How to market your business. In today’s highly competitive marketplace, the importance of constructing a trustworthy and commercially viable marketing strategy has been a matter of extensive discussion, given the variety of touch points and customer interactions you need to consider. When we start crafting a marketing strategy for our brands, our first step is always to lay down meaningful foundations. These foundational elements serve as the guidelines for all future activities.
As we progress, all marketing efforts must be filtered through these basic principles. While these guidelines may change to accommodate business growth or during peak seasons, these foundations are what will ultimately drive the success of all strategic efforts.
Here are some key points to consider when creating a comprehensive marketing strategy for your business.
1. Understand your customer base.
While acquiring new customers often takes precedence, it’s essential to remember that re-engaging existing customers usually requires less effort. Both new and existing customers should be considered in your marketing efforts. Tailor your communication strategies to meet the needs and preferences of both groups. Brands with a larger percentage of returning customers tend to experience long-term success. These returning customers are a valuable asset to business growth and, at times, should be prioritised over attracting new customers.
2. Embrace the 360-degree customer journey.
A robust marketing strategy should incorporate a variety of touch points and customer journey experiences. Don’t place all your eggs in one basket by relying on a single platform or approach to provide a comprehensive view of your business. Some marketing initiatives like PR can serve to increase brand visibility, while email automations can nurture warm leads into becoming loyal, returning customers. Creating engaging content on social media can help you foster a devoted following, while pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can retarget visitors who have previously visited your website, facilitating their first brand conversion. It’s essential to develop a comprehensive strategy that outlines multiple avenues to capture, nurture, and convert potential customers.
3. Ensure consistent and on-brand messaging.
Even though marketing efforts span a variety of platforms and initiatives, each touch point should resonate with your brand and contribute to the overarching message. This consistency in branding and messaging builds customer confidence and trust, regardless of where they interact with your brand. Each area may have different business goals, but they should all align with the same brand narrative, which is the very foundation of the business.
4. Consistency is key to building trust and authority.
Your brand’s behaviour is equally as important as its actions. While elements like high-quality photography, engaging content, and a user-friendly website are crucial, they are ineffective without consistently connecting with your audience. This consistent connection fosters trust in your brand.
If you commit to an initiative, follow through with it. Avoid risking customer disappointment by over-promising and under-delivering. For instance, do not commit to a weekly newsletter if you can’t maintain it after six weeks. Don’t offer free delivery or returns if you need to revoke it in the long term. Avoid promising weekly offers, support, tips, or products if you can’t sustain them. Instead, aim for consistency that your audience can depend on.
5. Prioritise authenticity.
Finally, your marketing efforts need to feel authentic – there should always be a compelling reason for customers to choose your brand over the competition. Gaining a deep understanding of why your customers choose to shop with you will enable you to attract a wider audience and grow your customer base.
By adopting these five intentional frameworks in your marketing strategy, you will be laying a solid foundation for your business. This approach will not only allow you to create a strategy that resonates with your target audience but also provides a flexible roadmap that can adapt and grow with your business. As your brand develops and evolves, these frameworks will guide your marketing efforts, ensuring they remain effective and aligned with your changing business needs.