Steven Tulman
Let’s start by setting the scene. You have a successful business, well at least you did until recently, but over that last few years, you’ve noticed fewer new customers coming through your doors. After thorough research, you find out that you just aren’t reaching your target audience anymore. Once you’ve recovered from your not-so-minor panic, you’re searching for ways to improve your marketing efforts, and then some young upstart mentions that everyone else is going digital. And it’s the truth…
The key to successful digital marketing, however, is having a well thought out and effective strategy.
The power of three
Three is a significant number in many aspects of life (three wishes, three medal winners, three primary colors), and it is no less important to your digital marketing strategy. Any strategy that is going to work must be based on three specific areas of knowledge: Your organization, your customers, and your value (or product):
1. Your organization – who are you and what do you want to achieve
Set your aims and objectives by answering questions such as what do you want to achieve through your digital marketing campaign. There are no (or at least very few) wrong responses to this question, but how you design your campaigns will change depending on the specific answer. Things you want to achieve could include:
- Increased number of new customers
- Improved customer retention
- Increased revenues
- A move into a new customer segment
2. Your customers – who are they and where are they found
Who are you aiming your product and service at? What do you know about your customers? Ideally, you should spend time creating an avatar of your perfect client – this is who you keep in mind during the whole digital marketing process. Once you have the “who,” you need to know the “where,” and research is the name of the game here. You need to answer questions such as what digital channels do your ideal customers frequent, do they read blogs, use social media (if so, which platforms) or are they more likely to respond to a targeted marketing email. If you try to blanket market all channels, your strategy will be a bigger flop than fireworks in a storm.
3. Your value – what are you trying to do for your customer
Obviously, your end aim is to sell your product or service, but your value is what will make the customer want your product over another. Your value could be improving the customer’s life experience, generating more business for them, removing a difficulty, giving them back time, providing information and education. Whatever value you choose, it must reach the client on both an emotional and logical level, as very few purchasing decisions are made purely with the head.
The next step
Once you have researched your big three, the next step is to put it all together. Let’s say your product is designed to cater to females in their late 30’s. Your research has also shown that they spend their free time on Facebook and respond well to “like” requests. They are very busy and their “pain point” is a lack of time. Now all you need is a campaign that reaches out and speaks to those specific customers through the channels they frequent, offers your products or services in the most time-efficient matter possible, and use their tendency to “like” to spread the word.
And then…?
Getting your campaign up and running is not quite the end; you must monitor and analyze your campaign to ensure that it is meeting your initial goals. Where there is a disconnect, return to your original strategy and see what changes are needed for better results.
Having a strong digital presence is no longer arbitrary or optional. It is mandatory and deliberate. And, if you build out the correct strategy and use the right tools to help you execute that strategy, you increase your chances of succeeding to maintain and grow your business.
Now, go digital or go home!
If you want to learn more about how to reach your audience with the right message at the right time through the right channels, please feel free to reach out to me at steve@unoapp.com. I’ll be more than happy to chat.
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