In this episode, Gianna and Maria sat down with Deidre Frith, the Director of Marketing at RealTime Information Technology (RealTime IT) in Dothan, Alabama. To talk about her experience creating a successful marketing campaign that combined humor and community engagement. She also shares how she tries to bring an innovative approach to cybersecurity marketing and how their clients receive it.
Appealing to The Funny in Marketing
Deidre believes in appealing to people’s funny side rather than their fearful side in business and that humor could be a powerful tool in conveying their message to potential clients. Which is how the “Keep an IT Expert in Your Pocket” campaign was born. The concept is simple – RealTime IT would be there for their clients every step of the way, just like a cell phone that is always in your pocket.
Deidre used the influencer culture to her advantage by utilizing well-known clients in the industry as part of her campaign. The commercials featured these clients in humorous situations, like acting as a copier guy trying to fix a computer or a dog visiting a podiatrist. Of course, the commercials were a hit! From within the local community to social media platforms like LinkedIn.
Appealing to people’s humor rather than fear paid off big time, as the campaign ended up winning an Addie Award and even better free advertising through word-of-mouth. People started recognizing RealTime IT and associating their brand with humor and reliability. Deidre’s creativity and ability to think outside the box led to the campaign’s success.
Untrackable Media in Marketing
As impressive as getting the word-of-mouth buzz, it also introduced a challenge, which is tracing the success of the campaign through the return on investment (ROI) on traditional mediums like TV and billboards. Deidre found alternative ways to help indicate the campaign’s impact. Through analyzing Facebook figures, she discovered that their Facebook campaigns reached between 20,000 and 30,000 people each month. The company received feedback from clients who mentioned seeing the commercials and billboards everywhere they went. These results proved the power of word-of-mouth as it also played a big part in the campaign’s success and the power of untrackable media.
Deidre also implemented a unique approach to cybersecurity marketing by creating quarterly posters for their clients. These posters focused on cybersecurity best practices and were distributed to clients free of charge. Although there was no way to track the impact of these posters, Deidre received positive feedback from clients who mentioned seeing them in their offices. This initiative not only provided valuable information to clients but also showcased RealTime IT’s commitment to cybersecurity.
The Future of Cybersecurity Marketing
Deidre’s innovative approach to cybersecurity marketing has proven to be successful for RealTime IT. By combining humor, community engagement, and untrackable media, they built brand awareness and established themselves as a trusted IT company.
Looking ahead, Deidre plans to continue the campaign and create new commercials featuring different clients each year. She believes in the power of consistency and how it impacts brand affinity. She also wants to continue to explore creative ways to educate clients about cybersecurity, such as the quarterly posters.
The success of RealTime IT’s marketing campaign serves as a valuable lesson for other cybersecurity companies. By thinking outside the box, using humor, and engaging with the community, companies can differentiate themselves in a crowded market. Deidre also proves that using untrackable media, such as billboards and posters, can be an effective way to reach and educate clients.
Deidre’s journey in cybersecurity marketing has been one of creativity and success, her ability to think outside the box and engage with the community has allowed RealTime IT to stand out in the market. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, companies should embrace innovative marketing strategies to communicate their message while also, building trust with clients effectively.
You can listen to the audio version of the episode here!
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