What happens when you have this great-looking car, but decide that you don’t need to get any gas? Eventually, the vehicle slows down, stops, and starts to roll back. The same thing happens in marketing. When you stop advertising, your customers stop thinking about you, and they turn to your competitors who have put gas in their cars, so to speak.
When you stop marketing, the momentum you once had starts to go downward, and the benefits from the money you invested fade away. In the digital world, you want to remain present, and you need people to see your advertisements so when they are ready to make their purchase, your business comes to mind.
Poor Marketing Management
One of the reasons this marketing momentum loss occurs is due to poor management. Owners often want to be involved in marketing but don’t make decisions or take action because they are so busy. It is this delayed effort that dampens the marketing initiative.
A solution might be to assign routine and simple marketing activities to other people. Of course, this depends on the size of the company in your industry as well as your skills. Even so, there are things that can help you keep track and manage your marketing the month I’m so that it doesn’t fall.
Set Goals
Setting and achieving goals help you maintain your marketing success and keep you on track. They show your team what they’re working towards. A well-thought-out plan can prevent confusion and frustration. By following your marketing goals, you can measure the progress of your efforts.
Review Your Marketing Plan Every few Months
If you don’t have a marketing plan, then make one. Keep it available so you can make sure you’re following it on a daily and weekly basis. Check your progress regularly, and as you grow, so should your marketing plan grow. Your marketing plan could be kept somewhere physically like a notebook. Alternatively, you can create a digital plan that your coworkers will be able to access as well. Consider your needs as you look for ways to track your marketing plan’s progress.
Create a Schedule
Take out your calendar and create a schedule. Stick to your schedule, and do the things that keep your products in front of your customers eyes. Keep post, advertisements, and social media ads on target and on time. When creating your schedule, remember to prioritize what is most important. If something can be postponed to make room for something more urgent, be sure to identify what changes need to be made soon.
Use Marketing Tools
Use social media advertising, email marketing services, and marketing management software to help make things more focused and show you what is working and what is not. Understanding what areas need improvements can help you plan ahead while minimizing confusion.
Outsource
Outsource your marketing needs to a creative agency that handles advertising and marketing if you don’t have the time to plan or work on your marketing. Have weekly or monthly meetings with your new team to keep track of everything. Review strategies and reinforce goals or change directions for things that aren’t working. Brainstorm ideas and come up with new marketing targets during these meetings. Set deadlines and make sure that everyone adheres to them.
Organize your marketing systems and if necessary, hire an agency to handle your advertising responsibilities. Finding someone to do this work can clear your mind and help you to think of new marketing strategies. Plus, getting employees involved makes them feel more enthusiastic and more part of the business.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
Marketing stock photo by Baimieng/Shutterstock
