Many small business owners get started with marketing by “doing stuff.” That includes “stuff” like launching a website, starting an email newsletter, paying for social media ads, etc… All with only a vague idea of what they hope to accomplish.
In other words, they start with tactics and forget strategy. An approach roughly the same as putting the cart before the horse.
Does this scenario sound familiar? If you’re in the professional services realm, this could very well describe your marketing efforts.
So, what’s the problem with tactics first and strategy second (or not at all)?
Imagine you’re heading off on a road trip. And as you burn rubber out of your driveway, you toss your road atlas and GPS out the window.
How can you possibly reach your destination without charting a course? You might get where you’re going, by sheer, dumb luck. But the journey will take faaaaaaaaar longer than necessary. And more likely, you’ll wind up on the roadside, lost and frustrated.
It works the same way in marketing. Randomly picking a bunch of marketing tactics out of a hat, tossing them against the wall, and hoping something sticks is a recipe for wasting time and money on marketing efforts that aren’t going to yield worthwhile results.
The key to avoiding this all too common pitfall?
Begin every marketing campaign with a Marketing Strategy.
And this applies to your overall approach to marketing, as well as individual campaigns. Whether they be focused on a specific goal or looking to add a particular tactic or channel to your marketing mix.
Of course, the $1 million question is… How do you create a Marketing Strategy?
And that’s what we’re to discuss, so let’s dive in!
Step 1: Define Your Goals
Your goal is whatever you aim to accomplish with your marketing efforts, right? Yes, but it’s a bit more nuanced than that.
Let’s say you aim to generate more leads, win new business, and earn more money.
Let’s borrow the “road trip” analogy in the introduction above and assume you’re headed to see Ole Aunt Jenny. Well, these “generic” goals would be akin to reaching the state or city where Aunt Jenny lives, rather than actually making it to her house.
Meaning, your goals need to be more specific. As in, you’re looking to generate X number of leads, X number of new clients, and X amount of additional revenue. And you need to assign a timeframe or deadline.
Your goals also help you measure the success of your marketing efforts. If you don’t achieve the X number of new clients, new business, or added revenue you were aiming for within a certain timeframe, what do you need to do differently? How can you adjust your approach to achieve your desired goals?
In short, goals are your specified destination and your barometer for success.
Step 2: Identify Your Ideal Client
For a variety of reasons, not every prospect out there is an ideal candidate for your services.
So, instead of trying to reach “everyone,” focus in on the needs and traits of the prospects that are the best candidates for your services.
These folks represent your “ideal client.” And with this ideal client in mind, create a profile. To do so, you start with their demographics… Where are they located, what’s their age, and their income level?
And their psychographics… What are their wants and needs? What keeps them up at night?
Gather this data and use it to draft a written profile. Consider giving this ideal client a name and maybe even find a picture to represent them, giving a face to the name. Ultimately, making them a “real” person you’re actually striving to communicate with.
Step 3: Narrow Your Niche
Let’s say you’re a real estate agent. It’s doubtful that you’ll have an opportunity to list every potential home for sale in the community you serve. Neither will you represent every potential buyer looking for housing in that community.
As such, your marketing efforts are apt to be much more successful if you hone in on a given neighborhood, or neighborhoods, and aim to specialize in serving those specific areas. Becoming, for example, the “Westside Specialist” or the “Barton Hills Broker.”
Similarly with buyers, zero in on a particular group of buyers. For example, you can be the agent known for working with “first-time buyers.” Or renowned for helping buyers looking to finally purchase their “dream home.”
By narrowing your niche, you can craft marketing messaging and an overall approach that specifically appeals to and connects with “Westside homeowners” or “first-time buyers.”
Step 4: Define Your Core Value
What benefits do your services provide? What needs do your services fulfill? What problems do you solve for your ideal clients?
The answers to these questions define your business’s “core value.”
Once you formulate answers to these questions, write them out as a USP (Unique Selling Propositions). Your USP is a brief statement it defines who you are, what you do, and why it matters to your ideal clients, usually in three sentences or less.
And once drafted, make your USP the central piece of your marketing messaging. Use it for every short bio on your business, every meeting with prospects, and every client pitch.
Step 5: Select Your Tactics
So, based on your ideal client profile, the time you can to dedicate to your marketing campaigns, and your allotted budget… Which tactics make the most sense?
The first and most important move in this process is selecting tactics that connect with your ideal clients. Because you’re messaging needs to be where your prospects are.
Are they active on social media, or is email a better bet? Or are they old school, which likely makes direct mail a more effective option?
Speaking in terms of time and budget… Certain marketing tactics require more time than others. And paid tactics obviously demand a promotional budget.
For example… Building your brand organically on social media requires a good deal of time and effort. If you don’t have time to spare, you may need to invest in promoted posts and paid ads. But in that case, you need a budget large enough to cover your ad spend. And if don’t have enough time or spare cash in your budget, social media may not be the best tactic for your business. Even if your ideal clients are active on social.
Selecting the right tactics is a balancing act. Of course, you need to communicate through channels certain to reach your prospects. But you also need to use tactics that will drive results with the amount of time and money you’re able to invest.
Step 6: Launch Your Campaign, Monitor Your Results + Adjust Accordingly
One of the biggest marketing mistakes small business owners make is launching a marketing campaign and forgetting about it. Only to return 6 to 12 months later, and upon realizing you’ve achieved little to no results, declaring the campaign a “failure.”
Monitoring your progress and making requisite adjustments is a critical element of effective marketing.
If a campaign is failing to drive results, one of its component parts needs adjustment:
- Perhaps you’ve misidentified your ideal client.
- Maybe your niche is too narrow, or you’ve chosen a niche that is just not lucrative enough.
- Possibly the presentation of your business’s core value isn’t connecting with your ideal clients.
- It could be you’ve picked the wrong tactics, or you’re not managing your tactics properly.
And missing the mark on any of these factors could throw a monkey wrench into your marketing efforts.
The overarching point here is that rather than succeed or fail, a marketing campaign will perform better or worse, depending on how well you monitor, test, and adjust your strategy and tactics.
Step 7: Rinse And Repeat
Moving forward, apply this strategy to all of your marketing efforts.
Considering a new tactic? Thinking about updating your website or eNewsletter template? Looking to retire a current tactic?
How would any of these moves figure into your strategy? Do they align with your current approach? Or could they prove counterproductive?
Remember: All marketing decisions are made viewing through the lens of your marketing strategy.
Need Help Developing a Marketing Strategy?
I can help!
I’ll walk you through each of the steps outlined above. Including helping you select your ideal tactic, monitoring campaign progress, and making necessary adjustments.
Sound like the sort of support your can use in your business?
Then let’s chat! 310.466.7893 | ryan@ryananys