 Short answer: yes it is, but not in the way most people think.
When people say that their marketing is a numbers game, what they usually mean is that they just need to generate as many leads as they can, so they can sell as much as they can. While lead generation is obviously an important part of marketing, it’s not the only important number to be concerned about.  A few months ago, I posted about how to do your own strategic marketing. It's not an easy process which is why most ambitious business owners get a consultant in to implement their strategy for them.
I've worked with a lot of businesses who have worked with a consultant before me. But many tell me they've not been very impressed with the results. The reason is invariably because the consultant was thinking tactically and not strategically. For example, they were focusing only on their area of expertise such as social media or PR. Unless you know what to look for, this can be difficult to spot. The impact might not be felt until it's too late, when a lot of time and money has been spent. So, here are the signs to look for:  I get asked this question a lot. And whether it’s a new website, Facebook ads, email campaign, leaflet, brochure, or event, I always come back with the same four questions. So here’s they are: 1. Why are you doing it?What do you want to achieve with this marketing activity? And be specific! “To get more sales” is too vague.
You need to know what is the end result you are hoping for. What do you want people to feel, think and do as a result of coming into contact with your marketing? Do you want them to go to your website; book onto an event; call you? Why would they want to do that? How will your marketing get people to do this? Make sure you have a strong call to action that prompts people to do what you want them to do. Make it as obvious as possible what action you want people to take and you have a much higher chance of your marketing activity being successful.  I love quick wins, don't you?
When I first started baking with my children when they were toddlers, we made microwave mug cakes. All you have to do is throw all the ingredients in a mug, mix it up with a fork, microwave it for a minute or two and voila! A tasty hot dessert. And when I'm planning marketing with my clients, we always start with the quick wins. What can you do in less than an hour that will make it easier for people to buy from you? Get those quick wins ticked off straight away. But not everything in marketing is a quick win. A lot of marketing activities take time, especially if your business is like mine and has a long buyer journey.  Do you treat your marketing goals like your New Year's resolutions?
They mean a lot to you when you first set them - when you’re motivated and eager to get started. But a few weeks down the line, you lose interest and casually push them to the side, never to be thought about again? Marketing success is all about making sure that your goals and your plan work for you. So, here’s my top 3 tips on how to set yourself goals you’re actually going to stick to this New Year (especially if your original ones have already gone out the window)...  I don’t know about you, but over the last few months I’ve found it harder to stay consistent with my marketing. And I know I’m not alone.
When we were locked down, a lot of business owners found they had time to write and share great blogs that resonated with their customers. They had time to send regular newsletters and post more often on social media. But, since restrictions were lifted in the summer, these tasks have slipped down the to-do list and many people have lost the momentum they built up in their marketing. So if you’re wondering how best to reignite your marketing this December, here’s 5 things you can do today to reconnect with your customers this Christmas...  I’m often asked, “what can I do to speed up my customers in their buying decision?”
With very considered purchases, it might be 6 months or more between someone first hearing about you and them actually making that first purchase. In a small business, these months can be excruciating as you wait patiently for a call or email telling you they’re ready to take that next step in their buying journey. It’s tempting to want to try and speed them up, because you know they’ll get so much value from what you have to offer. However, it’s important your customer is allowed to make their decision in their own time. Here’s why:  This is a question that not enough business owners are asking themselves before diving head first into their marketing…
A lot of business owners know they need help and assume they need a consultant. But do they really? Or do they need a coach? So what’s the difference between the two?  Strategic marketing planning takes time.
And, if like me, you’re running a business, time is probably in short supply... It’s easy to think that it’s better to just get on and do some marketing, even if it’s not as effective as it could be, and work on improving it incrementally using an agile or ‘test and learn’ methodology. Taking time out of your business to plan can feel excruciatingly wasteful. After all, once you’ve spent all that time planning, you’ve then got a long list of marketing activities to do and even less time to do them than you had before. So can’t all this planning be skipped? Can’t I just work out my marketing strategy as I go along? Well… let’s explore that with an analogy.  Can you have a strategic not-for-profit?
I’ve recently been working with a couple of not-for-profit’s that have been looking to increase the uptake of their services. Since the business isn’t actually “selling” anything, we’ve been looking at how the buyer journey can be applied to help them achieve their marketing objectives. So, can the buyer journey model be applied when your customers aren’t technically buying from you? |
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Ros Conkie is a Marketing Consultant based in Portishead near Bristol, North Somerset, UK
Ros Conkie is a Marketing Consultant based in Portishead near Bristol, North Somerset, UK
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