We do a lot of investigating and contemplating BEFORE we begin working with a new client. By doing so, we believe we are living our motto of “Work Smarter, Not Harder.” Trust us, we work plenty hard, it’s just that we really want to make sure we work smart… to ensure an efficient use of our time and your money, and more importantly, that we get it done right the first time.
While we are creative specialists and execute custom websites, logos, email marketing and a variety of other deliverables; we’re also strategic thinkers who are interested in moving our client’s business forward. So we love to put together a marketing plan to drive the work and measure results.
A well thought out marketing plan has both strategy and tactics, and sometimes there is confusion over the difference. Think of strategy as a road map telling you where you want to go. The strategy can and should be ambitious, but must be realistic. Many considerations are examined before writing a strategy. We look at your competitive position, trends in your industry, target audience (what that target audience desires)…as it’s equally important, and then we measure if what we are aiming for is achievable with your current brand image and tactics.
The two must line up -as you can’t give what you don’t have. Below are a few steps you can take to start taking a realistic inventory of your business…
- Perform a SWOT analysis. (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ) Again, you need to know where you are before deciding on a plan to get you where you want to go.
- Do industry research and market research to develop a thorough understanding of your company’s business environment. Oftentimes clients are so busy with their own business that they do not make it a priority to know their competitors. NEVER underestimate the power of your competitors on your bottom line.
- Identify and prioritize the main opportunities and threats. Often when clients commit to the discipline of taking a good hard look, there are multiple areas to fix, correct, and take advantage of. Don’t get overwhelmed. Prioritize, then act. Often we do a Phase one, two and three with our clients.
- Shore up what is right in front of you. Take care of every opportunity (low hanging fruit) that will not require immediate heavy lifting.
Now it’s time for tactics. They are designed as action steps to get you moving forward on the strategy road map. Tactics are tasks that are designed to improve your market position. We do this in a multitude of ways… by communicating your brand’s unique selling proposition or
USP (what makes you different) and conveying the new, improved brand image. Also, maybe through developing stronger relationships with customers via data base building and email marketing, or a social media campaign. The timing of tactics is also very important. You want to maintain a presence with a variety of outlets and executions to keep your brand top of mind to the consumer.
In a nutshell, strategic marketing is the idea. Tactical marketing is the action. And both are essential to move your business forward.
We’d love to help you with a “Quick Look” basic proposal, or create a detailed marketing plan filled with strategies and tactics to take your business to the next level. Contact us and let’s get started.