Krishan Udvadia on “Only The Strong Survive”
Krishan Udvadia is Kahn Media’s head of digital marketing with a unique background. Originally an electrical engineer, Krishan spent the early part of his career working in the defense and aerospace industries. Eventually, becoming bored with the mundaneness of testing electrical systems, he developed an interest in digital marketing along with a passion for Mitsubishi Evos. Like he did with all aspects of his Evo, Krishan rapidly learned the intricacies of digital marketing.
Krishan brings a unique perspective and strategy to digital marketing that incorporates his engineering background. On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, he shares vital tips and what he has learned about making digital marketing campaigns perform with host Dan Kahn. It is a worthwhile discussion for anyone looking to tap into the power of digital marketing.
Click on the icon above to listen to the entire podcast, and here are our top five takeaways:
The right creative plays a huge role in digital marketing.
AI is changing digital marketing.
Telling your brand’s story is a great way to stand out.
Digital marketers who know and are part of your industry are always more effective.
Bigger brands can often lose sight of who their customers are.
Creative is King
There are many aspects to a successful digital marketing campaign. However, some digital marketing agencies overlook creative and focus on targeting and picking the right platform. That is a huge mistake for Krishan as the right creative connects with customers and gets noticed in a sea of advertising.
“Creative takes up the most amount of real estate on your screen. The text is only so big with a tiny headline, and the creative takes up the rest. I think creative is king because you are able to explain what you are selling through it,” said Krishan. “The reason creative is so important is that it is how you make your first impression of your brand, product or service. Creative needs to be number one and take the most amount of attention and effort.”
Enthusiasts Make Better Digital Marketing Campaigns
One misconception about digital marketing is that it solely relies on proper targeting or choosing the right platforms to succeed. However, that is not entirely accurate, as digital marketing still has a psychological aspect. And the best people to understand your customers’ minds are digital marketers who are enthusiasts and also your customers.
“It is a psychological thing. It might sound weird, but you really want to be in their brain, understanding how they think, what they are looking at and if there are certain callouts that certain people think are good versus bad,” said Krishan. “So having that knowledge already there is a huge head start or a jump start.”
AI is Making an Impact
Artificial intelligence impacts every facet of marketing, and the digital realm is no exception. How it changes digital marketing is yet to be seen, as it is still evolving. However, there is no doubt that there will be changes that digital marketers will need to embrace and fully understand to keep crafting campaigns that deliver results.
“AI, in general, is a huge unknown right now. I think everyone is trying to figure it out. It is a big unknown that is coming, and everyone is quickly trying to get in the know,” said Krishan. “Just understanding it now because it is going to be ever-evolving, and no one is going to fully understand it. It is just like the Instagram algorithm, where it will change every week.”
Always Tell Your Story
Standing out in a digital marketing environment filled with nonstop product ads can be difficult. However, not every ad needs to be a promotion, discount code or new product launch. For Krishan, one of the best ways for brands to stand out and connect with their customers is to tell the story behind their brands.
“I think explaining the company or the story behind the business is something that is newly coming out, and people are more excited about learning that,” said Krishan. “At the end of the day, everyone can see a metal bumper 1,000 times, but it’s the way a company explains their story or how they created themselves or wanted to create a product. I think that is the biggest key to putting yourself out there. It comes back to being more relatable to the consumer.”
Big Brands Can Lose Sight of Their Customers
Scaling up is great, and growth is an obvious goal of most companies. However, one of the biggest dangers is that as brands get larger, they can often lose sight of who their customers are. If you don’t understand who your customers are, it is almost impossible to market to them effectively.
“I feel like some companies that become really big used to know who their audience was. However, as they have scaled up, and good for them that they have made money and been able to grow, I feel like they have lost touch with their core audience,” said Krishan. “That is where the marketing disconnect starts to happen. These big companies can forget how to pivot like a small company can.”
