Are you a Marketing Magpie? (updated)
Hands up… do you get swayed by the latest marketing tool, platform or fad? We all want to try the latest shiny gadget and gismo to stand out from the crowd.
Don’t worry, you are not alone!
We are truly experiencing a fun and interesting time to be involved in marketing with lots of new tools on the market to help us promote our businesses. From lead magnets, click funnels, Facebook bots, online advertising, email automation and new social media platforms through to sales pages & lumpy mail – there are just so many ways to help us promote our businesses. But where do you start?
The simple answer is writing a Marketing Plan – get clear on what you actually want marketing to do. With the launch of our new website, we thought we would take the opportunity to re-write this article as it is still valid today – 2 years after the previous article.
We are working with a number of new of clients to help them remove the magpie syndrome – stopping them from wanting every new shiny tool going – helping them to get clarity on what they actually need. So, we thought we would put together our top 5 tips to help you stay focused:
1: Get Clear – Be You!
Look into the new tools you want to implement – look at the pro’s and con’s but ultimately it comes down to how they can be implemented into your existing Marketing Plan. If you don’t have a plan, then now is the time to start! Remember, tools are launched to help but will not suit every business. The more authentic you are and true to your beliefs, the better the success.
A couple of months ago, after hearing how other businesses had been successful with Facebook bots – I had my own magpie moment!!! I could clearly see how this could work and thought how I could implement it into my business. I spent the afternoon learning the details to make it work, setting up graphics and got it working on my account. It was only at this point that I sat back and thought – my clients (both existing and potential) are not there – there is limited scope for my business. This resulted in a wasted afternoon that I could have been concentrating on my email marketing campaign. We all want to be the best but you really do need to be clear and ensure everything you do promotes the business in the best light.
2: Know Your Audience
If you know where your clients / customers are then you can easily work out if a tool is going to help you reach them. Can you describe your ideal client by answering:
Where are they located,
Where do they hang out – online, offline
What is the age range / demographics
What marketing do they respond to
What marketing efforts speak to the customer.
If you would like help on identifying your ideal customer then we can help as our next blog post will be talking about the importance to really knowing who you are targeting.
3: Speak Up – Seek Advice
If you are looking to try new marketing tools but unsure if they are for you then it is time to ask a few questions. At Creationz Marketing we are happy to answer any questions you may have but also think to ask peers, forums, Facebook groups etc. Don’t feel you have to work on marketing on your own. Learning from others can help us save time and help you question if it is right for the business. Contact Creationz Marketing
4: Be Consistent
It is vital for marketing success that you don’t spread yourself too thinly. Concentrate on what works for the business. I have seen many businesses over the last few years who are trying to do too much and if they are honest, are not achieving what they want to achieve because their efforts are not focused.
A good example of this is not rushing in to set up profiles on every social media platform on the market – if you are clear on your business goals (No: 1) and know your audience (No: 2) and where they hang out, you can spend valuable resources on concentrating on the platforms that really matter for the business.
5: Understand Your Numbers
Before you try and launch a new marketing activity – do you know your numbers? By this I mean are you clear on what is currently working for your business, what is generating enquiries and more importantly the costs involved?
If you understand your numbers, you are better placed to see if the new tool will add value to your marketing efforts. There is nothing worse that spending time and money on marketing that does not work.
Make sure you know:
What you are spending on your marketing efforts,What level of traffic is being generated by each activity,What resources are going to be needed – time, money, equipment, software etc. If there is budget and scope to try new tools,How you are going to monitor new tools.
So, what next?
I am not saying that you must stick to what you know and not try new tools – just be clear that any new tools are aimed at your customer and will generate new business. Give yourself the time and space needed to be clear, don’t be swayed – look into all possibilities.
Remember, what works for one business, may not work for everyone.
There are plenty of new tools on the market and I am sure there are a lot more just on the horizon – embrace them but ensure they are the right fit for your business.
Claire
ps. Have you joined our FREE Facebook Group yet – Marketing for Success
