Breaking the Marketing Mold: Tricia Richards-Service Of I Need A Speaker On 5 Innovative & Non Traditional Marketing Strategies That Can Engage Audiences Like Never Before
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Say thank you in a traditional way. Hand-written notes go a long way.
Traditional marketing methods are no longer sufficient in today’s dynamic and fast-evolving market. To truly engage and captivate audiences, businesses need to think outside the box and adopt innovative and non-traditional marketing strategies. What are these strategies, and how can they transform audience engagement? I had the pleasure of interviewing Tricia Richards-Service, PhD
Tricia Richards-Service, PhD has more than 20 years’ experience as a communication professional. She has served organizations that range from billion-dollar, international Fortune 500 companies to local non-profits.
Tricia is the founder and owner of I Need A Speaker, an online platform that connects speakers with audiences. I Need A Speaker also offers public speaking training.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! To start, could you share when and how you got started in marketing?
My marketing career began when I shifted from journalism to an ad agency. The agency was a very small one, and it fueled my desire to work in a creative field. Because it was small, I had the opportunity to learn ad copywriting, art direction, video field production, account management, and more.
What has been the biggest shift in the marketing industry and can you give us an example of how it impacted you?
One huge shift is the overlap among marketing, corporate communications, corporate social responsibility, corporate activism, public relations, social media, and experiential marketing.
Can you explain why it’s essential for businesses to break away from traditional marketing and embrace new strategies?
Audiences have changed, and we need to keep up with those changes if we expect to capture and keep their attention. Marketing is evolutionary and is developing through new outlets, like retail sales and niche events. It’s a really exciting time.
Could you share and briefly explain the first major change you made to break the trend of traditional marketing that was not so common?
Our team is constantly thinking about what we can do that’s different. We want to differentiate not only to stand out in a crowded marketplace but also to create opportunities to add value and build relationships. We love collaboration!
What specific results did you see after implementing this change?
People remember the feeling of engaging with us, not just seeing a message.
How do you ensure that these new marketing strategies resonate with your target audience?
We ensure that new strategies resonate by listening, then listening some more. If you ask your customers what they want and what pain points they experience, you’ll know exactly how to engage and solve problems.
Can you share an example of something you tried that didn’t deliver expected results or ended up ended up becoming a financial burden, and what you learned from that experience?
Paid media hasn’t had the impact we initially expected. Once again, we learned to turn to research to inform our decisions.
Great. Now, let’s dive into the heart of our interview. Could you list “5 Innovative & Non Traditional Marketing Strategies That Can Engage Audiences Like Never Before”?
1. Events. Create engaging events that are targeted specifically to the audiences you’re attracting.
2. Engage. Ask for informational interviews and be direct when asking, “How can our team add value?”
3. Stop selling. Focus on educating and building relationships, and the sales will follow.
4. Say thank you in a traditional way. Hand-written notes go a long way.
5. Collaborate. So many companies that complement one another are seeking audience engagement, just like we are. Find them. Propose a win-win collaboration. Then deliver valuable experiences to the people who are most important to you.
What challenges might companies face when transitioning away from traditional marketing strategies, and how can they overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges can be approval of these approaches at the leadership level. It’s critically important that leaders understand the need for marketing strategy, like the audiences they target, to evolve.
How do you measure the success and ROI of these new marketing strategies?
That depends on the strategy. For example, we don’t measure how many people might attend an event, but you better believe we are interested in how many people followed up!
Looking forward, how do you see the role of innovative marketing evolving in the next 5–10 years?
As new people assume leadership positions, we expect a shift in perspective to new strategies and tactics. We can’t wait to see what’s next.
What advice would you give to business leaders who are hesitant to move away from traditional marketing methods?
Trust your innovative teams. Try new marketing methods and see how successful they can be!
Can you share any upcoming initiatives or plans you have for further innovating your marketing strategies?
Shhh … don’t tell anyone yet … but we’re planning some special events that focus specifically on the topics of greatest interest to our audiences. The events are interactive and very engaging!
How can our readers follow your work and learn more about your approaches to modern marketing?
Follow I Need A Speaker on LinkedIn!
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur and Thought Leader with over 25 years of business experience. He has founded, operated, and exited multiple companies and now builds into a handful of high impact CEOs. Chad has launched multiple online communities, including a recent leadership development platform, and also serves as a strategic advisor for Authority Magazine’s thought-leader incubator program.
To learn more and connect with Chad visit: chadsilverstein.io
Breaking the Marketing Mold: Tricia Richards-Service Of I Need A Speaker On 5 Innovative & Non… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.