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Digital Cheshire Masterclass – Tanya Arturi
This time, we are focusing on Tanya Arturi, Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing at Staffordshire University, who will be helping businesses develop their techniques and skills in the digital world. She spoke with Digital Cheshire at our recent launch event, where she also delivered a taster session to attendees.
“My background is PR and Marketing, specialising in digital marketing. I have an MSc in Digital Marketing Communications from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) where my specialist subject was growth hacking tech companies in the UK,” she began.
“My focus is on how marketing, communications and tech can intersect and how that relates to consumer behaviour, the psychology and not simply using technology for the sake of it but instead ensuring it is in the best interest of people to help them live their lives and run their businesses better.
Substantial research is essential
As well as her role at Staffordshire University, Tanya is also a Digital Marketing Speaker, Trainer & Consultant at WeDisrupt, a Manchester-based Marketing & Advertising agency. She has also previously owned a PR agency and set up a women’s lifestyle magazine in the north-west. As an entrepreneur, Tanya offers businesses the chance to gain specialist insight.
“I approach working with businesses on the grounding of research that has got a substantial base, rather than giving purely my person opinion. There are a lot of people who work in digital marketing and a lot of tends to be based on ‘this is what I think we should do’, whereas a more appropriate way would be coming from peer reviewed articles. Ultimately, that approach will lead to increased sales through marketing,” she added.
“My first question is always, ‘what does a business want and how do I ensure they get there?’”
More to it than just running a shop
Turning the attention to what Tanya will be speaking about at the launch event, it is clear that businesses have an incredible amount of technology available to help them grow a digital marketing presence.
“My talk is linked to applied futurism, intersecting business needs with the latest technologies to pull all options into view. A lot of businesses have had to shift more towards digital marketing in the last 18 months and in that time, we have seen a huge shift in consumer behaviour. An older generation is now more open to digital marketing and being influence by various techniques.
“What research shows, quite clearly, is that demographic is going to stay online.
“If you have a particular product or service, it is a lot easier to find a shop and set up a store but now, because of the shift online, you have a lot more competition and you need to be prepared for a national or even international clientele. But the flip side is you suddenly have to become an expert on digital marketing, which is why it is often done poorly. There is a lot more to think about than what it used to be with running a traditional shop.”
Digital marketing cannot work on its own
Tanya is quick to recognise, however, that despite the advancements in technology and the impact digital marketing will continue to have, that businesses should still remember the limits to such campaigns.
“Digital marketing can help people access new information and be positively impacted, but the digital divide is still important to remember.
“The problem is you do need to keep a careful mind on consumers, some aren’t tech savvy or don’t have access to it. Fundamental behaviours are always changing but we have to remember that there are geographical areas which may not benefit from digital marketing.
“Digital marketing is an excellent tool, but businesses need to remember their base before going online and building a presence and a brand there. There are particular industries that have lagged behind in the last 18 months and we are only going to see more development in digital marketing.”
Change is constant, but it doesn’t need to be a negative
Despite the difficult of getting the balance right between traditional and digital marketing, Tanya believes businesses can see it as a way to ensure continued growth and stressed the importance of face-to-face sessions such as those Digital Cheshire offer.
“Some areas and industries are having to change quickly; you look at Selfridges who are now organising weddings. They’ve recognised their traditional customer base has changed and so in forty years we may be seeing them as wedding specialists, rather than just a department store.
“When you’re working on your own, or at home, or as a sole trader it is very easy to be lost in your own head and possibly out of ideas. Coming to face-to-face sessions and talking to people who can empathise and help you create new ideas is so important. Getting out of tunnel vision and thinking of the bigger picture is why workshops like the ones being run by Digital Cheshire are so important.
“Businesses need to know that there is support out there for them and I hope to see some of them over the coming months,” she finished.
If you’re an SME in the Cheshire, Warrington or Halton area that has the ambition to digitally adapt and grow, the Digital Cheshire programme is here for you. Our fully funded programme will support you develop your digital approach and guide you on your digital transformation journey.
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