Ah, the good old days when selling a product or a service was all about ‘the five marketing Ps: Product, Price, Place, Promotion and People.

Today we live in a more complex universe:

• Complex and globalized;
• Complex, globalized and online;
• Complex, globalized, online and interactive.

That’s right! Clients are different now. A client will search online for matching prices and bargain the delivery with the product seller, then he/she will use a credit card to buy that product made in China, which is sent as a gift to a friend in India, who happens to be in the Bahamas on holidays seating in front of a computer in some hotel.

Clients are debating companies on social networks, nowadays. They demand. They want technical support. They want solutions.

Let’s not verse on those people that are not within reason at all, they’re just looking for reasons to argue about anything.

Let us picture this practical example: I buy a Dell computer over the internet. Why this brand and not any other? Here are some tips:

• Dell’s website is great for customizing your PC;
• They always have sales promotions on Twitter;
• I always get on line support from them.

Supposing that PC has some video glitches.

I contact their technical support services and, let’s us imagine I get no reply, (actually I’ve witnessed the opposite, but for the sake of the example, we’ll say they didn’t), then I’ll Twitt about this issue.

Within few hours, people are bad mouthing the brand.No mass marketing and advertising will keep any brand imune from those that can really jugde it.

Some might say: Well, that goes for products, but services are different.

Are they? Really?

If I can show to my clients that I’m using IT means, what they’ll notice it’s just the file I’m working on and not reams of other papers. If I keep them updated on their files by email and have ‘their backs’ with little nothings like this, are they going to focus that much on my pricings?

If they’re looking for low rates, let them look for it. If they’re looking for quality services they will look for the assistance I’m offering.

Don’t fool yourself about clients. Keep always a step ahead from them. Surprised them on the details. There are others in your businness, with technical and qualification skills.

Your smile, reports, management, presentation, way of talking and acting are unique, though.

That is the essence that will make the difference by the time of hiring or not, of buying or not.

To conclude:

On this day and age, marketing goes beyond the traditional, it is supposed to be interactive, to make use of social networks and to accept criticism as a lesson for constant and full growth.