In November’s blog post, 2017 Marketing Strategy Planning: Begin With Analysis, we recommended you start your planning for next year’s marketing efforts by reviewing what worked and what did not work in 2016. Now that you have completed that step, you can move toward planning your goals and activities for 2017.

Setting Goals:

Goal setting is more than figuring out what sales or profit level you are hoping to achieve. To attain those plans, you have to know the tactics that will bring you there. Do you want to increase leads, attendance at your events or memberships? Do you want to sell more of a particular product? Do you want to launch a new product or service? Knowing how you are meant to achieve those sales goals will help drive your marketing efforts.

Target Markets and Messaging:

From your review of last year’s efforts, did you discover that you are targeting the correct customer base and sending them a message that leads them to convert? If you are not achieving the results you hoped for it may be worthwhile to make some tweaks to your target market and how you approach them.

Crafting a Multi-Channel Approach to Marketing:

Once you have a clear understanding of who you are talking to and what you need to be saying in you marketing efforts, it is time to analyze where your brand should be to reach your target market. A common mistake many business owners make is relying on one channel, or communication outlet, to promote their brand. The fact is that you will be very lucky if your customer is looking at and ready to hear your message at the exact moment you put it out there. People need anywhere from 7-11 “touches” before they convert into customers. Relying on singular efforts in one place will not get you to that required number of touch-points.

Regardless of what you may think, people receive information from many more sources other than the internet. While the web is an important aspect of communicating with your target market, their eyes are also on other places, like a local newspaper, advertising at an event, brochures and flyers, signage and direct mail. By placing your brand message in many of those places, you are on your way to converting your target market into paying customers.

Elements of a Multi-Channel Marketing Strategy:

Digital: (websites, social media, PPC, SEO) – The 100-pound gorilla in marketing channels, digital spaces are powerful ways to reach your target market. Your website and social media profiles are great opportunities to share information and offer reasons to do business with you. Search engine optimization (SEO) and digital advertising (e.g., pay-per-click) efforts help drive traffic to your digital storefronts, increasing their effectiveness. However, if you ignore your social media accounts or have an out-of-date website, these efforts will be wasted since you will not be offering your clients a positive experience with your brand.

Print: (local newspapers, magazines, trade journals, buying guides) – Print is not dead. Indeed, hyper-local newspapers are growing as people look for robust outlets for community news. In addition, trade journals, buying guides and glossy magazines still end up in people’s homes and offices, offering your business another opportunity to reach your target market.

Collateral: (signs, flyers, tri-folds, business cards) – Your target market does more than sit in front of their computers or peruse the internet on their phone. They are out in the world, driving around, shopping in stores, meeting their friends and family at restaurants, and attending events. A well-placed sign or banner is a great opportunity to grow brand recognition. Having a piece of collateral or even a business card to leave behind at a lead call or at a networking event can help keep your business top of mind.

PR: Public relations is a particularly powerful messaging tool because it usually means your brand is being highlighted by another trusted source. Target media outlets that your customers use and create relationships with the editors and content creators. Remember, just because you think it is important does not mean the media will agree. You must give them information that will be of value to their readers, viewers or listeners.

Broadcast: (TV, radio, videos, podcasts) – With the growing popularity of streaming services and podcasts, traditional advertising on radio and TV is changing. If you are considering these channels, make sure to look into opportunities on spaces like Hulu and Spotify too. The growth of do-it-yourself video and podcasting offers businesses a unique way to reach their audience. Facebook rewards natively posted videos in their news feed algorithm, making well-made videos a powerful social engagement tool.

Direct Mail: During the recession, our mailboxes emptied out, increasing the impact of direct mail campaigns. Now that the economy is on the mend, our mail is becoming noisy again. Crafting highly targeted campaigns will be the key to the success of direct mail, sending postcards, letters, brochures and catalogs to appropriate people with appropriate messages.

Networking & Strategic Partnerships: These days, marketing campaigns are focused on creating relationships with your customers. In-person interactions are particularly powerful, as long as you make a good impression! You never know where your customers will come from, so as a business you must always be on. Every interaction a person has with your company feeds their impression of your brand. This means you are always networking, whether at a formal event or at a neighborhood get-together. Everyone in your organization is part of your marketing department; it is imperative they understand how to represent your brand out in the world.

Aligning your business with strategic partners who can refer their customers to you is another personal relationship that can grow your business. Do not expect another organization to refer to you out of the goodness of their heart however. Just like your customers, you must offer value to your strategic partners.

By setting clear goals, understanding your target market, creating clear messaging, and using many channels as are appropriate for your customer base and your budget are the keys to successful marketing. If you need assistance in crafting a robust marketing plan for 2017, reach out to us! We’d be honored to help.