9 Steps For Building A Successful Marketing Strategy

Building a successful marketing strategy requires knowing your customer and knowing your market. If you started the year with a plan, is it meeting your goals?

If not, these steps can help get you back!

A successful marketing strategy isn’t out of reach. Given you have the time to spend focusing on this aspect of your business, you can have a marketing strategy in place that works for you!

Step 1: Audit Your Current Marketing Plan

Take a look at what you are currently doing. Is it working? Does your current strategy track your KPIs (key performance indicators)? If not, there is no better time than today to get your plan in order and put it to work for you.

Step 2: Set SMART Goals

Once you’ve evaluated your existing strategy, it’s time to set SMART goals. These Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely goals will help you decide what you want to accomplish and design a plan to get you there. Be sure to make them challenging but achievable.

Step 3: Determine Your Budget

An excellent approach to apply to your marketing budget is to determine the average direct cost to your company of acquiring a new customer. Then look at how many new customers you hope to attract this year. Your annual marketing budget should be based on this calculation.

Step 4: Identify Your Selling Points

What’s your USP? Your company’s USP (unique selling proposition) differentiates you from your competition. How are you unique? The answer will be the way you target customers who want what you have for sale.

Step 5: Identify Your Customers and Their Needs

Get to know your customer persona. Who is your customer? Why do they need your product? Answering these questions correctly will help you target your marketing strategy to reach an audience most interested in your product or service.

Step 6: Evaluate Competitor Strategy

Do your main competitors have a popular e-newsletter? Do they offer a discount to new customers? If there are areas where they are succeeding, those may also be areas where you can improve.

The idea is not to copy the competition but to compete for the attention of your target audience.

Step 7: Determine Your Marketing Methods

How will you reach your audience? Will you use a social media platform, or will a blog get more attention? Determine where your target customer can be reached and how to best communicate with them.

Step 8: Audit Your Website

Keeping your website current is critical, so periodically, you should do a thorough audit. Use analytics to archive content that isn’t performing, optimize landing pages, and make sure everything your customer needs is easy to find.

Step 9: Map Out Your Plan

Now that you have decided where you want to be, map out the specific strategy that will take your company there. Use monthly, quarterly, and annual goals and measure results, and stay on track.

Remember, your marketing strategy is only useful if you reevaluate it often to take advantage of what works and eliminate areas that don’t produce or convert leads.

Building a successful marketing strategy takes time. Certified ActionCOACH Sheles Wallace can help you craft a plan that will attract customers and grow your business.

Contact Sheles for a free consultation today!

About the author, Sheles Wallace

Sheles is an award-winning business coach who gets results for her clients.

For over 15 years, she has helped business owners achieve their goals and

take their businesses to the next level. If you're ready to take the next

step in your business evolution and go from an owner who wears all hats to

creating a commercial, profitable enterprise that runs without you, find out

more here: https://calendly.com/sheles/introduction