Creating an effective marketing strategy takes more than throwing content on a website or creating a banner ad. The combination of both traditional and digital marketing methods can create a cohesive advertising strategy that will improve lead generation efforts and boost sales. Regardless of whether a business is small or a global leader, it's important to build a brand that comes off as a thought leader for the industry.
Here are a few considerations to keep in mind when creating an effective marketing plan:
1) What is your marketing voice? Not ever marketing professional has the strengthens, which is why it is important for both a company and an individual to consider what the brand needs or wants to communicate and whether the person hired to craft this message is a good fit. If a marketer has a history of creating gorilla marketing campaigns that attraction the attention of certain demographics, namely those who subscribe to more alternative media consumption, then this individual may not be the best fit to work with a more conservative organization. Before a marketing strategy can really make an impact, it is crucial to find the right talent for the company, which means working with creative staffing agencies. Find the right marketing voice with the help of a recruiting professional who knows the industry and how to search for the right person to fit the need of the company.
2) Identify the primary voice of the brand. Mac or PC? While both products are similar in that they create laptops or desktops that hundreds of thousands of people use every day, each has its own voice and style. People subscribe to either product not only because of what it may functionally offer, but also the image using that merchandise creates. Macs are typically seen as the shiny, new tech gadgets that may creative types love to use. In contrast, PCs are viewed more as "old faithful." A product that changes slowly, but offers consistency in the business world. Each product is similar, but has been branded significantly different from the other. It's important for a company to consider what story it wants to tell and what voice it is going to add to the products and services it provides to customers. A company should know what it wants to portray itself as and stick to that voice as much as possible because customers get to know that brand and begin to create an attachment to it. If PCs or Macs began to switch or take on the other's branding, issues could develop and customers would feel bereft.
3) Create a marketing metric calendar. What are the goals of a brand? Are you trying to increase sales or web traffic, improve lead generation or brand values? It's important that a calendar is created that details what the goals of a current and future marketing strategy is so that everyone is aware of what is happening and whether strategies are successful. Metrics are a powerful tool and by implementing their use effectively, a marketing manager or team can better ensure the successful creation of campaigns. According to Social Media Today, a marketing metric calendar should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. By labeling and clearly defining each point, a brand is better able to gauge if it is successful and if not, by how much did it fail to accomplish a task? Even negative figures tell a marketing professional a story and provide necessary information that can lead to the betterment of advertising strategies.
4) Make people feel heard. This is an important principle in business. Regardless of whether you are dealing with customers, clients or the internal marketing team, it's important to show that you value people's contributions and input. Marketing professionals who don't have the full support of the team of people they work with are less likely to create something great and even if they do, it's going to take longer and be a more stressful process if the group isn't on board. Clients and customers all enjoy a brand that seems to take into consideration their values and opinions. As a result, it's important, especially in the digital age, to try and actively communicate with everyone through various mediums about why something is this way or whether a suggestion is taken into consideration. LinkedIn recommends using social media as the ideal way to show how a brand is looking and taking input into consideration. Social media networks like Twitter and Facebook are great ways for customers to actively engage with a company about a service or product.
