Marketing Makeover: Part 2

Last month we introduced our blog series, Marketing Makeover where we talked about Part One: assessment–audience, market share, goals and tracking. Whether you are considering a new business or a business you’ve been in for 20 years, it is crucial to stop and assess these foundational elements.

But wait, there’s more! This month, with our second installment, we want to talk about strategy.

At this point here’s what you know:

• To whom you are directing all communication
• Who you’re up against in terms of competition
• What you want to accomplish in terms of goals and tracking

Which now begs the question: How do we get there?

Strategy. Strategy is the who, what, when, and how of it all. This becomes the brains of the whole operation. From the strategy will flow all of the smaller tasks and operations that will move things from paper into being. Here are some questions to get you started toward a solid strategy:

1. Based on your audience, what communication vehicles are going to be the most effective? Where do you need to be to meet your audience?
2. What do you want them to do? Talk about your business or services? Buy something? Join you? Don’t overlook the obvious here, you must “make the ask.”
3. When will you utilize your communication vehicles or touch points? Different vehicles call for different content and frequency.
4. How will you accomplish each of these tasks? What systems will you put in place to ensure that the strategy is carried out and that each task supports the original strategy?

Hopefully, this will get you thinking about what steps you might take toward extending your reach and influence in the marketplace. We know from personal and professional experience that determining your own strategy can be a challenge when you have a history and an opinion on every aspect of your own business. This is something we can help you with where we will construct a strategy designed to get the results that you need. We will help determine the larger active steps than need to be taken and how to sustain them in the long term, as well as the small passive changes that can reinforce the message of the marketing.