike a tangible product, marketing a construction project, an architectural design, or an engineering solution involves demonstrating knowledge of the project, understanding the client’s needs, and effectively communicating the service’s value. It requires a more consultative marketing approach where trust, credibility, and expertise are paramount.

Long Sales Cycle and High Stakes

The sales cycle in the AEC industry tends to be longer compared to other sectors. The decision to invest in a construction project, architectural design, or engineering solution is significant and often involves a substantial financial commitment. This results in a longer decision-making process, often involving multiple stakeholders. The extended sales cycle demands a consistent and patient marketing strategy, focusing on building relationships and providing ongoing value.

Relationship-Based Marketing

Unlike consumer-focused industries where one-time purchases are common, the AEC industry thrives on repeat business and long-term relationships. It’s not uncommon for a client to commission successive projects over many years if they trust and are satisfied with their AEC firm. Therefore, relationship-building becomes a cornerstone of marketing in this sector. Maintaining strong communication channels, providing exceptional customer service, and consistently delivering quality results are essential parts of the AEC marketing mix.

Importance of Reputation and Branding

In the AEC industry, reputation is everything. A company’s track record can significantly influence the acquisition of new projects. Word-of-mouth referrals and positive testimonials are invaluable in this field. Hence, maintaining a strong reputation, both online and offline, is integral to marketing. Alongside reputation, professional branding that conveys reliability, expertise, and quality can strongly impact potential clients’ perceptions and decisions.

Adaptation to Digital Transformation

While traditionally reliant on offline, face-to-face interactions, the AEC industry is gradually embracing digital marketing strategies. The use of digital tools, like Building Information Modelling (BIM), virtual reality, and project management software, has revolutionized the way firms present their services to clients. Leveraging social media, SEO, content marketing, and email marketing also helps AEC firms reach wider audiences and establish their online presence. Adapting to this digital transformation is a unique challenge for AEC marketers but presents significant opportunities.

Conclusion

Marketing in the AEC industry is a specialized field that requires a nuanced understanding of the sector’s distinct characteristics. It involves a strategic blend of technical knowledge, relationship-building, reputation management, and adaptation to digital trends. While it presents unique challenges compared to other industries, the opportunities for growth and connection with clients are unparalleled. With the right marketing strategies in place, AEC firms can effectively communicate their value, build lasting relationships, and ultimately drive their business growth.

A Year In Review: 2022 Was Surprisingly a Great Year

January 9, 2023 by Jonathan Gaby

With the end of one calendar year and the beginning of a new year undoubtedly we’ve read and heard lots of people review their years and set new intentions, goals, or dare I even say resolutions ahead of the new year.

I want to put my own spin on the genre and simply offer and share with you how 2022 became a most surprising and actually really great year for me, and offer a few tips to you who might want to set for yourself intentions, resolutions, or goals.

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A Framework to Improve Your Marketing – Part One

August 29, 2022 by Jonathan Gaby

Introduction

I want to ask you a question. Are you satisfied with your marketing efforts? If you aren’t maybe it’s time to try a new way to market your business. In this episode of Marketing Distilled, I will walk you through a framework that I have learned. I think this framework is far superior to others that businesses and marketing professionals use. Perhaps you’ve heard about it. Maybe you haven’t. Well, today on the podcast, I’ll introduce you to the best marketing framework I know of.

This framework is called “Big Picture” and it was developed by two educators and practitioners, Christie Nordhielm, Ph.D., and Marta Dapena-Baron, Ed.D. Dr. Nordhielm founded The Big Picture Partners and began to implement the framework with companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Philips, and Ecolab. She teaches at Georgetown University in DC. Dr. Dapena-Baron is the current managing partner of The Big Picture Partners, LLC where she consults with major businesses and organizations to use The Big Picture Framework to make smarter marketing decisions.

Much of the material I’ll be talking about is from my work as a graduate student at the University of Cincinnati where I study under Prof. Drew Boyd and learned The Big Picture Marketing Framework from him. I’m currently applying The Big Picture to my work in my Capstone Project in my final semester. So what is The Big Picture Framework?

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Next Generation Marketing: Interview with Matt Bailey of SiteLogic – 011

August 22, 2022 by Jonathan Gaby

In this episode of Marketing Distilled, We Interview a veteran of the marketing industry and digital marketing expert and educator Matt Bailey. Matt has worked with high-caliber brands like Microsoft, Disney, Nationwide, Proctor & Gamble, and more. We discuss the tactics of analytics, SEO, websites, and more in this wide-ranging episode.

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If You Want to Blog Better, Get Marketing Calendar, by CoSchedule

August 11, 2022 by Jonathan Gaby

Building my business is really hard work. One of my biggest pain points for me is writing great content on this blog and promoting that content to my audience, social media subscribers, and my email list. For me, I’ve been using Evernote in a process to create and publish blog post articles, but I still have problems promoting the posts on social media. So, I am adding CoSchedule to my workflow for content creation and marketing.

For me, the reasons are clear. I needed a way to integrate my process in Evernote with my blog built on WordPress. Further, I needed to add features like ReQueue so that older posts and those with more evergreen flavor could be added and promoted without my direct involvement.

What else did I find helpful? Read on for my review of CoSchedule.

Review of the Shure MV7 Limited White Noir Edition USB/XLR Microphone – Bonus

August 9, 2022 by Jonathan Gaby

I just received the Shure MV7 Limited Edition White Noir and I thought to record a short episode to highlight the new product. It will be available on August 15th on Amazon!

jonathangaby.com/shuremv7

[powerpress]

The folks at Shure have written up a nice article on their website:

The Immensely Popular Shure MV7 Microphone is now Available in a New Limited-Edition Color on Amazon