Whether you’re a first-time entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, understanding the role of marketing can be a game-changer for your growth and longevity. Of course we’re biased, but we’ve also seen marketing keep businesses open and close them. We see marketing is everything to the business, but let me explain.
First and foremost, marketing is an investment, not an expense. Yes, it will be a line item, but a staple. Marketing keeps the doors open with paying clients. The activities keep everything humming.
If you’re not actively investing in your marketing efforts, your business risks becoming irrelevant, and your business model will no longer work. While it might feel uncomfortable (not impossible), marketing is necessary if you want to maintain brand health, nurture your audience, remain competitive, and bring in customers to pay your bills.
Let’s start with how it begins, creating awareness.
Brand Awareness
Brand awareness is at the top of the marketing AIDA funnel. Before people can buy from you, they need to know you exist. An impactful marketing strategy helps you show up where your customers are, using tactics to connect with people online, in person, or through strategic partnerships.
This is how they get to know you.
Engagement & Communication
Your marketing won’t be about flashy ads for them to learn more about you. You must build relationships that fit your budget, resources, and personality.
Businesses can create meaningful interactions with their audience through social media, email, blogs, and SEO. Keep in mind, this is a process and takes time. I emphasize the importance of strategy over tactics. While tactics may give you quick wins, a solid strategy ensures sustainable growth. Engagement keeps your brand top of mind and builds customer loyalty.
This leads to speaking to the prospect and making them feel acknowledged, seen, and respected.
Personalization
Today’s consumers expect more than generic messages. They want a personalized approach and content that speaks directly to their needs. Customized email campaigns or targeted social media ads create a one-on-one connection with your audience. More businesses can use tools like A/B testing to determine what resonates most.
This gets them to like and trust you.
However, not all strategies will work as a copy and paste. There are different ways to engage your desired client avatar.
Marketing Strategies
Having a marketing strategy, not just a collection of random actions will be paramount to your success. Your strategy should align with your business goals and customer personas. Whether you’re targeting other businesses (B2B) or direct consumers (B2C), your strategy helps keep your efforts focused and measurable.
All strategies should be rooted in using data through analytics.
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Marketing analytics provide the data needed to make smart, informed decisions. ROI (return on investment) isn’t immediate, but tracking performance over time helps you fine-tune your efforts and get the most out of your budget. The data helps you know what’s working, what’s not, and where to go next.
We’d be honored to help you. If you need help, reach out to the experts who live and breathe it every day. Don’t do this alone. Marketing is hard, which is why it’s everything.