Why All The Marketing In The World Won’t Work If You Don’t Have A Strategy

From the world’s best directory to the next great social media channel, everyone out there is trying to get your attention. They’re all making big promises and broad statements but so far, your plans to launch your product or service are falling flat.

With so many options out there today, the average marketer really is spoilt for choice. In fact, the innumerable options can be your downfall if you don’t know how to use them.

So just how do you stop wasting your time, and money, and ensure you get results from your marketing efforts?

First, let’s get these two major misconceptions out of the way:

1. Your brand needs to be everywhere at the same time

It’s neither practical nor affordable for the vast majority of business out there, so why spread yourself thin?
Focus your efforts where they matter most (more on this later).

2. One quick fix channel will give you overnight success

No website or social media channel is the elixir you’ve been waiting for. It’s how you utilise your tools that will see you on your way to success.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, you can probably see that it’s the strategy or plan of action that will get you from your current state, to your desired state.

So exactly how do you put it all together?

What’s your vision?

Start at the end. Think about where you want to end up. Yes, it all starts with a vision. That’s all you need to begin. After that, you can disseminate how you’ll get there. If your marketing efforts have failed and you’re demotivated right now, you may have to search deep to regain that enthusiasm and drive.

Who needs what you have?

Rather than dilute your efforts to get to everyone, hone in on your target market. Sure, it’s possible that everyone out there is a potential customer, but first you need to identify your niche. Get under your ideal customer’s skin; understand what motivates their behaviour. Then appeal to that motivation through your messaging and call to action.

Who are you and what do you stand for?

Your strategic approach needs to ensure that your brand is the solution to your target audience’s problem/s. Your visual identity, messaging and media placements all need to speak to this objective. Reiterate this identity at every opportunity: on your advertising, through your public relations channels, on your social media channels and website. Make sure your messaging and visual identity is consistent.

Your brand is only the solution to your target audiences problems

Use strategic messaging to make value-based messages that address your target audience’s problems. Ensure these messages are visible in places that your audience is most active. What are the problems you can solve? Where would your audience go to solve their problems? Who would they turn to for advice or insight? How do you turn this into annuity income? The answers to these questions will tell you where your brand needs to be.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do …

Keep it simple and stick to the basics.
Follow a proven structure. Start with something that works, and don’t hedge your bets on anything that hasn’t been tested; it’s a gamble. Don’t have a proven strategy to follow? Download our marketing strategy e-book.
Differentiate between working in and on your business. Invest the time in devising the best strategy to get you to your desired state,
Know when to invest in professional or third arty advice. You can’t do everything yourself. When used effectively, strategic partnerships can springboard you to faster success.

Don’t …

Make the mistake of trying to do everything at once. Take your strategy one step at a time.
Make the mistake of doing everything yourself. Stick to what you are best at. Know when to ask for help, and when a task is outside of your area of expertise. Find an expert for those things.
Think that cheaper is always better. Do things properly; if it means you have to go slower to do things right, trust that instinct.

More about Saltwater Collective

Elevating brands to their full potential. That’s our thing. And for your brand to achieve its full potential, you need to attract the right customers… and plenty of them. That’s where we come in. Through integrated expertise across strategy, creative and digital, we translate visionary business ideas into meaningful marketing. Ready to dive in? Join us here >> www.saltwatercollective.com.au