This is that crazy season when almost every company is doing its strategic plan for 2026 and guess what’s trending in every boardroom?
“We need to invest in digital marketing!”
Suddenly, every business from a funeral parlor to a carwash now has a social media strategy.
But here’s the funny thing: most companies think digital marketing = flyers. If I see one more poster that says “We are the best, call us today” with five emojis and no story, I might just report the page for boredom.
Let’s be honest: people on social media don’t wake up saying, “Hmm, I feel like reading a flyer today.” They want stories, humor, and authenticity. They want to see themselves in your brand, not just your logo.
Flyers Don’t Build Brands
Many companies either:
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Get “someone internal” who once did graphics in college to make designs, or
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Hire an external freelancer who only knows how to copy competitors’ templates.
Then they proudly say: “We’re now doing digital marketing.”
Please, my friend posting 10 flyers a week is not digital marketing. It’s just digital noise. (I will write more on this )
Social Media ≠ Sales (Always)****
Before you copy what your competitor is doing, ask yourself: does social media actually convert for my product?
Take Mambo Chicken, for example. They were trending. Everyone was talking about them. Their pages had thousands of likes. They had the memes, the jingles, the noise… But what happened? They closed shop.
Why? Because *likes don’t pay rent.
- If those comments and shares aren’t turning into customers, you’re just entertaining people for free.
Brand or Leads?
When you’re on social media, be clear are you there to:
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Build a brand, or
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Generate leads?
Very few companies do both successfully but KwaTerry is one of them. He’s strategically using social media to build a strong brand presence and generate actual leads, especially in the rural markets.
Meanwhile, Gava Restaurant doesn’t make much noise online, yet they’re killing iton the ground. Some of you are shouting on Facebook but your shop is emptier than a kombi at midnight.
So Before You Add “Digital Marketing” in Your 2026 Strategy…
Ask these three questions:
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Why are we on social media?
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Who are we trying to reach?
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What do we want them to do after seeing our content?
Because if your 2026 plan only says “increase followers,” then you’re not planning you’re playing.
** ** Don’t just post. Strategize. Don’t just get likes. Get clients. And don’t just follow trends. Understand your market.
Because in business, it’s better to have 10 customers who pay than 10,000 followers who clap*.*
By The Chartered Vendor
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