How do companies and organizations all over the world communicate their brand messages nowadays? The answer is, of course, digitally. Although Myanmar has just recently opened up, it is learning and catching up fast. With rapidly increasing connectivity, 90 percent of Myanmar’s population has access to internet.
With more and more people turning to apps and mobile services, Myanmar is now on a speedy train heading to the digital world and many businesses are jumping onto it. Companies are spending more marketing dollars on the digital space.
To make sure your spending is effective, here are five tips you should use as your check list when going digital in Myanmar.
1. Get on Facebook.
If you post something on your webpage, it will only reach to those who subscribe to your updates or who visit you webpage regularly. But when you are on Facebook, you are in direct contact with your followers instantly. You can reach to your targeted audience immediately with a click of a button. People in Myanmar truly love surfing Facebook. A recent survey demonstrated that up to 15 million people in Myanmar people are on Facebook. Some even see Facebook as the internet itself. They read news, watch video clips and find out the latest gossips via Facebook. Facebook has become a super-market where you can get everything you need. You have got to be insane if you are not using Facebook as your marketing channel. So, if you have not done so already, get onto Facebook immediately.
2. Approach the Influencers.
Do you know why some people are called Influencers? It is because they have the power to stimulate action and grab attention. So, if you want your products or services to be known and accepted, influencers near you can help. A recent startup rose to success with the help of a close influencer friend who promoted the products on her Facebook page. Nowadays, influencers are no longer classed as traditional celebrities like actors, signers or models. They still have a role to play but more and more influencers are coming from the online world. They could be considered Bloggers, Vloggers and YouTube stars who have a huge following and network. So consider approaching influencers in your space so you can give your marketing a massive boost in today’s digital world.
3. Be creative and clear in communicating your brand message.
Content is important but how you present your content is even more critical . If you put everything about your company or products with two pages of description in English and post it online, you might just get a couple of likes. It won’t however create the buzz you desire. In Myanmar, people don’t like to read long passages or descriptions and English is not widely spoken. No one enjoys information overload – it’s an overkill. The key question here is how do you create content that communicates the right messages and adds value to your target audience. It is not a simple task. But, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you have to find ways to create valuable and entertaining content. Not just once but time and time again. It is a way of showing that you and your brand are there to serve and entertain and not to cause a burden.
4. Don’t be hesitant to show off that you are doing something good for the people.
People in Myanmar are known for their hospitability and their love for donations. Myanmar is a nation of givers. No matter how poor one maybe, they always like to give something back to the society and contribute however they can. Back in military dominant times, men in uniform provided large donations to cover up their bad tracks, and surprisingly it somehow worked to some extent. The majority of people who have low literacy and access to unreliable sources of information thought they were really spreading good merits. Another example is the scholarship program run by a well-known institute in Yangon. The founder of the institute was accused of charging too much. However, when the scholarships were awarded to underprivileged students, the previous negative comments turned into positive conversations. News channels even received donations if they favored the right conversations. If your event is purely commercial, some of the news channels might charge for their airtime. But if your event is associated to any form of community activity, they will even come and cover your news at their own expense. So, do good, be good and be seen while you are doing them!
5. Keep the momentum.
Now you have done everything you have to do – you have touched the right points, pulled the right strings and didn’t trip on your way up to the mountain. You are there, enjoying the glittering moments. But if you go into sleep mode, people will forget about you and your products very soon. The country is changing, the mindset of the people are also changing very fast. If you don’t adapt to those changes, your golden place at the top will soon be taken over by another active innovator. So, be consistent. You have to keep learning and evaluating what works and what no longer works. In these fast-changing times, if you stop adapting, you will go obsolete.
The digital revolution has just started in Myanmar. The train does not wait for anyone and it will only get faster with time. If you miss this train, it will be extremely hard to catch up. So, follow these 5 tips and make sure you are not left behind.