How to Develop a More Effective Marketing Strategy
Tips for building a successful plan for this critical activity, as well as suggestions for saving time in the process.
Because time is limited for small company owners, marketing is typically relegated to the back burner, resulting in diminished effectiveness. This critical activity is often overlooked by company owners who are preoccupied with operating their enterprises, respecting family obligations, and the zillion other things they have to perform on a daily basis. Despite this, the basic reality remains: if you are not promoting your company, you are not developing your business.
Here are some critical measures to take in order to achieve that goal.
Make a list of objectives.
Take a moment to reflect on your goals and ask yourself what you’re attempting to accomplish. This will assist in determining where to direct marketing resources. Do you want to increase the amount of visitors that comes to your website? Do you want to increase your conversion rate? Are you attempting to raise awareness of your company’s brand? Knowing what you want to achieve can help you choose the most effective marketing plan for you.
Determine who you are trying to reach and develop distinct message for them.
In Search Engine Optimization, relevance is one of, if not the most crucial factor to consider. If your material is relevant to your target audience, you have a greater chance of being discovered. So, who are you trying to reach, and what terms do they use when they get online and begin looking for items or services to offer? What are their areas of interest? What exactly are their difficulties? What sites do they frequent on the internet… Perhaps you should use LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube? What methods do they like to use to absorb content? What would they like to do: listen to a podcast, view a video, or read a blog article.
After that, what is your distinctive brand message? What makes it unique, and why should customers select your goods or services above the competition? Having the ability to communicate this clearly and succinctly can provide positive outcomes. According to Donald Miller, CEO of StoryBrand, “If you confuse, you will lose.”
To do this, you must first identify your target consumer and then communicate with them in a manner that connects with them fast and in a format that they would likely consume. People are yearning for connection, openness, and assistance with their concerns in today’s bustling internet environment, where they have a plethora of possibilities.
Make a timetable and follow it to the letter.
Marketing gets a whole lot simpler if you plan ahead of time and adhere to a timetable. You’re aware of what’s coming up, and you’re aware of what you need to do and when you need to do it. Specific days and hours should be set in advance so that you may build a habit (monthly, or even daily) until you achieve consistency.
For the sake of illustration, here is a timeline that you might enter into a Google Spreadsheet or create in Asana:
Run an analytics report for the previous month on the first week of each month. For content, pay attention to statistics and keywords.
Two blogs (or whatever form of material your clients like) should be written or ordered for posting to the website during the second week of the month. Social media postings should also be created and scheduled during this time period.
In the third week of the month, create an email newsletter that includes blog material, forthcoming events, industry trends, and any other issues that are important or pertinent to your business. Make a date for the newsletter to be sent out.
Fourth week of the month: Come up with ideas for the next month’s material (events, seasonal ideas, common questions, etc.) Conduct keyword research to identify potential article subjects. Create social media postings and write or purchase one blog entry for the website.
Every Monday, use Canva, Buffer, or Hootsuite to schedule social media posts for the following week.
Daily: Spend 10 to 20 minutes online once or twice a day to participate in discussions.
Run an analytics report for your website, social media, and email at least once a month. Examine the overall performance, development, and involvement of the organization.
Every three months, take a look at your SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) objectives. Check your site’s speed and links, and make any necessary changes to CTAs (calls to action). To use as a lead magnet on the website, create one piece of customized content (infographic, information sheet, video, checklist, etc.). Keep in mind that in order to have access to it, visitors should be required to provide their email address in order to expand your email list.
Every six months, double-check web listings to ensure they are still current and correct (Google, Bing, Apple Maps). If necessary, make changes.
Yearly: Make a visual inspection of your message and branding to ensure that it is still connecting with your customer persona. Is it in need of updating? Are there any additional options that you may integrate into your plan? Is there anything that isn’t functioning properly?
Asana, Trello, Todoist, Google Suite (Docs, Calendar, etc.) and Canva are some of the programs that may help you keep organized and responsible while completing the activities listed above.
Automate while maintaining human interaction
Fortunately, we live in a world where incredible technologies are available to expedite marketing work. With services like Buffer, Hootesuite, and Sprout Social, you can automate your social media efforts. Alternatively, you can make it extremely simple by signing up for a Canva premium membership, which allows you to create content and schedule it directly on the platform. Additionally, use Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or Hubspot to plan out emails for the month. But, even as you take advantage of these time savers, don’t forget about the duties outlined above; you’ll want to log on at least once a day (even if it’s for a few minutes) to interact, like, comment, and share. Individuals, as well as computer algorithms, will notice if you put everything on autopilot. Simply set an alarm on your phone (or Todoist) once or twice a day to go on the internet for a few minutes every now and then.
Content should be reused and repurposed.
Have you ever written a blog article that received a lot of positive feedback? Making it into an infographic, recording it as a podcast, or elaborating on it to make an ebook that people can download (while also helping you to develop your email list) are all options you may consider. You may also reuse material created by other individuals or companies. For example: Be assured, however, that it is something your followers can relate to and that you provide due credit to the content creator by tagging them in your post or by utilizing the #Repost application.
Perhaps you have previous blogs that you want to share? If they are still current and useful, you may include them into your social media updates. Have you received a fantastic review on Google? After you’ve shared it on social media, use Canva to create a custom-branded picture that you can post again (but in a different format). Do you be asked the same questions over and over again? Then go live on Facebook or Instagram to elaborate on your points. As a conclusion, employing material in various formats gives it more vitality while also saving you valuable time on your project.
Keep track of your metrics.
Keeping track of site data can help you determine what aspects of your marketing approach are working (and which are not). You’ll begin to see patterns, dips, and red flags, and you’ll be able to change your content and approach appropriately. If you observe that some sorts of postings have more interaction than others, by all means, increase the number of those posts (do your videos receive more views than your copy-based blogs, for example?).
Take a look at your calendar right now and block out 30 minutes for a brainstorming session with yourself and/or your colleagues. Consider making it enjoyable by purchasing some coffee or a great bottle of wine and devoting some time to working on the business rather than in it. Afterwards, start putting this information together in a practical approach, beginning with objectives and message. Scheduling time into your calendar to brainstorm and examine material as well as statistics is really essential!