Have you got the Marketing basic requirements?
When looking at what marketing channel is best for your brand, there is no simple solution – there is no one size fits all as all brands are different, your products or services vary depending on your USP, your target audience will be different – albeit you will have a similar audience to a direct competitor – your budget will determine what activity you can execute and your presence in the market, plus there is the added level of complexity which is determined by your competitors… their prices, their availability, their promotional activity, their marketing budget… and so on… all these can affect your marketing campaigns performance, and whether they are successful or not
It doesn’t have to be rocket science - There are some fundamental basics that are guiding principles that need to be adhered to however and these are practical & sensible guidelines to ensure you maintain good standards and assist in getting the best results for your Marketing budget:
1. Understand your Target Audience
Identify your target audience and their preferences – what makes them your Target audience? Why do they want to spend their money with you? This knowledge will help you determine which marketing channels are most effective in reaching and engaging your target market.
2. Selection of marketing channels
Once you know your target audience, you can choose the appropriate marketing channels to reach them…. Are they on social media (for example) – if they are is it likely to be Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or You Tube? If your strategy focus on Acquisition? Brand Awareness? Or is retention and repeat purchasers essential to your success? Each Marketing channel can impact different parts of the Marketing funnel and influence activity and needs to be shaped to achieve your business goals and targets
3. Integration of channels
Rather than relying on a single marketing channel, it's often beneficial to integrate multiple channels. For example, you can combine online and offline channels to create a cohesive and consistent brand experience. This could involve running social media campaigns that direct users to your website or using QR codes on print materials to drive traffic to online platforms.
4. Consistent messaging and branding
Regardless of the marketing channels you choose, it's essential to maintain a consistent message and branding across all channels. This consistency helps reinforce your brand identity and creates a unified customer experience. Be instantly recognisable at all touchpoints with your customers – and this includes your tone of voice and definitely the look & feel of your brand. If you are a premium brand – keep it premium!
5. Measure and optimize
To ensure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and to make sure your marketing spend is being used efficiently, it's crucial to track and measure the performance of each channel…. Understand what your ROI is and create an understanding of “what good looks like” for your Brand - Use analytics tools and metrics to evaluate the success of your campaigns, identify areas for improvement, and optimize your marketing strategies accordingly. If something isn’t working and isn’t delivery a healthy ROI… then STOP doing it and focus your time & effort on areas of success
6. Adapt and be flexible
Your Customer and your Marketing channels are constantly evolving,. Be willing to adapt your marketing mix and incorporate new channels or modify existing ones to keep up with changes in consumer behaviour and preferences. A great simple example here is for a retailer who has sold out of their Best Sellers… you need to adapt your activity accordingly… what is your next best seller and how are you going to promote it to your audience? Does the weather impact your performance, or seasonality?
and lastly...
7. Have a plan
Planning is often brushed aside, yet the biggest impact on your marketing activities performance can be “how well have you planned?” – there is nothing more fretful than the thought of needing to create a Social Media post in a rush… plan ahead for at least a few weeks – this will enable you to build a clear story for your customer and (at least) create some cohesion in your activity. Have a campaign planner so you can clearly map out your activity as it will help you review and shape what you need to do plus help manage your workload and time needed on each marketing channel to execute the activity
By strategically selecting and integrating different marketing channels businesses can create a holistic and joined-up marketing approach that reaches their target customer through a variety of touchpoints with the aim of maximising brand exposure - and drives desired outcomes such as increased Brand awareness, improved customer engagement, and ultimately…sales.
Need to discuss your Marketing fundamentals? If you feel that they are more complex than you think they need to be then, get in touch and let's chat