It’s that time of year again; a chance for businesses to review the year just gone, look forward to the year ahead and start setting new goals and targets for the next 12 months.
The trouble is, if the same old issues around drumming up new business remain and you’ve no new strategy in place to overcome them, the likelihood of you achieving better results this year is slim to none.
When you’re on the perennial quest for more business, the new year can feel a bit like Groundhog Day; the over-arching problems continue to exist while the challenge of overcoming them feels ever insurmountable.
Perhaps then it’s time to make some changes?
Shaking up your marketing strategy and taking a new approach isn’t always easy, yet it doesn’t have to be painful. More often than not it just takes a bit of courage to take those first steps, along with the right kind of marketing advice that delivers the outcomes you’re actually looking for….not those that just talk the talk!
Let’s cut to the chase
If you’re trying to make real changes in your business you should be prepared to take some direct and honest feedback.
Of course, it might not always be easy to hear, but without some straight-talking you won’t get what you want to out of your marketing, whether that’s increased sales, bigger customer reach, heightened engagement or all of the above!
When you think about it there are endless companies and individuals that will willingly offer you marketing advice for a fee. Yet the quality of that advice (and indeed the results you can expect to see) will differ wildly. Every marketing professional will tell you that they have the answer, but sifting out the useful guidance from the sales talk isn’t always easy.
Be wary of trying to kill two birds with one stone; the person that is building your website may not be the person best placed to offer advice across your entire marketing strategy. When I work with clients they are paying for my knowledge, wisdom and experience, not my website building skills, so that is what I will deliver…albeit very honestly!
What might that advice look like?
Well, first of all if you’re only being told what you want to hear, that’s an immediate red flag. Being able to get to the heart of what isn’t working in a business and establishing where things are going wrong can be challenging, but also necessary if you want to move forward and make some real changes.
Without heeding that advice and doing things a little differently, the chances are come next January you’ll be in exactly the same position, dealing with the same issues and still on that perennial quest for more business.
Why a holistic approach works
It’s no new concept but when it comes to marketing, messaging is key. And when we talk about messaging, it’s targeted messaging that really makes the difference.
While that may seem obvious, you’d be surprised at how many businesses get this wrong from the outset. If you want to win more business, both targeting and reach need to be hitting the mark.
How you build that reach may vary – You’ll probably need to pay for a better reach, or you may be doing enough to generate a wide-enough audience already – but either way it won’t be effective unless you have the right targeted messaging in place too, and the same applies vice versa.
If you’ve been approaching your marketing in a non-holistic way, then this may well be where you’ve been going wrong.
It’s not uncommon for instance, to see a business plough a lot of their marketing budget into developing a really impressive website and then wonder why they aren’t seeing any more sales.
A beautifully designed website just isn’t enough – think of it as having an incredibly inspiring shop front without any quality goods inside. And without the right messaging on your website, along with links to content that serve to further demonstrate your knowledge and expertise, the only purpose your website really has for your business is to sit there and look pretty.
Of course, what it is you’re selling and who you are selling to matters hugely as well. If yours is a niche or high-end service such as consultancy, the way you market your business and the areas you focus on will be different to a supplier selling a tangible product, for example.
Your marketing strategy needs to reflect this. You need to focus on nurturing your customer relationships over time. You’ll want to build trust and reputation in your brand by ensuring that every touchpoint you have with potential customers is positive and actively reaffirms the notion that they should invest in your service.
A couple of other thoughts
I’ve used the word ‘messaging’ a few times. What does that really mean? Think about a room full of people. What words do you need to say to them, so they respond by saying: “That sounds interesting, please tell me more”. It’s NEVER, “we’re really passionate about what we do here at ABC Marketing”. And anyone that claims to me “Results – driven”, well who isn’t results-driven? Even my 5 year old is ‘results-driven’ when he cycles to school!
And perhaps most importantly, you’d be wise to remember that your marketing is never about you, it’s about your customers!
So, where does that leave you? Well, first of all it all begins with a conversation, and about me understanding more about your business and your challenges.
If you’d like a chat to discuss your current marketing needs and struggles, please do get in touch – there’s no obligation of course and I’d welcome an opportunity to talk with you.
