If your business is already reaching a six or seven-figure net annual revenue, you may feel like there are few areas that you can improve on. After all, you’re already outperforming nearly 90% of all other businesses in the United States, so why rock the boat?
In reality, creating an online marketing strategy is as much about efficiency as it is revenue. Your dollar will go farther and will generate a higher ROI in the process.
In addition, here are a few other ways it will help.
Understand Your Audience
Digital marketing is all about knowing your target demographic and catering to them. Whereas fifty years ago this would’ve meant a few key metrics, such as age, location, education, etc, it now involves understanding who they’re following on social media and what specific keywords they are most likely to use at specific times of the day.
The more you know your target demographic, the more effectively you’ll be able to reach out to them about your goods and services.
Sharpen Your Tools
It’s nearly impossible to type in the phrase “online marketing” without being bombarded by offers for 100’s of different software solutions for your business, like if you run a catering business you’ll greatly benefit from a software like Inhouse Manager. Some are great, and some are not-so-great, but chances are, you’ll need at least a few of them to run your business.
But which ones? Having a clear plan of direction for your online strategy will dictate between spending your money automating your e-mail service or a keyword planning tool. Find your objectives and the tools will fall into place.
Lower Costs
Nothing nukes a campaign like a cost-per-acquisition that is 300% of your expected rate, and yet, that’s exactly how most people run their online campaigns. “It’s a cost of business,” they say, when in reality, it’s just money out the window.
Instead of spending thousands of dollars on campaigns that don’t work or don’t reach your end goals, spend some time targeting keywords and customers that will keep revenue high and costs low. If you don’t have the time to spend on these activities, outsource it to a company like Rankz that can help.
Purposeful Content
Becoming an authority in your niche is a key way to become an influencer in the marketplace. People will return to you for the resources you provide, and, in return, you’ll be able to sell them products. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship that will pay dividends for years.
To do that, however, you need content that ranks. Having content that simply sits there and answers no questions, solves no problems, contains zero backlinks, is virtually useless. Having a marketing plan enables you to create content with a purpose, and that purpose is to bring people to your website.
Ensures Continuity
Are you giving your customers whiplash? Every company needs to have their own specific idea of what their own branding, and that involves similar colors, fonts, messages, mottos, etc, that coordinate together. Having a clear strategy for your online presence makes sure that all of those different pieces line up together, giving your customers a consistent message across all platforms and campaigns.
Creating a marketing plan doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does take a measure of effort to create one that fits your business. Even better, once that plan is done and put into place, you should be able to see improvements almost immediately as your customers (and staff) respond to the changes.
