A Guide to Marketing Strategy Plans That Actually Work
Did you know that there are almost 33 million businesses set up across the USA?
From insurance companies to boutiques, the amount of companies now available to the public is incredible! Search for what you need and the chances are that you’ll get more than a few brands popping up on Google.
While a wealth of choice is great, it does mean that there’s a lot of competition out there from a business point of view. To stand out and make sure you get noticed, you need to market your brand and place it in front of all the right people.
To help you get started, we’ve put together some of the top marketing strategy plans that your business could benefit from.
What Are Marketing Strategy Plans?
When you open up a business, you have goals you’d lie to achieve, the business of which is becoming profitable. A marketing strategy plan is a guide you create to help you get there. So, your sales and marketing strategy will probably be focused on growing your audience, converting them into customers, and gaining more and more sales as time goes by.
Of course, every business is different so your plan might vary and it’ll be much more in-depth than that example! But, regardless of your goals, your marketing strategy and marketing plan are what you’ll use to move your brand forward.
To create your own plan, you’re going to need to get to grips with the different strategies and techniques out there. These are the methods being used by other businesses right now to help them grow audiences and drive sales, and every successful brand has at some point been where you are now! So, let’s take a look at some of the best marketing strategies you could take advantage of.
Search Engine Optimization
Google sees around 3.5 billion searches every day, which is obviously an absolutely massive figure! Search engines are like a hive of potential customers, and making sure you stand out there will be a big boost to your online presence. This is where SEO comes in.
SEO, also known as search engine optimization, is a group of different techniques designed to make your website more visible in search engines. By using Google’s own algorithm, you can ensure that customers looking for your products or services find you first, not a competitor. It includes techniques like keyword optimization, improving loading speeds, and link building, all of which (when done right) will push you up the search ranks and get you those coveted first positions.
Social Media Marketing
Every marketing strategy plan in this day and age should include social media. There are endless platforms that you can start marketing on, including Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. But, it has to be done right.
Make sure you pick the right platform for your business and create a brand tone of voice strategy before you start. Post regularly, engage with your audience, and help to create a brand image your audience can connect with.
Start Blogging
Blogs have been a big deal for a few years now, and their popularity isn’t going anywhere! Business blogs can be an amazing way to boost SEO and engage with your audience, helping to build long-lasting relationships with your readers. But, they are tough to get right and without the knowledge, your blog is going to attract little to no readers.
This is when guest posting is a great idea. You can use other people’s platforms to post your own blogs with a link back to your website. The platform already has an audience that you can talk to, and your website will get the clicks you want it to.
Offer Deals
Companies have been offering deals since the business age began. It’s a great way to entice old customers to buy again and to engage new potential clients, as well. There’s a reason for the Dollar General penny sale and it’s no secret as to why Black Friday is such a great day for retail; people love a bargain!
Don’t offer your sales too frequently, though, or people may end up waiting for your sales rather than buying full price. Occasional, one-off offers are a much better idea.
Loyalty Programs
Did you know that it’s cheaper to retain your customers than it is to find new ones? It’s easy to get bogged down in engaging new audiences in your marketing strategy, but don’t forget the plans in place to keep the old ones. A great way to do this is through loyalty programs.
By offering customers the chance to join loyalty programs, like earning points for every dollar they spend, you encourage them to keep shopping with you. It also helps build relationships as customers will feel more connected to your brand. You can also have special deals off for loyal customers, rewarding those who shop with you the most – just as you should!
Influencer Marketing
A marketing strategy example that’s helped grow a lot of brands from the bottom up is influencer marketing. This is the technique where brands partner up with someone who has a large following on social media, paying them to market your products or services. By choosing someone with a similar niche to yours, you gain access to a huge chunk of your target audience who trust the person you’re marketing through, making it a highly effective technique.
Create Your Marketing Strategy Plans
Whether you’re a small business looking to gain a few extra customers, or you’re a national corporation that wants to go global, marketing strategy plans are a must. They’ll help you stay focused, keep working towards your goals, and grow your audience for the long term.
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Infographic created by Clover Network, a credit card processing company