Back to Basics

Well here it is, the start of a brand new year. We know we’re supposed to be making unreasonable resolutions, forgetting the past and moving forward, but we figured what better way to start over than from the beginning? With all of the advances in marketing (socially speaking) this past year, we feel it would be in everyone’s best interest to revisit a few marketing basics.

Let’s begin with objectives and strategies. No marketing should be attempted without first defining the goals/objectives and strategies to be used to reach them. With the fast-paced, rapidly changing and evolving social media marketing platform, companies can be eager and ill-equipped with a poor understanding of what they need to do in order to utilize this platform efficiently. They often make the mistake of jumping into it underprepared without a strategy when they need one the most. So first thing’s first: Always define your objectives and strategies.

Once you’ve set up your goals and strategies, it is important to focus on your target market. It is often misunderstood that identifying a target market on social media is overrated because everyone is on it, when in fact, neglecting to define your target audience is a big mistake. Not to mention the likelihood of the negative effects on your ROI. Like any other marketing tool, it takes time to use social media and develop a plan, so don’t waste it on an irrelevant audience.

And last but not least, product positioning. Be where your audience is, otherwise what would be the point in taking the time to identify your target market at all? But it’s not enough to just choose them, you have to study them, learn who they are and most importantly, listen to them. What’s their lifestyle? What do they want? What do they need? How can you relate to them and position your product/brand/service to be there for them?

Forget the infamous resolutions of gym memberships and nicotine gum. If you can succeed in these three marketing basics, you will be in good shape for the new year.

Categorized in: Articles, Marketing, Social Media