Today was our first marketing workshop and I always love watching the cogs turn as people think up new ideas and strategies as they absorb the presentation.
An effective marketing strategy can be the holy grail of any business, whether you’re a small start up with a budget for no more than a little Facebook flutter or a multi-million brand with a national campaign to execute. I always say a marketing strategy is the difference between a business and a hobby – no-one will invest in a business which doesn’t have one. And one that does what it’s supposed to. An ineffective marketing strategy tells a potential investor you’re not ready to take your business beyond your laptop.
Marketing can be seen as something of a ‘dark art’ – something clever clogs in designer suits and maverick trainers are paid lots of money to execute. The only reason for this is that people a) don’t have a clear brand identity and b) don’t understand their target market. Once you’ve established a brand identity which is exclusively yours, the market positioning should be organic: your Unique Selling Point is what drives that brand identity (ie. I’m a family owned business and so my brand feels quite homely, unlike all the corporate giants I’m competing with). Don’t even consider marketing until you are absolutely certain of your brand identity. And be comfortable with it: although it may evolve over time, it’s expensive and confusing to rebrand before you’ve even really got off the ground.
So you know who you are, where you sit in the market and what your USP is. You even have a pretty logo to prove it. Now you need to identify who you’re marketing too. And don’t say ‘everyone’. You may have one target market, you may have 10 but each one is unique and may need targeting differently. Prioritise. And treat each target market separately. What are they reading? What technological devices are they using? Where are they hanging out?
The marketing landscape has changed beyond all recognition over the past 15 years. Our customers are marketing savvy: they sold half their furniture on eBay, everyone they’ve ever met follows them on Twitter and they market themselves through selfies (carefully filtered through flattering lighting effects, of course). They know they can force your hand for a refund through Twitter or increase your foot fall considerably by sharing your voucher on Facebook. They are greedy for content for their devices and come with a set of demands that would make Mariah Carey blush: make my life easier, save me money, make me feel part of whatever trend is doing the rounds and make me feel special. It’s not much to ask, is it?
To meet those demands effectively for your business, join us for a workshop. You might find turning those cogs is where it all begins.
Posted on: 25th Jan 2015
