Entrepreneurs have to either adopt--or adapt to--new methods of advertising to reach potential clients and customers. With so many of them connected to the internet with their mobile phones and/or laptop computers, it's no wonder that digital media advertising (DMA) is the new hot button for any seasoned or newbie entrepreneur.
Now potential customers can be reached 24 hours a day on many different devices all connected at once, and any customer can find your services through your digital portfolio, ringtone or podcast, or an online video tutorial. Beyond the internet, these media find their way to any medium that will support them.
Here are some of the top trends in DMA:
Media Rich Websites
Since digital media is so easy to capture, manipulate and work with, it's no wonder that many businesses are deploying online commercials, podcasts and videos on YouTube and Instagram. If your current website harkens to a traditional bulletin board, you may want to design something new. Also having no downloadable samples of your product or samples to stream is to miss out on potential sales.
Success Tip: Make sure you get a .mobi and set up a mobile version of your site and mobile versions of your media.
Digital Portfolios
Gone are the days of the outdated paper business card. Even if printed on the best stock, a business card pales in comparison to a digital portfolio (Google+, YouTube channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even Pinterest) with your information on it.
Success Tip: Just like with business cards, don't forget the outside packaging of your digital portfolio. This branding will draw the potential client to want to view the contents you offer.
Digital Signage
Whether in your offices or on the road on the side of a truck, taking your message to the masses has becomes so much easier. Digital media can be combined into a program that creates a sign in your store, outside it or on the road. Depending on your line of business, you can always take advantage of advertising on the road or within your store or store window. With digital signage, you can send your message from your fleet of vehicles or your own car, or these signs can be placed inside your facility or in a store window. Digital signage is helpful for menus, news, running lists of services and so on. Depending on the quality (and cost) of the digital sign, you can incorporate all other forms of digital media into the sign's cast.
Success Tip: Digitally enhance any graphic with tools such as Photoshop or Creative Suite. Kiosks can be set up in your company lounge area for both employee and customer help, and for advertising. You can use audio, video and still images together in the kiosk or digital sign.