The Secret To a Successful Marketing Strategy

As a business marketing is something you do every day. Every piece of contact that you have with your customers, every promotion you provide and every up-sale you and your staff make... It is all marketing, all driving you towards increased sales. 

So why do you need a formal plan? The reason... quite simply... is to keep you right. To show you that you have a plan. To give you actions that will provide increased sales. It is the road that you are going to follow to grow your business and satisfy customers.

So what are the areas that need to be considered in order to make the strategy a success? 

The secret to a successful marketing strategy comes in four key parts...

1. Align your marketing with your company vision

You are going to rule the world. Beat the rest of your competitors. But does your marketing plan reflect this. Rule the world step 1- set your sights on the finish line. Rule the world step 2 - make sure your marketing is the set of actions that are going to get you there victoriously. Joining the two areas is the starting point to make you and your business unstoppable.

2. Understand what success looks like to you 

So that finish line... what does that look like for your business?? Is it a relay where you and your team have multiple finish lines or that ultimate marathon where your finish line is the long term vision. No matter what it looks like, it is vital that you identify what the finish line and success looks like to you. This allows you to set realistic targets around the marketing that is going to make you a success.

3. Have a clear outline of your target market 

This target market are going to be the ones that decide whether or not you are a success or not. How you satisfy their needs will be the defining factor of success and marketing is your helping hand. By understanding each customer profile and what it is that they expect from your brand will allow you to tailor and customise all forms of communication that these friends of your business receive. 

4. Know what you are going to do to attract more customers 

Once you are clear on your vision, success criteria and target market it is time to get down to the nitty gritty... How are you going to attract more customers with your marketing? This is the part where your strategy takes shape. Think about the who, what, where, why, when and how for each campaign and make sure that you are continuously analysing and adapting your strategy to tailor for your customer needs.