As a marketing company we follow trends; and develop strategies around these trends to help you get the best from your marketing.

Marketing has evolved. 20 years ago, you used the yellow pages; printed business cards, and flyers. You had a tele-sales team. They reached out to potential customers. Their goal was to book an appointment for sales. Sales will go see the client, follow up and close the deal.

If you had it good, you published in a trade publication a 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 or full page advertisement. Or, if the budget was tight, some classified ads. Or, if you had the money, radio and TV advertisements where high frequency is the name of the game.

Times have changed for marketing

Back in the day, many companies used this rule of thumb; 2% of turnover will be allocated to marketing. That is also not working anymore. Companies who are doing extremely well, have increased their advertising and marketing budgets. We have clients investing 10% of their turnover on advertising and marketing. Yes, it has changed.

Why has marketing changed?

Here are the biggest reasons why marketing changed so much:

• Your client is informed. Never before have people had so much information at their disposal.
• Your client has options. Not only can they choose you, BUT, also companies not even in your area.
• Your competition. Not only do you have local guys competing, now you have people in different provinces, or even overseas competing for your client.
• Overload of messages. The average person sees 5000 ads per day. No wonder everyone is tired.

Where do you start with your marketing?

I am a firm believer in starting with a plan. And no, not only a digital marketing plan. This is where a lot of companies make a big mistake.

Digital marketing is one area in your business. It does not operate by itself. It needs to work with the business and drive the business forward.

Digital marketing changes a lot!

How much time do you have in a day? Yes, 24 hours. There is a good chance if you have your own business you will be spending 12 of those hours at work. Of those 12 hours, how much time do you have to keep track of changes on digital platforms? Not much, right?

Because there are so many platforms, and so many changes happening on each, it becomes a FULL time job to keep track and stay ahead.

Why do you need a marketing strategy?

Failing to plan, is planning to fail. Having a clear marketing strategy helps you reach your goals faster. You need to know and understand these key areas:

• Your Goals: What are your marketing goals and how you will measure them!
• Marketing Channels: What are the right channels to use in your digital marketing?
• Your Message: What is your message to your market?
• Your Clients: Who are your ideal clients and where are they?

Contact me today for more information or visit this page on getting a marketing strategy.