January 6, 2021
Value-Added Marketing — What It Is & Why You Need It
Looking for a leg up against your competitors? Need a way to stand out to potential customers? Tired of competing on price? Then you need to adopt value-added marketing, which can help website design firms retain current customers, gain the attention of potential customers and position themselves as experts.
In this post, we’ll discuss what you need to know about value-added marketing, including what it is, why these services will help you get ahead of your competition and strengthen your customer relationships, and how you can go about creating value-added marketing for your company.
VALUE-ADDED MARKETING EXPLAINED
Value-added marketing is defined as delivering more than your customers are expecting through content and experiences. Because of this, value-added marketing (which, make no mistake, is marketing) cuts through ad clutter and overflowing email boxes.
Business2Community says, “Value added marketing brings marketing to an entirely new level by turning marketing content into a product of its own. As more and more brands adopt this attitude, we’re stepping into the next stage of marketing evolution—one that puts customers first, understands the importance of ‘going the extra mile,’ and emphasizes perceived value to the customer over pure revenue.”
There are many examples of value-added marketing , including these standouts:
- LEGO’s online community where customers can submit ideas for new LEGO sets, vote on ideas, and get a percentage if their idea becomes a product.
- Nike’s Nike+ Training Club, which offers free group workouts and a free app with guided workouts.
- Marriott’s short films that are entertaining and professional in every way, and reach customers despite ad and content clutter. Watch here.
Other types of value-added marketing that may be more universal include:
- Expert advice and blog content
- Educational content such as how-to videos and webinars
- Discount coupons for repeat customers or a rewards program
- Surprise samples and free products
- Priority service and shipping
- Special experiences that make sense for the brand, like brick-and-mortar stores becoming a place to try out products, engage in onsite entertainment, and become a place to return online orders
The important takeaways are:
- What you offer needs to be perfectly inline with your core services and values.
- What you offer should not contradict your core services and values; it should feel like a natural extension of your brand.
- What you offer must be of value to your customers.
Most importantly, you want to ensure the content and/or experiences you offer will help your customers do their jobs better.
WHY VALUE-ADDED MARKETING MATTERS
Value-added marketing is expected to become more important in the next few years. Here are four reasons why:
- It can be challenging to get potential customers’ attention. Thales Teixeira, a former professor at Harvard Business School, calculated that the cost of attention has jumped seven- to nine-fold since 1990, making it the most dramatic business expense increase in the past 25 years. A solution to this attention problem is value-added marketing, which, because it has true value, allows you to gain customers’ attention and more effectively use your ad dollars and your marketing budget.
- Value-added marketing offers improves current and potential customer loyalty and retention. Retaining customers is vital for running a profitable business, as it costs 5 times more to bring in a new customer than to retain one.
- Value-added marketing helps builds your reputation as an expert so you’re not competing on price alone. As Drew McLellan of Agency Management Strategy says, you need the “confidence to know that you have something of value to offer” and you need to demonstrate your expertise to clients.
- Value-added offerings can be used in gated lead generation efforts to entice potential customers to provide their name/email/business name/etc. to your email or sales lists.
EXAMPLES OF VALUE-ADDED MARKETING FROM WEB DESIGN FIRMS
Many web design firms create content pieces that benefit their customers and provide value. These include:
- Videos
- How-to guides
- Infographics
- White papers
- E-books
- E-newsletters
All of these represent a good start in value-added marketing, but now is the time to elevate your game.
EXPANDING YOUR VALUE-ADDED MARKETING STRATEGY
Here’s how to create a strategic value-added marketing plan.
1. Look at all of your content through the following rule: Value-added content is any unique, original, or exclusive content or information that your audience cannot get anywhere else. It has to be valuable to your customers, and it should leverage your expertise and unique knowledge to the extent possible.
2. Make a road map of this valuable content for the next six or 12 months that will benefit your customers and help them do their jobs better. Plan out this content calendar and budget for it.
3. Now, look beyond content. Consider experiences. Forbes recommends you take an inventory of your clientele’s interests and lifestyle to identify experiences your customers would enjoy. For instance, if you find that most of your customers are small businesses with 3-10 employees, perhaps you could create virtual networking events where an expert at your company presents website or SEO best practices, and one customer (like a lawyer or retailer) presents within his/her own area of expertise. That’s just one idea… I’m sure you can come up with more.
4. Make sure any experiences or content you create are perfectly inline with your core services and values.
5. Measure the results of your value-added content, and then over time, make changes to your strategy. Feel free to experiment and try various types of content and experiences.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS OVER TIME
Value added-marketing will allow you to build relationships with current and potential customers by putting their needs first, while highlighting your expertise in the field. This is more important than ever, with the entire world overwhelmed with more distractions than ever (thanks, COVID-19), and with the increased commoditization of website design services. But keep the above points in mind, and your digital agency will be fine.
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In the ever-evolving realm of technology, web design stands out as a dynamic and transformative field. From the early days of static pages to the interactive and visually stunning websites we see today, the journey of web design is a fascinating one. Join us as we embark on a historical perspective, exploring key milestones, trends, and technological advancements that have shaped the landscape of web design over the years. The Birth of the World Wide Web (1990s) The story begins in the early 1990s when the World Wide Web became accessible to the public. Websites during this era were rudimentary, characterized by simple HTML structures, basic text, and limited graphics. The focus was on delivering information rather than aesthetics or interactivity. The Rise of Flash and Multimedia (Late 1990s to Early 2000s) As internet speeds improved, designers began experimenting with multimedia elements. Adobe Flash emerged as a popular tool, allowing for interactive animations and dynamic content. Websites became more visually engaging, incorporating flashy intros and interactive menus. However, the heavy reliance on Flash led to longer load times and accessibility issues. Web 2.0 and the Era of User Interaction (Mid-2000s) The mid-2000s marked the transition to Web 2.0, characterized by a shift towards user-generated content and increased interactivity. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter emerged, influencing web design trends with cleaner layouts, rounded corners, and AJAX technology for seamless, asynchronous data loading. This period saw a greater emphasis on user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design. Responsive Design for a Mobile World (2010s) With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, the need for responsive design became apparent. Websites adapted to various screen sizes, ensuring a consistent and user-friendly experience across devices. The use of flexible grids and media queries became standard practices, and designers prioritized mobile-first approaches. Minimalism and Flat Design (Mid-2010s) In the mid-2010s, designers embraced minimalism and flat design. Inspired by the simplicity of Swiss design principles, websites adopted clean lines, bold colors, and a focus on essential elements. This trend not only enhanced aesthetics but also contributed to faster load times and improved user navigation. The Age of Microinteractions and Animation (Late 2010s to Present) In recent years, web design has seen a surge in microinteractions and subtle animations. These elements enhance user engagement and provide visual feedback, creating a more immersive experience. Advances in CSS and JavaScript libraries allow designers to implement sophisticated animations without compromising performance. Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Web Design Looking ahead, artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of web design. AI-driven tools can analyze user behavior, automate design decisions, and personalize content, creating a more tailored and intuitive online experience. The evolution of web design is a testament to the ever-changing landscape of technology and user expectations. From humble beginnings with static pages to the dynamic, interactive websites of today, designers have continuously adapted to new technologies and design philosophies. As we look to the future, the integration of AI and other emerging technologies promises to usher in a new era of innovation in web design. Stay tuned as the journey continues, shaping the way we experience the digital world.
