Lexington, KY - Have you taken a good, hard look at your marketing efforts recently? If you're like a lot of business owners and managers, you've probably cut your marketing budget over the past couple of years and sales are suffering because of it. With the economic reality we're living in, some organizations think they don't have the time or money for marketing. Some aren't sure what's effective, and others just want to bury their heads in the sand. Even in a down economy, businesses must continue their marketing efforts. People may not be ready to buy what you're selling today, but when they are, you'll want them to remember you.
Marketing is no easy task. Many people think they're experts; most aren't. Some develop ads willy-nilly with no thought to strategy or a plan. Others think all they have to do is get a story placed in the news and droves of customers will beat down their doors. They try this and that, and when nothing happens, they blame bad marketing. For most, the marketing tactics aren't bad. The problem is they don't have a marketing strategy. There's no plan, no consistency, no goals or objectives.
If you've been conducting your marketing without a clear plan, it's time for a marketing makeover. Just like a personal makeover, changing your marketing will enhance your assets. For some organizations, this might mean some simple updating and freshening of ideas and materials. For others, it might mean a total do-over. You probably know if you need a makeover, even if you haven't admitted it. For those who don't know, here are some questions to ask.
1. If you have a marketing plan, how old is it? Have your business priorities changed since you developed your plan?
2. What are your overall business goals? How can your marketing strategy help achieve those goals?
3. What do you want people to know about your business? How well are you communicating those messages?
4. Who is your target audience? Are there others you should be pursuing but haven't? How does this change your strategy?
5. What are your competitors doing well? Are you competing successfully with them? How are you different or better?
6. What marketing efforts have shown promise? Which ones flopped? Do you know why?
7. Do your communication materials have a consistent look? Are they well written? Do your website, social media, and printed materials have consistent messages? How old is the content on your website? Do your signage and dÈcor reflect your brand?
8. Do you have graphic standards for logo use, colors and copy fonts? Do you know what your Pantone Matching System number is for your logo and always use it when having documents professionally printed?
9. Do you have reliable, recent customer research? How are you using it?
10. Does your charitable giving align with your company's mission, vision and values? Or do you give to one thing and another without considering how it affects your brand?
These are tough questions that some business people never take time to consider. Those who do have consistently better marketing results. Here are a few other things to keep in mind about your marketing.
1. Even though being cost efficient is on everyone's mind, there are some areas on which you shouldn't scrimp. For instance, the type of paper you use for your business cards and other materials should connote quality and professionalism. Don't try to save money by using cheap paper.
2. Hire a good designer. He or she will help you develop a consistent look, recommend color palettes and choose paper. Most designers oversee the printing process on your behalf and deal with specifications for various print publications.
3. When developing or updating a logo, keep in mind all the ways it will be used. It might not be used only on your business card and letterhead. You may want it on T-shirts, pens, coffee mugs and embroidered on ball caps, sweaters or golf shirts. Certain designs don't work well on every type of material. Simple, clean designs work best on everything. Additionally, the more colors you use, the more expensive it is to print.
4. Consider promoting your business to the media. But if you don't really know what's newsworthy, then hire a professional to help you. Nothing turns a reporter off as quickly as someone who tries to pitch a story that's not newsworthy, doesn't fit the media outlet's format or is not an area that the reporter covers.
5. Research doesn't have to be expensive. Comment cards, social media or website surveys and discussions with your customers will give you some input to work from. If you can afford professional research, like focus groups or phone surveys, you'll get even better information.
6. Even if you think you don't need a full-blown makeover, there probably are aspects of your marketing that need attention. Considering a marketing makeover right now is a good investment and sets you up to start off 2012 the right way.
Mary Hemlepp, APR, is a specialist at building brands and creating a buzz. Contact her at mary@maryhemlepp.com.