Watch this week’s Duct Tape and Popsicle Sticks video: “Marketing Starts With a Plan”

In our experience running a marketing company, we have witnessed many of the same marketing mistakes again and again. Businesses will jump in and just “try something”. It could be anything from paid ads, radio or TV ads, social media (organic or paid), email marketing, new website, or a bunch of other things. However, just like every other aspect of your business, we want you to have a strategy for your marketing. Yes, we most definitely understand that there is some experimentation with marketing. But even that should not be done without a strategic marketing plan. Without a plan, you’ll never achieve the marketing results that you are looking for.

Create a process and strategy

It doesn’t have to be complicated. There is simply a process that we encourage you to go through before making any decisions about specific marketing tactics.

1. Determine why anyone should care about your business. What is the advantage to them for doing business with you? What unique experience can you provide them?
2. Ask yourself “are we any better/different than our competitors”? It’s easy to fall back on the old cliches like “we provide great customer service” or “we’re a family owned business” or “we’ve been in business for 20 years”. Frankly, nobody cares about that. This can be challenging to truthfully ask yourself if you are, in fact, a better choice than your competitors.
3. Determine who you provide your products or services to and why. Don’t gloss over this part. You might already believe that you thoroughly understand your customers and why they work with you. Take a deeper look into who your customers actually are and why they buy from you.
4. Continually put yourself in the shoes of your customer. What are their fears, concerns, and worries? Speak specifically to them. Answer all of their questions and concerns. Create your message around this.
5. Then and only then, decide on the tactics you will use and why, ie, new website, social, paid, etc.
6. Execute extremely well.

Create a process and strategy for your marketing efforts. You’ll get far better results.

We’re always here to answer your questions or assist you with your marketing.

Recent article: Create an Affinity For Your Business

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E Circle Marketing is a digital marketing agency in Manchester, CT that offers a variety of digital marketing services to small businesses