Creating a marketing plan is a continuous evolution and takes a great deal of time to develop, measure and adjust to reach our goals — even in a typical year. We can all agree that this year has been anything but typical; we’ve had to shift and course-correct monthly, sometimes even weekly!
Since we are at the halfway point of 2020 — and considering all that has changed — why not take some time to map out a revised, intentional direction to keep your marketing on-point?
Below is an outline to help guide you through a mid-year marketing checkup by identifying ways to shift tactics, meet client needs and achieve success to win new business throughout the remainder of the year.
Even if you already have a 2020 marketing plan, grab a pen and paper (or open a new document) and let’s begin!
Mid-year Marketing Checkup
Evaluate: What have you achieved this year? Did it have desired results? Why or why not?
Examine sales: Are your sales goals on-track? If sales are up, why? Are you meeting a new demand? Do you have a new customer base? If sales are down, was it expected? Can you win it back? How?
Take inventory: Make a list of all the marketing activities you have completed including time, investment, goals and metrics.
Focus: Highlight items that are currently working that you plan to continue doing / improve upon. Do you have new ideas? Do you need to re-prioritize your previous list of activities?
Look for opportunities: Have your clients’ needs changed? Maybe even your clientele has changed in past six months? Examine your ideal client persona(s) and determine if you need to shift to a new, expanded or revised target market.
- A great example of seeking opportunities is from a client of ours who owns a residential design-build company. He shifted gears to offer sneeze guard installation and other safety retrofitting for local businesses during the pandemic. He is still marketing to high-end home owners, but while that business has quieted, he saw a need for his services to help businesses open their doors again. Now, his marketing plan includes reaching businesses and less spend towards to home owners at this time.
Find new ways to reach your market: Since the start of 2020, the rules of doing business have changed. Perhaps your target market is the same, but your initial tactics are no longer relevant — or even possible — due to new restrictions. If this is the case, you need to find new ways to reach your audience; start by determining what challenges / needs your clients have, and then solve them.
- A marketing manager for a home inspection company historically relied on in-person visits to statewide Realtor offices to present their services. Since that is now impossible, after consulting with Elements, she shifted gears to mail / deliver promotional items that will help Realtors do their job safely, such as branded hand sanitizer, masks, etc. We also discussed a direct mail campaign, and she has increased her social media presence — such as hosting Facebook Live segments — as part of her new plan to stay in front of customers.
Finalize your edits: Confirm what you need to do to complete the items on your list. Research the effort, cost and time involved for each item, being realistic about what can get done under new circumstances. Put a schedule and deadline to each item and assign tasks. Determine how each activity will be measured.
A few things to note:
- Are you staying nimble with your marketing agenda?
- Are you listening to customer feedback and keeping a pulse on what challenges / needs you are able to fill?
- Have you increased your social media presence? It’s important to have a strong social media presence because more people are online than ever before.
- When was the last time you updated your website? Has any of your information changed? Hours? Address? Services?
- Did anything about your business significantly change?
- Have you created a new business segment that should be communicated? How will you reach your audiences with new changes and information?
People are worried about businesses not surviving this challenging time; make sure you stay in front of your clients with clear and consistent marketing efforts. Your audience will seek other businesses to fill their needs if you go dark.
Hire an agency if needed — it is worth the extra effort and expense! Making this kind of investment can lift your business, grow your revenue, boost morale, increase your brand awareness and make the most of your marketing dollars.
Need help revising your plan, shifting your focus or identifying new opportunities? Elements can help you navigate through this new business climate — there is no better time to start than now.
Learn more about how we can help you effectively plan your marketing strategy here.
— Amy
