A marketing strategy is the roadmap of your marketing efforts. It\u2019s the foundational piece that should align with the overall business plan, laddering up to fulfill the KPIs and business goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most businesses know they should have one, but few put forth the actual effort and time needed to create a truly great (and comprehensive) document. Many are unsure what a great marketing strategy includes because, for a lot of small to medium-sized business owners, marketing is not their main area of expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few key things that can make your marketing strategy great and they involve asking yourself these four main questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. What do I want to gain\/earn\/accomplish with my marketing efforts?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
2. Who is the audience that wants my products\/services?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
3. What actionable tactics do I need to do to reach that audience?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
4. Were my efforts successful?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

   Building Block #1 \u2013 Measurable Objectives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

   When setting out to create a strategic marketing plan, the first thing you need to ask yourself is \u201cWhat do I want to gain\/earn\/accomplish with my marketing efforts?\u201d It doesn\u2019t make sense to put forth a plan if you don\u2019t know what you want to accomplish. A great marketing plan has three to five objectives. If you haven\u2019t done this before, we recommend sticking with three and building from there with each year if appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   The objectives, though, need to be MEASURABLE. What\u2019s the purpose of setting down a goal if there\u2019s no way to know if you met it or not? Here\u2019s the difference between an objective and a measurable objective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   Increase in the number of requests for more information from the website compared to last fiscal year.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

   vs.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

   10% increase in the number of requests for more information from the website compared to last fiscal year.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

   If you were to use the first objective in your strategy, does that mean your marketing efforts were successful if you had one more request than the previous fiscal? What about five more requests, or 100? Clearly stating the amount of increase shows what your efforts are working toward, but it also needs to ladder up to the overall business strategy KPIs. What does that strategy state as a measure of success and how much can your marketing efforts contribute to or influence it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   Building Block #2 \u2013 Defined Target Audiences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

   Let\u2019s start out by stating your target audience is not \u201ceverybody.\u201d If you work your marketing efforts to talk to \u201ceverybody\u201d, you are talking to no one. Defining your target audience, the people who your services and products are intended for should seem pretty easy, but it actually takes a lot of work and insight to clearly know them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   To best reach your target audiences, you need to know as much about them as possible. We recommend creating personas, or audience characters, who closely relate to those you are trying to reach. Give them names and photos and provide as much information as you can about them. Some key things to consider are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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   • Basic demographic information<\/li>\n\n\n\n
   • Education level<\/li>\n\n\n\n
   • Type of employment<\/li>\n\n\n\n
   • Professional interests<\/li>\n\n\n\n
   • Hobbies\/Leisure activities<\/li>\n\n\n\n
   • Social media platforms, amount of activity, type of posts<\/li>\n\n\n\n
   • Media they consume<\/li>\n\n\n\n
   • Community involvement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

     And then, depending on your industry, you should research other points of interest that would be applicable in determining information about the need for your product\/service. Some of these could include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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     • Job title\/company\/industry<\/li>\n\n\n\n
     • Salary range<\/li>\n\n\n\n
     • Types of vacations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
     • Political leanings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
     • Socioeconomic views<\/li>\n\n\n\n
     • Religious beliefs<\/li>\n\n\n\n
     • Food consumption habits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

       These lists may look overwhelming, but quite frankly they\u2019re the tip of the iceberg. It takes a lot of work to truly define your target audience, but it\u2019s worth it in the end. Once you can determine (to the best of your ability) who your audiences are, where they hang out, what messages resonate with their needs, and when to deliver those messages, the more time, money, and effort you\u2019ll save yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n