HOW TO: MARKETING STRATEGY IN 3 STEPS

Marketing strategy - a term you probably hear all the time, often followed by all the great things it can do to propel your business. We know what you're thinking - I know I need a marketing strategy to take my brand to the next level, but where (and how) do I start?

We've come up with a quick and easy rundown on all things marketing to help get you on your way, narrowing it down to 3 simple steps for starting your strategy journey. Keep reading as we cover everything from the basic elements of a strategy, all the way to defining your brand offering and where to go if you need a helping hand.

1. Understanding what actually goes into a marketing strategy

No matter the size of your business, all successful brands require a strategy,

A marketing strategy is a long term, forward looking approach aimed at guiding your overall market behaviours. By understanding evolving consumer wants, needs and behaviours, a marketing strategy is designed with the intention of creating achievable and sustainable competitive advantage.

When thinking about a strategy, it's important to consider the way short-term and long-term behaviours work in conjunction with marketing fundamentals, keeping the consumer at the forefront while maintaining a laser focus on their evolving needs, wants and behaviours. A brand strategy provides a clear purpose for your business, and a reference point for why and how you are engaging customers. The ultimate goal of a marketing strategy is to attract, retain and grow customers through a mix of earned, paid and owned media tools. By attracting new customers, you are essentially stealing (or in some cases, creating) market share from competitors. Lastly, growing your consumer base is largely achieved through fostering meaningful and positive customer relationships.

2. Clearly defining your brand offering

Having a strong direction, defined purpose and clear path to follow are crucial components of creating an efficient and effective strategy - and ultimately a cohesive brand. In a post-COVID world, consumer expectations have changed dramatically - and in turn so has the way they interact with brands. For example, the change in behaviour, lifestyle and day-to-day living for many people due to COVID has created new audiences, new customer demands and most importantly new opportunities - so understanding how your brand offering fits into this space is key to driving demand.

But don't get us wrong - having a primary purpose is not mutually exclusive with this. A business is always evolving (and should be treated as such), and having a clear direction for your business is something that can grow with your business - the most important thing is understanding the goal you are working toward (otherwise how would you measure progress?).

3. A strong start

The third and final step is getting off on the right foot.

A clever and well executed PR and marketing strategy and campaign is a fundamental component of building a relationship with your audience. Like we mentioned before, it's imperative that you have a clear product or service offering, as well as a strong idea of what you want your brand to be and where you want it to go. You might be wondering 'but what if I don't know what that should be exactly?'. Well, that's where we come in. Getting help from (the right) professionals in the field is a sure-fire way to get you and your business moving in the right direction. Whether you're simply looking for a hand to hold or are in need of someone to take the reins with you, we're here to help you find your way.

Our creative and experienced team will be with you every step of the way to create a brand strategy designed to highlight your strengths and build your business from the inside out.

Now, you've probably got the message that a marketing strategy really is the backbone when it comes to effectively growing a business - so what better reason to get started? If you're looking for a casual chat about your business to see where it's at, or wanting some proper guidance or assistance, we know just the team!

To get in touch, contact us here and let's have a chat!