Like you don’t wear enough hats already.
The sheer number of marketing channels can be paralyzing. Combined with newer marketing automation platforms, analytics and my personal favorite, the relentless acronyms, the process of marketing your business can be somewhat bewildering.
You may find yourself asking: where do I start? What are the best marketing activities to spend time on? How do I know if it’s working?
Marketing your business is about building a system of multiple channels that all work toward one goal: growing your business.
In order to move your business forward, we start with a marketing strategy; where you want your business to go and how to get you there. The vision you have for your business lives at the heart of this. We need to focus on the current state of your business, short and long-tern goals, your mission, your audiences, and your messaging.
Current State of Your Business: the act of creating an accurate baseline. Short-Term Goals: Business goals that you want to accomplish in the next 6-12 months. Long-Term Goals: A 3-5 year plan? Exiting the market via acquisition? This is what growth and success will look like, and will shape your marketing strategy as a whole. Mission: Why you opened your business and the impact you want it to have—this also plays a critical role in your reputation. Audiences: Exactly who are you trying to reach? We need to get your messaging in front of this desirable group of people where they live - be in in the news feeds, at events, in their mailboxes... Messaging: How you convey your mission to your target audience—the ideas and concepts you want to get across to customers.
Marketing Plan Once the analysis is complete and you have a clearer picture of what you want to achieve, onto the tactics—the actual activities and efforts to achieve your goals and grow. A marketing plan will include a selection of integrated activities like:
- Branding
- Collateral design
- Gifts and Swag
- Content marketing – blogging, podcasting, live chat, infographics, data visualizations
- Digital marketing and online presence
- Social Media content and marketing (paid ads)
- CRM and email marketing
- Advertising campaigns – print, online, adwords, radio, outdoor
- Website design and analytics set-up
- SEO
- PR and targeted media outreach
- Events, trade shows, local sponsorships
Marketing plans are not set in stone. They are meant to be reviewed and tweaked to stay aligned with your marketing strategy. As goals change, you will need to change up your strategy and adjust your plan.
We’re here to help you figure out your tailored marketing strategy to fit your business goals more specifically. Let’s talk: hello@boyleandpartners.com.