Whether you're starting a business or looking to grow, your marketing strategy is half the battle. A 2019 study showed that marketers who had a documented strategy for their company were 313% more likely to see success. That's a number so big it may not even seem real — but it is, and your results will be, too.
In fact, marketing is so crucial that 42% of companies have a marketing strategist whose sole job is to spread the word about what the business is doing. But if you're a small business owner, hiring additional employees for this type of work may not be realistic. Fortunately, we're here to provide you with actionable steps that will help you maintain, track, and make the most of your marketing.
1. Identify Your Target Audience
The first step of marketing is having a clear idea of who you're targeting. Are you a business hoping to sell to other businesses (B2B)? Or are you a business taking your products directly to consumers (B2C)?
Once you've figured out that detail, you can investigate even further to create a specific image of your demographic. If you're selling B2B, consider questions like…
- What industry is my target business in?
- How many employees does my target business have?
- Where is my target business located?
- What is my target business's budget?
If you're more focused on individual customers through B2C marketing, think about…
- What social media platforms would my ideal customer use?
- How old is my ideal customer?
- What is my ideal customer's income?
- What does my ideal customer need right now?
Finding clear answers to these questions will help you solidify an idea of who you're trying to speak to with your marketing. Once you have that solidified, you'll have a better idea of where you can reach these customers, what type of marketing they respond to, how much money they're willing to spend, and so much more!
2. Create a Marketing Schedule and Goals
A clear schedule and measurable goals are crucial in executing a strong marketing campaign. With an outline going into every new week or month, you can easily track your progress and discern what strategies are working best for you.
Effective marketing schedules should include more than just dates of when new marketing elements are being released. You should also track your budget and the employee overseeing each task. This will keep everyone on the same page and allow for easy follow-up when identifying results.
While goals are unique to every company, they should always be quantifiable. Instead of aiming to reach "lots" of new consumers, assign a number like "2,000." The word "lots" is subjective, while "2,000" is a clear marker of success.
In order to ensure that your goals align with the scope of your marketing campaign, be sure to note:
- How much revenue you want to bring in as a result of your efforts
- How many leads/engagements/inquiries you want to receive through your reach
- How many sales these first touchpoints need to produce in order to meet your revenue target
3. Review (And Review, And Review)
Make sure to constantly evaluate your plans and make adjustments as needed. The most impactful marketing efforts are consistent and cohesive across all platforms, sending a unifying and clear message to your consumers.
And a winning marketing strategy doesn't stop after a campaign has been rolled out! In order to gain insight for future roll-outs, you need to review the entire process to identify strengths and weaknesses. This is where quantifiable goals will make your life much easier: over- or under-estimations of your results can inform your future marketing decisions and help you to better use your time and budget.
Sigl Creative
Marketing doesn't have to be expensive and stressful. A strong plan and expertise will ensure that your efforts will pay off. If you're looking for guidance as you tell your story and reach your marketing goals, contact Sigl Creative today. We'll help you with every step of the process: content creation, advertising, web development, and strategic branding. You won't just meet goals — you'll grow.
