Building a custom marketing strategy; we’re not textbook; we’re real!

Marketing Director – Devin Sardano

Why is it so important to build a custom marketing strategy? Real simple because if you’re using the same layout and marketing strategies as your competition, then you’re no better than they are. We asked the owner of Gaber Marketing Studios why it’s so important to have a custom marketing strategy. Here’s what he had to say:

“A custom marketing strategy is not only ideal but an absolute necessity for your strategic advantage. Your business is unique and ‘custom’ to your industry as well as your target audience’s needs. A custom marketing strategy accounts for the goals and expectations of your business. It has the unique ability to bring your mission statement to the people and make it real. Likewise, custom marketing accounts for your target audience and their expectations of you. If you have a generic marketing strategy built for your industry, you’re only thinking about you, not about your customers. That means giving them only 50% of your worth. Solely with a custom strategy can you perform exactly to your specifications and your audiences. This method allows you the ability to adapt quickly without losing performance. And as any business owner knows, if you cannot adapt, you will fail.”

When you read these marketing words of wisdom, it’s easy to understand why you want a marketing strategy custom-built for your business objectives. After all, the whole point of marketing is to stand out and be the best. If you stifle your marketing campaign using a generic layout that fits everyone, then you cannot show how you’re unique. Being better is about being genuine and real. No one wants to see that you’re the same as the other guy. Therefore, you don’t want to show them this. Don’t accidentally sabotage your marketing strategy with textbook cookie-cutter marketing ideas. Step up and let the world know you are better.

How does a marketer build a custom strategy?

  • Market research.
    The foundation of any good marketing strategy begins with research. Your marketer researches your company goals, your competition, and your target audience. Then an effective marketing strategy using this research to communicate to your target market what benefits you bring and how you’re different. Researching the company goals also begins the development of your brand identity and how you want your audience to view you. Examining your competition provides your chief marketer the competitive advantage of knowing your competitor’s weaknesses and your strengths. Strategic planning often acts on both of these for the marketing edge. Finally, building a target audience makes sure that the correct group of people is receiving the message you’re relaying for the highest sales conversions. Your target audience also plays a unique and essential role in building out your brand awareness. At the same time, your marketing agency conveys your brand promise so that it is precisely what your specified target audience needs to hear.
  • Value proposition.
    Your marketing team brings out what your true value proposition is in your industry. What is a value proposition? A value proposition is the perceived value you deliver to your customers, whether tangible or sentiment. For example, one coffee shop may offer the best coffee at a value price. A consistent low price is a tangible value to the buyer persona. A second coffee shop may provide a peaceful atmosphere where you can sit and enjoy your coffee experience. The environment and experience while having a cup of coffee is a perceived value to the ideal customer. Still, another shop extends early morning hours and gives multiple flavors to accommodate everyone. As you can see, these traits are both perceived sentiment and tangible values. The value proposition’s importance is determined by who your target audience is and their expectations of your company. Marketing experts are well versed in developing clear value propositions that focus on solving your customer’s problems.

  • Long and short-term goals.
    When your marketing strategist sets up your marketing campaign, it consists of short and long-term marketing goals. The goals are continually measured using analytical data to ensure you’re getting proper results. The marketing team sets short-term revolving goals while frequently re-evaluating long-term marketing goals to align with your target goals and evaluate progress. Good marketing efforts are constantly changing and maneuvering to accommodate the market, atmosphere, and most importantly, your clientele’s ever-changing expectations.

  • Customer feedback.
    Listening to customer feedback is of the utmost importance to continue a proper marketing campaign. Successful marketing strategies must include adaptability. Marketing efforts make changes to accommodate negative customer feedback as well as support positive customer feedback and highlight positivity. Many digital avenues and social media platforms are excellent sources for customer feedback. Your marketing campaign must keep up-to-date with your customers’ digital platforms and use them as a valuable resource for input and guidance. Determining what channels you use to communicate with your audience and which tone of voice best represents your company are all a part of a well-thought-out marketing strategy. Your customer feedback also influences your brand persona and brand identity.

What will a custom marketing plan include?

  • Building a brand identity.
    Your brand identity is how you want your customers to view your company. It’s about the lasting impression you wish them to walk away with. Your marketing agency helps you to discover and reveal your business’s personal hallmark. Then they mastermind the marketing notions that build out your brand concept and the strategic steps to connect to your audience. Having a brand makes your product or service memorable and helps to develop a loyal customer base. Your brand story incorporates everything from your color pallet and logo to your tone of voice and typography. Traditionally these design elements carry through all advertising to sustain brand awareness and support your brand identity.
  • Print design.
    The theories chosen for print design carry over to traditional and digital advertising efforts. Your graphic designer works diligently to convey the brand personality to your audience visually. The print design combines your brand identity and the brand story to make a good design become something extraordinary! Print design is one of the most prevalent pieces of the marketing campaign. It is part of everything the customer views about your company. Because of its significant influence, your marketing agent painstakingly works to make sure it maintains a consistent, driven message throughout the entirety of your content marketing campaign. Print design without a message is merely a piece of art. Conversely, a print design that carries a clear message becomes an advertisement.
  • Building a digital marketing presence.
    In today’s business society, a custom marketing plan most certainly includes a vast digital marketing presence. You’ll use different digital platforms to reach your target audience, depending on how best to connect with them. Most often, a digital presence begins with a beautifully constructed and designed website. For best results, the website design needs to be user-friendly and succeed in usability as well as design. A solid digital strategy always includes premier SEO services to support the best search engine ranking. Other possible avenues that your digital marketing strategy may employ include a social media campaign, video marketing, direct marketing, and digital ads.
  • Social media marketing.
    Suppose your company is going to be on the internet. In that case, you need to follow that up with a solid digital strategy, including a social media audience. Almost every digital marketing campaign requires building a community of social media followers. With so many different marketing channels, you’ll need to be wise about which social media avenues will work for your industry. A digital marketing strategy considers what platforms your audience is currently using and puts them into use. Social media posts build a social community. Furthermore, they open up a steady line of communication between you and your audience. Social media is not all about sales. Instead, it often supports steps in the sales funnel and builds leads. Social media marketing creates a loyal target audience and has an enormous reach. Marketing recommends that you do not overlook such benefits.
  • Marketing consulting.
    Of course, a custom marketing strategy needs to have a marketing consultant. Your marketing consultant should constantly be sharing new ideas with you and getting your feedback. Businesses that feel their marketing company fully understands their business goals and mission statement are more comfortable trusting their marketing consultant. You will be treading new territory and trying new tactical marketing strategies. So, open communication and trusting your consultant knows best is an important part of your gains. Collaborating gives both parties the confidence that you’re building the best brand and delivering the very best advertising for your business.
Gaber Marketing Studios - marketing company