Do you often wonder how you can raise the profile of your company? Are there products and events you would like others to know about but struggle getting interest or numbers? Do you use one marketing method to get your message across but feel like you are getting nowhere?
When I first started out in marketing many years ago, I used to be in this same position but back then the marketing method was so different to what it is today.
No longer is it about sending out one message in the hope that this will work, it’s all about combining marketing techniques to reach different people and to get the message across on several occasions in different ways.
Below I have listed what I believe is a good marketing mix.
eCampaigns
This is now a very common way of talking to your audience. If you get the message right you can get a great response but just remember not to sell all the time!
When creating your message, think of the audience you are targeting.
Would you go straight into a room with other businesses and sell to others before finding out who you are talking too? Perhaps look at ways of giving free content away? Look at useful information that people would like to know about. Build up this trust first.
Once you have designed your eCampaign and added your marketing message, think carefully of your subject line as this could be a barrier before anyone opens your email.
Once you have sent out your message, do you follow-up afterwards?
- Have you looked at the open rate?
- Where you have added links from your campaign to your website or landing pages, do you see who has clicked on what?
- Is there further information you could help with or send to people? (All these clicks become warm leads and the return can be very successful).
Social Media
Done correctly this is a very powerful tool.
Similar to your eCampaigns you need to think about your target audience. What content are you going to add to your networks? Depending on what your message is, do you find that one social media channel is better than others? Perhaps concentrate on one platform first and get this right before moving on.
Think about the time of day that your customers will be online? In some cases, this could even be over the weekend. When posting out, are you adding a picture? Is there a back-link to your website? If using Twitter are you using the correct @ names and hashtags?
When people comment, like or share your message, remember to engage with them, after all this should be a two-way communication and not just one.
Direct Mail
This method was very popular several years ago, but with the age of digital and social media, this method has almost been forgotten about.
To produce something like this today you need to consider your design cost, then you have printing added and that’s before the cost of envelopes and stamps! However, to disregard this method completely, you could be missing a trick.
Since we no longer receive anything through the post, more people are inclined to read things that now land up on their desks. If it is an event or product you are trying to sell, this could be a great personal touch to get people engaged.
Personal Touch
As well as these three methods mentioned above just remember you can always pick up the phone!
Do you also have influencers that can endorse your brand or product? These people have their own customers which will open a new target audience.
Try sending a personal email, make your customers feel valued.
Marketing Plan
In summary, I have found that by combining all of this can be extremely successful but where do you start?
Try thinking of putting a marketing plan together:
- Grab a calendar
- Write down what you marketing message is
- Add these messages against certain days
- Write down what marketing channels you will be using
- Finally, put it all to practise