As the  world of  digital marketing becomes ever more saturated, it’s easy to see why some businesses get overwhelmed and so end up doing little or no marketing activity.

A few ads on social media on the likes of Facebook and LinkedIn will not cut it. Neither will writing the odd blog. Executing your marketing activities piecemeal will not get you the impact or the efficiencies that your business needs. 

There’s a whole range of on and offline activities that in combination with a highly focused message will create the impact and efficient use of budget you need. It’s a professional marketer that can help you with this. It’s not about spending as much as possible, it’s about working smartly, so that you can take your business and your brand to the next level.

Where to begin?  

Know your focus and create a brand with substance and real values. 

Anyone who has started a business will have done so because they’re passionate about what they do. The longer we’re in business, the easier it can be for us to lose sight of why we started. Your initial purpose for starting your business is your starting point here. This is your ‘why’, your reason for doing what you do with passion. 

Conversations around your why are vital. They are what creates and sets your brand voice apart. This will enable a professional marketer to develop key messages that show off what is unique about you and your business. Once your focus, brand and values are established you can shout about this in a consistent and ongoing way to your target audiences. Be known for exactly what you want to be known for, on and offline.

What’s your story? 

As business owners, our focus is often dragged in many different directions at once. Sometimes, it’s hard to see the wood for the trees. When you work with an experienced marketer, they will get to know you and your story. They’ll help you bring that to life for you through an overarching and cohesive strategy that is right for you and your business. Every marketing plan is bespoke to the business and its personal and unique story – your brand. 

Marketers can also help you hone in on specific campaign ideas with measurable goals against a mixed plan of marketing activities. A business owner that is focused with their marketing can execute activities with ease whilst they keep their attention and strengths on where they are best placed, concentrating on what they most enjoy. 

Connect with your audience

A marketing strategy with a plan creates multiple opportunities to connect with your customers in a unique way. An experienced marketer will work with you to find out where your audience consumes their content, what interests them and what their challenges are. This not only adds focus but also limits wasted time, effort and resources in undertaking individual, one-off marketing activities that don’t gain momentum or achieve consistency. 

A full marketing strategy also needs to include reporting to allow for review and refinements. An integrated approach to marketing is an ongoing journey that builds and improves over time. You learn along the way to make informed decisions around where budget is best placed in driving results that are aligned with your business strategy and goals. You want to know that anything you put out in the future is going to hit the nail on the head; something that’s significantly harder to do without that ongoing learning experience and embracing marketing as an ongoing necessity.

Embracing a full mix of online and offline marketing activities that directly relate to your business goals will elevate your business and drive demand. And, that unique story of yours is the key to what sets you apart. Get the bigger picture around your marketing to make your investment count.