Six Tactics to Take Your Marketing to the Next Level

Contributed post.

Marketing is the very heart of business, one of its two most basic functions per Peter Drucker. No company can successfully launch or maintain their competitive position without high quality marketing. Poor marketing can lead to fewer sales, fewer customers, and even a higher bounce rate on a business website.

If any of that sounds familiar, you may need to take your marketing to the next level. This post details six tactics that can boost your marketing and business success.

Use Social Media to Its Full Extent

It should go without saying that social media is important for every type of business. The number of people on social media makes it an essential part of all marketing, regardless of industry. Any business can easily create attention-grabbing multi-media posts; there’s no need to create boring announcements or status updates.

Every business should have a profile on the main platforms to ensure their bases are covered. At a minimum, that includes LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. If you’re producing any kind of video content, you’ll need a YouTube channel. If you have original visual content to share, Instagram can be a productive platform.

Every platform has tools to help marketers. For example, the “share” feature on most platforms is a huge help as it ensures people that like your business can share your posts with their connections and followers. This is great for exposing your business to a new audience.

Then you have tools like “Live” on Facebook and Instagram which help to personalize your business. Consumers no longer want to buy from faceless corporations. Bringing some personality to your business will help make it more relatable.

Traditional Marketing Isn’t Dead

Traditional marketing is alive and well, and ignoring old-school marketing tactics can mean your business is missing out. Most people still have to drive to work, so they have to drive past billboards where your company could be advertising. People still watch live TV, so they still see commercials. People still walk down the street meaning you can advertise on posters, bus stop shelters, and busses.

In-person events are still an incredibly effective way to connect directly with your buyers. Live events have taken a big hit during the pandemic, but your buyers are eager to get back together again, face to face. Though exhibiting at trade shows and conferences is expensive, nothing else matches the level of direct connection made.

Using traditional marketing helps you to reach people who don’t spend a lot of time online—as well as increase brand exposure among those who do. If your business appeals to a wide audience, it’s vital to use as many different platforms and marketing methods as possible.

Hire an Agency To Help

There’s nothing wrong with asking for help, particularly if you have a small marketing staff or lack expertise in specific areas, such as graphic design or SEO. Hiring an agency to help fine-tune your messaging or expand your brand exposure is a smart step. This is especially true if you feel as though you have tried all of the things you think you should be doing and are still not seeing the results expected. For example, an agency like Digital Marketing Services Pro does this for Florida companies, providing professional insights on all things digital marketing.

Using the knowledge and expertise of professionals can take your marketing success to the next level. Whether you are marketing to consumers or businesses, there are certain marketing methods that appeal to particular types of people. Agency professionals and consultants usually focus on how to attract specific audiences, and it makes life easier to have a team with this insider knowledge on your side.

Get Creative With Campaigns

Get creative with your marketing campaigns and new product launches. Web research can be helpful in finding inspiration, but don’t be a copycat. That said, it can also be helpful to re-use tactics that have worked well at engaging your target market. What’s most important is to understand your buyers, where they search for information, and what language and messaging will resonate with them.

Successful marketing teams are able to think outside of the box to create impactful marketing campaigns. It’s essential to have a team of creative people on your side who are able to come up with compelling campaigns that will make your business stand out in the market.

Don’t Forget About Focus Groups

When launching new campaigns, it’s helpful to hold focus groups with members of your target audience. They provide valuable feedback to help determine whether or not your campaign is going to be a home run or fall flat on its face. Focus groups deliver insights to your business so you know where you can improve and where you are on the right track.

The focus group might love the campaign and say that it is fantastic the way it is. They might say that it needs a few alterations because something is offensive in some way or doesn’t sit right with them. Or, they might simply say that it’s not quite right and needs work.

Focus groups are there to help you. And they are expensive, so it’s vital to record the proceedings, pay attention, and take notes. Consider the feedback carefully even if you don’t necessarily agree.

Do Your Research

Research is the key to success. Knowledge is power, and the more of it you have, the more likely you are to succeed. Businesses that know their buyers inside and out have much better odds of success. Whether you conduct this research internally or hire someone to do it for you doesn’t matter as long as you get the information that you need. Your market research efforts should be ongoing so that you always know where your brand stands and what your competitors are up to.

Ideally you should have a monthly report on what is going on to keep you in the loop, with additional updates if there are big changes that you need to know about sooner. It’s important to have as much information as possible in order to keep your brand and product messaging on target.

Keep an Eye on Trends

A final recommendation is that you should be keeping your eye on marketing trends to stay current with marketing methods and trends. It doesn’t have to be hard. This should be included in the marketing report mentioned above, but you can also spot trends just by watching the market.

You don’t have to follow every new trend, but it’s vital to be aware of them. Trends take off for a reason; they are popular. The more you can keep up with the changing landscape of marketing trends, the better results you are likely to see.

There you have it. Use social media to its fullest extent and watch for new trends, but don’t abandon old-school marketing tactics. Be creative (or hire for creativity). Use outside agencies and market research as needed. All of these tactics can help you stay current with customer wants and needs, and create brand messaging that resonates and sets your company apart.