Recently I Googled “small business marketing strategy.” I was curious about what would come up on the results page. I saw things like “use Facebook” and “run Google ads” and advice on sending direct mailers.
All of these are great ideas, but they are tactics, not strategies.
The difference? Tactics do well in search engines, but they are completely disconnected from your unique business goals. They aren’t tied to your business plan; they miss the boat on what actually constitutes a strategy.
It’s time you establish your brand’s marketing strategy. A true marketing strategy reflects the “who” and “why” of your business. Your strategy determines what your tactics should be.
Without a defined strategy, you are very likely to zig and zag between tactics with no real clarity about what is actually producing an effective return for your business. And isn’t that what marketing is all about?
When you think about what you want your marketing strategy to accomplish, it’s best to keep these three principles in mind in order to have a successful marketing strategy:
Next, it’s time to build your marketing strategy. With a strategy in place, you are able to create targeted tactics so you can attract and convert more of your ideal customers.
You should examine the way you do everything. Maybe your website needs a makeover. Maybe you need a totally new website. Even your social media content should reflect your core story and your brand voice to help the right folks best engage with your business.
Your core story should be reflected in the way you conduct your everyday business—that is the value your company provides.
Your content and all of your marketing tactics should echo this strategy too. It should speak to the customer’s journey within your market:
This strategy should change and grow as much as your company does. Are you just starting out? Walk before you run. Learn to understand your target market and your value, and start to infuse that in your marketing messages, whether that be on your website, in your emails or on your social channels.
This means that it’s OK to start small. You may not be able to handle multiple channels at once. Avoid giving “half effort” to something or investing where you do not yet understand the return. If you can’t explain why you are doing something, stop and then see if the results change. And if nothing does? You can eliminate an unnecessary tactic and save yourself time and money.
Starting small means you can be specific. You always can add things back in. Think of your marketing like a “maturity matrix” that you can grow and evolve over time.
So how should you develop your marketing strategy? By starting today:
Putting in the effort to develop a living, breathing marketing strategy will pay off in a myriad of ways. You will gain confidence in your marketing efforts. You will have an improved understanding of the type of company you are building. And you will have higher profits because you are attracting the right kinds of customers.
Want to discuss this with me further? Developing marketing strategies for small businesses is what I do best.
Let’s get in touch today and see how far a well-designed marketing plan can take your brand!
Photo by Iker Urteaga on Unsplash
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