5 Marketing Must-Haves
I have spent the last 20 years working with over 500 marketing departments from nearly every industry, from the small mom-and-pop businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Those marketing budgets ranged from $25,000 to $180,000,000 per year. And I can share this with you, if you're not actively and effectively marketing your company, you'll never grow into your potential. Some simple rules to know up front. Just do it - perfecting your marketing message and identity comes after you have first begun to market. No marketing equals no growth, period. No one is looking for you, you need to be available to them for discovery. After you've committed to consistently marketing, your next order of business is to objectively assess what your products or services are, and what the identity and personality of your company is. You could be producing widgets that are a commodity, or have a very niche offering personalized service, either way, your company personality and story is whats going to sell, just as much as the product or service that you're offering. I see it all the time, owners and management trying to compete for market share without something that is compelling and sets them apart. Don't make that mistake.
Company Identity & Personality
What is your company's personality or identity? Does it have one? Your marketing messaging needs to have a voice. Often that voice is those that founded the company, and that can do well for a business to a certain point, until they've grown beyond that original identity, and then the company has to reimagine their position and messaging. If you can't clearly tell me in 60 seconds what your company's personality is, and how you engage with customers, it's time to get started. Consider also that it's difficult to "see yourself from outside yourself," so understanding if your customers see the same thing you believe to be true is vital to your success.
How are you reaching your customers? Have you successfully targeted your customers without casting a net that's too wide that ends up costing you a ton of marketing spend, only to realize you may have been able to have a higher Return on Ad Spend if you better curated your target lists? If you're unsure, just go light your money on fire right now. In this day and age, there are thousands of ways to reach potential customers, and it can be overwhelming. The best way to get to an accurate assessment of this is obviously through analytics. Each marketing platform is not only a bid auction, but is built on gamification, where you are the product. Make sure you're not stuck in the endless cycle of Ad Spend that just keeps their employees busy, while your time could be better utilized.
Customer Targeting
Affiliate Marketing
Are you successfully and effectively building your affiliate marketing? Do you have someone or a department that even does this? So many people don't want to do this anymore. It's nuts! It would be great if all of your various software platforms would always be generating and you never have to talk to anyone, that's the dream. Right? Well you know that old saying that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts? Guess where the most valuable efforts can be hidden? The people you know or network with person-to-person. It just takes the right kind of person and creating a personalized system of how you work to build partnerships. Don't wait, hidden treasure can be one contact away. Make sure to take a peek at the Sale Page for more info on this.
Messaging automation is vital to deliver successful email campaigns. You wouldn't believe how many companies get this wrong. Well actually you would, because you've experienced it firsthand. You know when you place an order and don't get a confirmation, a receipt, or don't get a welcome email with the "company personality" introduction that sets expectations. Not to mention the missed opportunity to build a relationship that will bring you future sales and overall Customer Lifetime Value. So many organizations just stop at "we made the sale" and move on. #fail
Messaging
Automation
Web3
It's not quite here yet, as its still in its infancy stages, but pay attention to this space, as this will eventually transform everything and put a lot more control of your products and services back directly into your hands.
The Envision Strategies Approach
The Envision Strategies approach is to do a deep dive into your company since its inception. Where and why was your company born, how did it grow through its adolescent years (or is it still in it currently), where are you now, and what is your intention for the future? Does your perspective of the company's marketing messaging match your customers perspective of you? How are your marketing ideas conceived from quarter to quarter? Analytics deep dive to verify and review your current ROAS.