Where do you start if you want to develop a digital marketing strategy? It's still a common challenge since many businesses know how vital digital and mobile channels are today for acquiring and retaining customers. Yet they don't have an integrated plan to support digital transformation and company growth, and engage their audiences effectively online.
Marketing results don’t just happen by chance. And creating a strategy ensures you’re targeting the right people, with relevant content that appeals to them. The more time you spend creating a clear strategy, the more opportunities you create to sell.
So, what does an effective marketing strategy look like?
It’s a structured document outlining your business’s purpose, aims and what makes it different from the rest. It should set out who your customers are and why they engage with your products and services. Your strategy provides a clear framework for reaching this target audience, including details on planned activity and the relevant methods of communication.
Now, if you’re still not convinced now’s the time to get your marketing strategy done and dusted, we’re here to tell you why it is. Read on and discover 5 compelling reasons to create a marketing strategy.
Set objectives and measure ROI
When there’s no clear direction, we end up floundering. And this is a typical outcome of non-strategic marketing activity. You might see some result here and there, but if you haven’t set any clear goals, how can you measure your return on investment?
Focus activity on a set of defined objectives. For instance, you might decide you want to grow a following on Twitter or Instagram. Perhaps you want to use e-marketing to cross-sell to current customers. Or maybe you want to reach the first page of the search results for your key terms. Whatever your goals, writing them into your strategy is the first step towards achieving them.
Helps You Figure Out Which Tools You Need to Invest in
Marketing tools can be expensive, and that is why it’s important to create a marketing plan which will help you decide which tech and tools are worth the investment and will provide your strategy with the most benefits.
Some services which require marketing tools include:
SEO tools
Paid ads
Investing in influencers
Analytical tools
Social media scheduling tools
Online advertising
When considering which tools are worth it in the long run, you will need to better understand your business tasks, marketing objectives, processes, and more, and this will help you better understand the investments that will be required.
Mix and Match
Evidently, the advent of the digital age has led to numerous changes in the way in which companies approach marketing strategy. This is only likely to intensify in the coming years. Going forward, companies will increasingly improve their standing and credibility with consumers by creating valuable marketing content through a variety of channels, both traditional and digital.
Traditional marketing via more established channels, such as television and radio advertisements, is becoming less effective. Again, the proliferation of new technology – tablets, smartphones and digital video recorders – is ensuring that consumers are paying less attention to traditional advertisements. According to data from Nielsen, 84 percent of smartphone and tablet owners in the US use those devices while watching television.
Instead of relying on marketing by traditional means, many companies are discovering that it is better for the development of their brand to concentrate on inbound marketing. Companies should incorporate the production of valuable, engaging content which is designed for a specific audience into their company wide marketing strategies.
Your Marketing Plan is Your Best Weapon against Competitors
What is a marketing strategy if not your secret weapon to use in your efforts to dominate the competition?
If your company doesn't have a marketing strategy, your competitors already have one significant advantage over you. Despite the rapid technological growth and development, it’s challenging to come up with something that hasn’t been done before. Thus, if you introduce something new or unique, you have to fight for your so-called "author's right" no matter if it is a piece of clothing, a brand new website building tool, a revolutionary piece of technology, or an amazing service.
According to researchers at Harvard Business Review, companies have a harder time reaching their goals for marketing innovation. The research they conducted focused on a new sales strategy but eventually turned into a case pleading for the importance of marketing in all aspects, phases, and business processes.
Suppose you plan to open an eCommerce store selling unique trending products that customers cannot find anywhere but in your online shop.
Helps You Become An Authority To Your Customers And Clients
Over time, the more your audience reads your blogs and watches you engage people successfully through your marketing platforms, more and more trust will be built, and your credibility will grow as well. Growing your credibility and trust will also require that you know and understand the changes in the industry. Making a plan that includes regular research of new strategies as well as a regular analysis of your current strategy will help you to remain credible and trustworthy in the years to come.
As you can see, with proper planning, a marketing strategy can take your business to a new level and help you connect with your customers and clients in a more meaningful and authentic way. If you want to discuss your marketing strategy or would like to build a new one, please feel free to send us an email or visit or website! We are happy to help and offer free consultations.
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