Former British prime minister Winston Churchill (1874–1965) once said, “Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential.”
I like to apply this advice to selling and advertising best practices. The job of making your strategic marketing plans becomes more straight-forward and manageable (not to mention, far less daunting) when you think of this blueprint as an evolving guide for making decisions, developing campaigns, and budgeting for resources.
I like to apply this advice to selling and advertising best practices. The job of making your strategic marketing plans becomes more straight-forward and manageable (not to mention, far less daunting) when you think of this blueprint as an evolving guide for making decisions, developing campaigns, and budgeting for resources.
TIP: Be agile but keep the big picture in mind when planning. You’ll find it’s easier to stay on track, see growth, and ensure ROI despite unpredictability.
Why marketing online is so important
It’s critical to keep up with the times and be flexible in an ever-changing business environment. Do your current marketing strategies line-up with how people are buying today? What are you planning for 2018 to do a better job meeting your qualified prospects where they are? (Hint: They are online. A lot.)In today’s digital age, it’s a challenge to advance your business without a robust online presence. Intrusive traditional marketing tactics, like cold calls, just aren’t as effective. Digital marketing is no longer optional for any company serious about making gains. 96% of Americans shop online, and most spend over five hours daily using their smartphones and tablets.
Digital marketing is no longer optional for any company serious about making gains.Tweet thisUse your strategic marketing efforts to reach them where they’re spending the most time. Your target customers are asking questions online every day. Does your website answer them? Are you sure?
Think about the last time you searched for an answer to a problem online. Did you use Google to search for a solution by name or did you ask Alexa or Siri for the answer to a question? Don’t miss this opportunity. With upfront strategic planning and by following digital marketing best practices, you can make the most of every click.
It’s time to plan for success
The end of a calendar year is a great period to look back. And, it’s also when I like to start looking ahead and jump-start strategic planning for TBH Creative and our clients. You’ll find that outlining goals and documenting priorities will not only help with budget planning but it will also can also keep everyone focused. Win-win!Here are eight ideas to help focus your planning:
1. Know your numbers.
Scrutinizing data to find when you were successful (and when you weren’t) helps when planning future campaigns. Make evaluating your existing efforts and reviewing sales and marketing data part of your planning process and use it to determine what worked and what didn’t.2. Know your audience.
What information do your customers need? If you don’t know enough about your potential customers, you’ll struggle with creating relevant content. Really get to know their needs and goals inside and out. What does their buyer journey look like? What are some other organic ways that you can harness the web to build awareness about your products or services? What can you do to be there when potential customers need you?If you don’t know enough about your potential customers, you’ll struggle with creating relevant content.Tweet this
3. Know your content.
Content is king. That cliché stands the test of time for good reason. Content helps attract potential customers, drives traffic to your website, and improves your SEO. What high-quality content do you have that can be shared right now with distinct target audiences? What kind of content do you need to create?4. Know your competition.
It never hurts to spy on the other guys. It is important to regularly keep up with what your competition is doing. What are they saying? How are they communicating (and where)? What are they doing well? What can you do better to stand out?5. Know your goals.
You’ve got to understand your goal if you want to have any chance to hit it. And, to reach the goal, you’ll need to define what that success looks like. Is it the number of leads in a month or the number of leads that turns into sales? Implement SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-sensitive.You’ve got to understand your goal if you want to have any chance to hit it.Tweet this
6. Know you’re not alone.
Marketing trends and tactics are ever-changing. If you can, partner with experts who stay in the know and understand how to best implement them (and when). If you’re ready to talk, let me know. Look for a free time in your schedule, and use this simple form set-up a free consultation.7. Know your limitations.
Allocate time and resources for working on your 2018 digital marketing plan. Determine when and if you’ll need additional assistance or resources.8. Know your budget.
Produce estimates and be sure to consider budget information if you’ll need to hire help to make your plans happen or staff time if you’re planning to do your digital marketing work in house. You can later use these expense estimates to determine the value of your results.TIP: Starting your strategic marketing plan doesn’t have to be complicated.
A quick guide for getting started
PART 1:
- Itemize your current efforts (and analyze effectiveness)
- Look at what your competition is doing
- Set your goals and determine what success will look like
PART 2:
- How are you going to get there?
- What are you going to do?
- What additional resources, if any, do you need?
Build your strategic marketing plan now
Strategy is basically just thinking about why you’re doing something before you do it. And, being strategic with your thinking results in solid planning which enables you to attract, convert, close a deal, and delight your target customers. If you get to work now on your 2018 strategic marketing plans, you’ll have time to really figure out a blueprint that works for your entire funnel and helps grow your business over time.Be strategic in 2018 to attract, convert, close a deal, & delight your target customers.Tweet thisDon’t get left behind. Your competition’s marketing team is developing a strategic plan to target the same customers as you. Now is the time to start thinking about the best goals for your company, and how you’ll get there.
Strategic marketing takes time to build, but sometimes you’ll have a good idea that is quick and easy to execute. If you’re overwhelmed and this feels like a lot to accomplish before the first of the new year, consider another piece of advice from Churchill: “Never, never, never give up.” You don’t have to go it alone.
TBH Creative’s team has the expertise to help you with campaigns both big and small and figure out how it all fits together. I want to help you get started.
How we can help you get more from your marketing in 2018? Let’s talk
