it’s all in the strategy

it's all in the strategy

Written by Gabi Moakes - Monday 17th January 2022
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A marketing agency telling you that you need a marketing strategy to help your business grow?

Yes. Absolutely.

And we make no apologies for it.

 

why?

A good marketing strategy is, in short, your game plan to help your company achieve its goals. Whether they be sales, brand awareness or positioning focused, a strategy will steer you towards the right results.

 

what?

What is a marketing strategy? There’s no judgement here if you can’t answer that as almost 50%* of businesses coast by without one in place.  

Imagine your business on a journey from A to B. A being where you are now and B being where you want to be in 3-5 years' time. A strong strategy acts as your guide to get you from A to B in the most effective and measurable way. And there’s not a business out there that doesn’t need that. 

 

how?

You need to ask yourself a question: what do we want to achieve in the long term? This is a great exercise in refining your business goals and determining how you’re going to achieve them.  

There’s an easy way to do this. To begin with, you need to consider: 

your business strategy 

  • This is your first priority. Your marketing strategy’s job is to assist your business strategy, so this comes first. Always. 

your existing marketing activity

  • What is working and what isn’t.
  • What does your customer’s journey look like and could it be improved?
  • What’s missing? Look for the gaps, and the opportunities too.

your customer

  • Who is your customer? What do you know about them? 
  • What does your customer’s journey currently look like and what marketing touchpoints are helping or hindering it? 
  • What do they think of your service or business? Understanding this opens your eyes to what you’re doing well and what you can improve on. It also highlights opportunities. Consider paid, independent research to gain quality insights. They really are worth their weight in gold. 

your marketplace

  • Knowing what is happening in your marketplace is invaluable. Buying market data can be very helpful for this. If the budget doesn’t allow then invest time in data that’s already available. Pay attention to consumer behaviour and what’s happening in your sector. 

the competition

  • Who are your competitors and where do you sit amongst them? How are they operating? What’s working for them? The answers will help you spot opportunities that are begging to be exploited. 

A good marketing strategy is, in short, your game plan to help your company achieve its goals. Whether they be sales, brand awareness or positioning focused, a strategy will steer you towards the right results.

now what?

When your strategy is established, it’s time to turn it into a plan. 

And who doesn’t love a good plan?

Make sure your plan includes specific deliverables, timings and targets. This is easier if it aligns with the times that budgets are set. Don’t plan too far ahead as people, performance, budgets, competitors and the economy have a habit of changing.

Aim for clear goals and consider every marketing tool available to you; from social media and SEO to product packaging and even charity connections. Make sure everyone in the business has clear roles and knows their responsibilities. 

Measure and review your marketing activities to check they are working. Schedule regular reviews once a quarter to readjust, focusing on what’s getting the most traction for your business. 

Remember, there’s no single way of creating your marketing strategy, so piece it together in a way that best works for your business. Success awaits. We promise. 

And if you’re still struggling…

Give us a call to see how we can help get your strategy off the ground: 01858 322 098.

 

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