Is Your Marketing Working?

Losing Sight of the Goal

As a business grows, as do the personnel, opportunities, programs, and services offered. More voices in the room tend to lead to differing opinions of what's important or what needs promoting. Before you know it, the homepage of your website is filled to the brim with every message you have to offer; every email contact is receiving any and all offers available; your social media presence looks more like a big ad-reel than a sophisticated and trustworthy community.

• Keep your priorities straight. Over time, other subsidiary products and services may help to support the original goal, but that goal should never be overshadowed, lest it begins to be confused, minimized, or worse - lost completely on your audience.

The Wrong Tools for the Team

Begin with a good foundation. The life-blood behind a sound marketing team is the tools in their toolbox. Depending on the size and needs of your team, different tools and systems may be better suited for you than the ones recommended by your friend, or the latest and greatest ad you saw on Facebook. Take the time to make sure your team and their resources are optimized.

• Meet your needs. Do your research to determine your team's most important tasks and find the systems that serve them best. Lots of online software supports integration or collaboration with other tools, so if you are using multiple systems, take the time to see if they can be consolidated or at least work together to create efficiency.
• Be picky. There will always be a new and emerging tool, app, software, or another great system to "make your life easier," but it pays to be picky! Adding another tool to the toolbox just because it looks great can cause more strife than improvement if it doesn't fit your team's needs.

Missing the Mark

When asking yourself who your offerings apply to, or who’s business you want, it’s easy to think: everyone! However, hastily delivering messages to the masses not only wastes effort, but can have real negative repercussions if your target audience finds your message irrelevant, tone-deaf, or even offensive.

• Do your research. Perceived intuition about your audience is merely a starting point - and one that is not always accurate. Utilize actual market data to develop your target audience. Take it a step further and create buyer personas to help your team envision a more complete identity around who they are targeting.
• Listen first. The best way to listen is to ask a question! Implement surveys, polls, or focus groups to obtain specific data relevant to your messaging.

Holes in the System

Sometimes, there are certain holes that businesses can't fill on their own. An incomplete team, or lack of time and resources, can weigh negatively on important aspects of your marketing efforts. Many businesses find themselves lacking proper graphic design, social media management, copywriting, or other roles important in rounding out the needs of a marketing team.

• Scale your deliverables to meet your resources. Simple and well-prepared content is more realistic to deliver than attempting to execute a plan your team won't be able to manage. When in doubt, prioritize a straightforward and comfortable strategy to avoid confusion, frustration, or waste for your team and your audience.
• Consider help from an agency. Agencies provide opportunities for more access to resources, often at a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house. These marketing experts can also provide insight and peace of mind to your overall strategy while contributing as key players in production and execution of a marketing plan. Learn more about how to hire an agency that is right for you and your team.