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When running a small business it’s easy to forget about the importance of marketing. You’re often so busy with the day-to-day running and management of your business that sitting down to discuss a marketing plan is probably way down on your to do list. But not implementing a marketing plan could mean you are missing out on creating new contacts and customers.  Why do I need a Marketing Plan?
If you don’t currently have a marketing plan you might be asking why you even need one. Maybe things are ticking over nicely, you’ve got Google Ads working, you use social media to advertise your business and you have a nice growing customer base. But without a marketing plan how do you allow for key holidays and seasonal dates (Christmas, Easter, Bank Holidays etc)? If you have a 12 month marketing plan you can be much more strategic in your actions rather than just reacting to changes in the business climate. You can schedule in to cover for the key dates in your calendar across all media platforms. Within your marketing plan you will ensure you cover all your marketing channels available, including email marketing, website, blogs, social media and printed marketing. There may be aspects you haven’t explored in the past such as CRM systems (Customer Relations Management) and PR (Public Relations). It makes much more sense to be a head of the game and know you’ve got all your bases covered rather than having to play catch up and potentially miss out on some great advertising opportunities. Where do I start with a marketing plan?
If a 12 month plan seems like too much to tackle because you are simply too busy running your business then you can try a 3 month plan. Here you would focus on short term goals and then branch out from this once you’ve completed it. How do I make sure my marketing plan will work?
Need help? We are happy to point you in the right direction, talk through and ideas you might have or work with you to develop your marketing plan. Contact Creative Remedy.
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Digital marketing is simply utilising digital channels (search engines, email, social media etc) to connect with current and prospective customers. The internet has given rise to multiple ways to connect with customers and given the fact that we are spending more and more time online, it makes sense to ensure your business is targeting all the available digital channels.  Email Marketing Is sometimes overlooked, email marketing can generate high engagement rates. A good email marketing strategy can mean the difference between a one time buyer and a loyal customer. Try to send an interesting and relevant email at least once a month (weekly is ideal) to make sure you are always at the forefront of your customers minds.
Website Content It’s so easy to neglect your website but if you want to generate new leads and reach out to your customers then it’s vital to keep offering interesting and informative content. By updating the content on your website regularly, you are more likely to keep customers returning and attract new customers via search engines and social media etc. Blogs Just like a good email marketing campaign, regular blogs are a great way to reach out to new and existing customers. By including an informative, interesting blog into your marketing strategy you can advertise your skills and offer invaluable information to your customers whilst highlighting your knowledge and expertise. Social Media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat. Utilise all the social media platforms to further strengthen your online presence. Reach out to customers on the platform of their choice. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) In order to drive your website’s organic page position it’s vital that you publish relevant content and update it regularly and include keywords for each page. SEO is the best way you can help your website stand out to your customers from the thousands of others. Pay Per Click (PPC) This form of marketing requires advertisers to pay a fee every time a user clicks on one of their ads. PPC ads can be seen at the top of search pages such as Google Ads but are also on lots of other search partner networks. This form of marketing can be particularly successful when run alongside other forms of marketing. PR This is a cost effective form of digital marketing, working alongside traditional printed press releases in the newspapers and magazines. These are posted through the newspapers and magazines own online channels such as their websites, social media and blogs. Video It’s not a new marketing tool but it’s definitely proving it’s worth. It’s great for small businesses as it’s an inexpensive way to tell your story, showcase your products and services, give customers a peek into your operations and introduce staff. It’s an easy way to truly engage with your customers. Be sure to keep videos short and informative and try to add humour to keep your viewers attention. Digital Marketing covers anything digital including including office welcome screens, these can be great as an introduction to your products and services for visitors, welcome screens also help increase social media engagement. They are a clever way of creating a call to action, help up-sell products and services and let you offer promotions. Digital Marketing also spans out across in-cinema local ads, electronic advertising boards and bluetooth marketing. In order to promote and strengthen your brand, be at the forefront of your customers minds, it’s vital you maintain a strong, consistent digital marketing strategy. An effective digital marketing strategy will drive sales and increase customer engagement. In order to be seen by your customers you need to be online, it’s where most people spend most of their time and how most people prefer you to reach them. What do you struggle with in your digital marketing? Do you feel bamboozled by the tech involved in online advertising? Google Ads (formerly Google Adwords) has been around a long time, nearly as long as Google itself. You’ve no doubt noticed the subtle advertisements that show up at the top or to the side of search results (they’re the ones with the small green ‘ad’ tag next to them), these are paid search advertisements- businesses pay for certain keywords that are most likely to be used when searching for their particular product or service. The advertiser ‘pays per click’ (PPC) or ‘pays per impression’ (CPM) on the ad. If you ensure you have a strong ad campaign you will generate more clicks which will result in new leads and more customers.  Why is it better than other forms of marketing?
It’s not necessarily better but if you’ve exhausted all other forms of marketing then Google Ads is just one of many options open to you to try and attract new customers. There are lots of other PPC advertising channels, think Facebook Ads, Twitter Ads etc, but Google Ads is still a great way to reach out to your target audience. In fact, it works especially well when you use it along side other forms of marketing. What is Google Ads good for?
Other Benefits with Google Ads:
What You Need To Budget For If you are considering Google Ads then you need to allow for the cost of Account setup, account maintenance (selecting negative keywords so you are only targeting relevant users and adjusting search terms to reach out to more potential customers and your monthly advertising spend. Your Marketing Strategy Google Ads is a great addition to your marketing strategy and can really result in increased leads and customers but it’s worth remembering that it works better for some businesses and industries more than others. Google Ads is fantastic for measuring actual lead/sales. Unlike stand alone email marketing, each transaction is recorded and can be traced back to a sale (ROI). Effective Google Ads For Google Ads to be effective it really needs a professional who understands how it works. It’s easy to get bogged down with the technical jargon when trying to set up Google Ads on your own, someone with expert knowledge will be best placed to set it up and ensure you aren’t wasting time and money.
A communication strategy is a plan to enable your business to reach your customers through various communication channels. It’s vital for a successful marketing campaign to deliver a consistent brand message and something you should seriously consider for your small business.  A communications strategy requires you to address a number of key areas:
What marketing channels does a communications strategy cover? There are a number of marketing channels you can cover in your strategy including:
There are probably several relevant marketing channels for each individual customer/ target audience so it’s important to ensure your brand message is consistent across all these channels. Once you’ve identified your audience and marketing channels you can then start building a plan. Compiling a communications strategy will allow you to make informed marketing decisions, you will know exactly what, why, when and who you are communicating to. This will give you a much greater understanding of your customers and you’ll be able to tailor your communications to them and promote your services more effectively. You’ll be able to build on your brand awareness, maintain customer trust and ultimately increase your profits! Think of your communications strategy as the plasters that stick all the different roles together which will result in one coherent message across all the different channels. You know what you need but you might not know how to bring it all together effectively… we can help you create an effective communications strategy by deliver a consistent brand message with a better customer experience. A round up of local B2B exhibitions in 2019.  Peterborough Biscuit
mktgSHOWCASE - The Marketing Solutions Roadshow
Cambridge B2B (Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce) The Two Counties Business Exhibition
Huntingdonshire Business Fair (Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce)
Ely Cathedral Business Group, Celebration of Business 2019
Business Booth Networking (Peterborough Greyhound Stadium)
Business Live 2019 (Lincolnshire Showground)
Let's Grow Together - The Peterborough Business Expo (Brightfield Business Hub)
Peterborough B2B Exhibition (KingsGate Conference Centre)
What was the best B2B exhibition you attended last year? Please share any you think may be beneficial to local business. |
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