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? 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 logo for your business is often under-rated in terms of value and order of priority when it comes to setting up your new business. Often your business card, website and marketing collateral will follow your company logo design and colour scheme. We believe a logo is one of the most essential branding elements when forming your company’s identity. (after all it will be with you for the life cycle of your business).
The best logos are:
The best logo's are usually creatively clever but simple, are designed to appeal to your target audience, and have a story to tell. Your company logo can influence potential customers' expectations of the products and services that your company offers. Why is a logo important to your business?
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