We can all understand the value in having a plan. But according to Content Marketing Institute, only 37 percent of B2C marketers have a documented marketing plan. And that\’s an improvement over previous years. More and more marketers are learning that a plan can help them keep on track, accomplish more, and keep track of which strategies need improvement.
If you haven\’t found the time to sit down and make a marketing plan, here are ten signs that you really need one:
1. You have low brand recognition.
Your company isn\’t the top names for your product or service, and the majority of your target audience doesn\’t know your name or what you do. Low brand recognition equals low credibility, as customers gravitate toward brands they already know.
2. You don\’t generate enough leads.
You simply don\’t have enough potential customers to stay afloat or keep your profit margins where they need to be.
3. Your leads don\’t generate sales.
Even if you\’re generating enough leads, they aren\’t converting into customers. That means you have a problem marketing toward customers further down the buyer\’s journey.
4. You don\’t know your customers.
Customers move through three distinct stages: Awareness, Consideration, and Decision. Your job as a marketer is to know what motivates your customer at each stage. What influences your customers\’ decision to buy?
5. You have no returning customers.
The journey shouldn\’t stop after one purchase. You want to convert first-time buyers into repeat customers, and repeat customers into loyal fans.
6. You don\’t know what\’s working and what\’s not.
If you can\’t identify which parts of your marketing strategy actually work, you also have an analytics problem. Creating a marketing plan includes building in methods to track your success, so for the next campaign, you\’ll know exactly where to start.
7. You haven\’t updated your marketing strategies in…a while.
If your company uses the same old strategies it did ten, five, or even three years ago, you need an update. With digital marketing, effective marketing strategies change faster than ever. You need to constantly be ready to adapt.
8. You haven\’t kept up with social media.
New platforms can seem like a fad, but many platforms have proven themselves worthy of your digital marketing efforts. You don\’t need to jump on every new thing that comes along, but if your business has no social media presence, you need a plan to take care of that.
9. Your social media accounts have low engagement.
Social media is a prime area to generate leads. Engagement breeds more engagement, so get a social media marketing plan in place to get those clicks, likes, and shares.
10. Your marketing isn\’t automated.
The demands of marketing in a digital world can feel like a juggling. While you need to be doing a lot, you don\’t need to do it all manually. Use automation tools to do anything from scheduling social media posts in advance to email marketing management.
For help developing a successful marketing plan for your business, contact one of our experts at Creative Bytes Design.
