Last week I talked about the first step in creating your marketing strategy for 2012, a high-level overview of your objectives. If you missed it, you can access it here.
Once you’ve set your objectives, you can start drilling down to the details. Before you get too excited about specifics, though, it’s a good idea to narrow your options. Begin by selecting the marketing tactics and channels that will give you the most bang for your buck.
Of all the options, I see six of them as your best investment, the tactics most likely to give you marketing success without demanding too much time or budget. Today, I’ll cover the top three. The remaining three I’ll cover next week.
Here’s my picks for the top digital strategies or channels you need to focus on…
Website
These days, even brick-and-mortar businesses need a digital presence. That’s because most purchases begin with an online search. If your business doesn’t have a website, you won’t get found.
That said, two out of five small- to medium-sized businesses don’t have an online presence, according to 1&1 Internet. Larger businesses are more likely to have a web presence, but they struggle to have a well-optimized, updated website with a single brand message across all departments.
Nevertheless, of the small- to medium-sized businesses already online, 83% say their website is essential to their companies’ success, according to the study.
Regardless of the size of your business, your website is more than an online brochure or business card. It should be the hub of your online presence.
Your website gives you a platform for attracting, educating and connecting with prospects and customers. For this reason, I place a current, well-written, content-rich website at the top of your priority list.
Content creation
Branded content gives you credibility and builds relationship with your prospects. It’s also valuable for establishing yourself as an industry leader, which builds loyalty among your current customers.
According to the Custom Content Council:
- 72% of marketers think branded content is more effective than advertising in a magazine.
- 62% say it is more effective than advertising on TV.
- 69% say it is superior to both direct mail and public relations.
Content should be original, not a recap of what everyone else in your industry is saying. Content should be useful, providing practical solutions for your ideal prospects. And content should be easy (perhaps fun) to read.
It goes beyond blogging. Content includes social media posts, special reports, ebooks, podcasts, videos and more. Anything that helps your followers succeed is fair game.
And there’s the rub. Content should focus on your audience, not your business or products.
Because of its power to establish your reputation and build relationship with your target audience, I rank content as one of your top marketing priorities.
Social media
Trust is a big issue among consumers. They want to do business with brands they know are trustworthy, but unless they can interact with you, they don’t know if you can be trusted.
That’s why social media is so important to your marketing mix.
If you doubt the power of going social, consider these stats by Alterian:
- 58% (62% UK, 54% US) of the consumers sampled felt that “companies are only interested in selling products and services to me, not necessarily the product or service that is right for me.”
- Only 9% (7% UK, 10% US) trusted companies to “always act in their best interest’ although more than 50% thought ‘they sometimes did.”
- Only 5% (4% UK, 6% US) trusted advertising and 8% (9% UK, 6% US) “what the company says about itself.”
- Only 17% (10% UK, 23% US) of respondents thought companies took note of what they said.
Today’s consumers are fed up with hyped, brand-centric marketing that doesn’t have their best interest at heart. They’re also getting more and more use to interactive, two-way communications and aren’t interested in one-way marketing messages that don’t allow them to respond.
More and more, consumer are basing their purchase decisions on social factors: how popular your brand appears to be, whether their friends know you or have done business with you, and what others are saying about you.
Social media gives your prospects and customers the ability to engage with your brand, have one-on-one conversations, and get to know and trust you. Because of its power to connect you directly to your audience, build community and loyalty, I give social media top billing as one of your most important marketing channels.
Digital marketing starts with these three
For their ability to get you noticed and build relationship, my top three recommendations are your website, content marketing and social media. But these aren’t the only three marketing channels I recommend. You’ll find my final three picks here.
Need marketing help now? Feel free to contact me today.
photo credit: Ping Timeout
