Today’s marketing tools, seem to be mostly tech driven, but you will find that the most effective brands are DIVERSIFIED in their marketing. You have to reach out and grab your audience right where they are… and they are everywhere!
Look at your target audience as a passing parade.
In order to get your message out more effectively, you need to speak to your prospects and clients on the platforms THEY have chosen. Sometimes that calls for social media and sometimes it calls for traditional methods that will support and validate your online initiatives – face-to-face meetings, networking, and print campaigns like postcards, handwritten notes, and letters sent via US mail.
Build a diverse marketing strategy
Make sure your marketing strategy includes the following top eight marketing methods:
1. Mobile
Most people are reading your emails and looking at videos, ads, and posts on their mobile device. Make sure you are optimizing for mobile. Your email, website, landing page, blog, and other content needs to look great, flow and be readable on a mobile device.
2. Social media
The climate is changing in Facebook, so make sure you are looking at other options to incorporate into your mix like Instagram and Twitter. Be sure that your posts are consistent and are appropriate for that network and the people on it.
3. Print: Postcards, brochures, business docs
Print is not dead and the US Mail is still one of the most reliable delivery systems for a marketing message. There are many ways to use print: Print collateral is a way to effectively spread your message to prospects; you can build brand ambassadors within your company with creative print; send a well designed and professionally produced print piece to your contact list first class mail, it will be delivered; streamline your business processes with professionally printed business documents. There are many options in the market today that will allow you to use print effectively and efficiently.
4. Branded Promotional Products
Your logo placed on a product that is used consistently is one of the most effective ways to keep your name in front of your prospects and clients. There are many options you can choose and at any budget – from pens to coffee mugs, post-it-notes to tech gadgets – branded products should be a staple in your marketing plan.
5. Digital/Email
Email is still the deal, so utilize it and be consistent. Have a branded template that is responsive, modern, free of clutter and that represents your business and services well. Use a reliable email client, and above all make sure your content is written well and informative to your readers.
6. Branded Apparel
Times have changed and in 2019 building brand ambassadors within your company is one of the most effective ways` to spread your brand message. Branded apparel is more than just a work shirt, now it is outfitting your key employees with backpacks, shirts and other apparel that can go from office to happy hour.
7. Visual: photos that tell your story, videos
Master your Instagram posts, up your game with professional quality photos that visually tell your story. And if you’re not shy, get in front of the lens in videos that introduce your audience to your world. Visual marketing is not for the faint at heart but is definitely rewarding for those that master it.
8. Your fresh dynamic website to be the hub for all the above
Your website should be circa the last 3 years, optimized for mobile, responsive, powerfully designed and set up for the best SEO, streamlined and intuitive for the user. It should host your content, your visual marketing, your story, services and information all about you, your team and your brand. It should be updated frequently with new content via your blog, testimonies, client packages, portfolio items, and offerings. Your website is the hub from which all your other marketing flows.
Make it your goal in the coming year to master these 8 marketing methods
Out of these main 8 marketing vehicles, if you will incorporate 4-5 of them into your strategic plan, you will get business. Together, these 8 methods form a comprehensive and diverse marketing plan. When they are implemented cohesively into your strategy, your message will find it’s way to your prospects, you will be remembered, you will develop new relationships and the product and services you offer will gain preference in your market.