Top 10 Tips To a Strong Marketing Strategy
Now that you know what Marketing is how exactly are you going to put it into practice so you can see the results? I’ve put together these Marketing strategy tips on how to build a strong and effective method.
- Keep Referring To Your Target Market –
Always know your top two target markets for your product or service. You can read more about what having a ‘target market’ means here: (LINK). Without customers you don’t have a business, that’s why it’s important to keep your target market in mind when making a decision. Try to put yourself in your potential customer’s shoes and think; “What would I want?”.
- Don’t Rely On One Or Two Methods –
To put it bluntly, if you just have one or two Marketing techniques then it won’t get you anywhere. Marketing is a collection of different activities/techniques to achieve that same target market, do your research and look at what methods will benefit your business and field. If you are completely dumbfounded at the thought of marketing and don’t know what’s best or where to start then that’s where we come in!
- Staff Accountability –
It may seem daunting at first, especially as a director, it’s easy to be afraid of something you don’t understand. There’s always an option to hire a Marketing Director but if you do don’t just trust them to get on with it, you will need to make sure you scrutinise their strategy.
The thing directors always forget is that these are the people who are providing your sales staff leads to sell off. Just like your sales staff- if they don’t perform they should be replaced. It is the same as the marketing team. Also as a startup, you don’t need a CMO. You need someone who can load HootSuite and can get their hands dirty. make sure you hire the right people, who understand your aims and your target market. These are the people who need to understand your target market and customer better than anyone else in the business.
- Analyse Your Data –
Always keep analysing your data and results, this way you can see what’s doing particularly well (what you’re doing right) and also realise what needs improving.
Look at sales data as well as data from the ads you are making. Always question your target market and be prodding to see if your target market is the people actually buying. Always keep track of everything.
- Testing –
Play around with your model/strategy. Don’t be afraid to try new things and always be reviewing and analysing your data. Play and have a small financial gamble in your budget on strange target markets etc.
- Imagery –
Sounds cliche but, a picture says a thousand words. Imagery is crucial in any type of business, it affects all areas as it is used to draw people in. It doesn’t matter what you sell. An image will do the work for you more than any text. Just make sure it is the right image for your Target Market.
- SEO –
Video and Content – SEO is king. This refers to your ranking on popular search engines, you can read more about what SEO is here: (LINK). Just like this article, ask questions Google can answer. Create videos, content, be different from the others.
- Grow a Social Media Following –
Social media isn’t ALL marketing, but it definitely helps. Make sure you understand all elements of Social Media and ensure you know how to use it well, especially if you are aren’t ‘down with the kids’ as they say. I’m not talking about bombarding your audience with Tweets and messages every second, but use it to create a community, not a sales network. It is not about direct sales. It is about the power that the crowd gives you to make sales.
- Variation –
Always stick to what is winning, you may even dabble in a new target market here or there and see what happens. Nothing hugely detrimental or desperate, but small little things and once off with a small budget now and again may surprise you.
- Think out of the box –
There are too many people who are square. Think big. Stay creative and take small gambles, play around with different methods and ideas.
If you hire a consultancy like us, we can do all of this for you. Just be careful, there are plenty of people out there who will say they can do what you want to hear. At acceler8me we take the time to understand you and your company to every detail, we put ourselves in your shoes and do everything we can to get your company off the ground as if it were our own.
Looking forward to hearing from you and getting started.
Brad Channer,
Director, Acceler8me.