What is the best form of marketing?

What is the best form of marketing?

If you’re looking for an easy answer, stop right there because the answer is “it depends.” It depends on your business, product or service, marketplace, positioning, brand awareness, the weather and a few other variables. Sounds a little like Marketing 101 right?

Yes and no. There are so many tools in the marketing mix at your disposal (don’t make me list them all). The real problem is that advertising and marketing have become less effective and your target audience is building up an immunity to it all as they are constantly bombarded.

This is compounded by the increasingly expensive forms of advertising; people becoming more discerning; increasingly competitive markets and let’s not forget the credit crunch!

If any of this strikes a chord, you’re probably losing sleep over what to do next and where to put your limited budget to maximise your Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI).

I don’t have all the answers in this short post. However in the face of this marketing mine field here are some tips to get you well on your way to focusing your marketing effort. 

Know your audience

If you know who you are talking to it will be easier to talk to them. Take a blank piece of paper and write a profile of your typical customer. Make up a name, job, kids etc. It can be fun not to mention insightful.

What brand awareness do you have?

This is particularly important as it will help to shape placement when you get down to tactics, where to market and who to market to. For example, outdooradvertising can be fantastic if you already have a great deal of brand awareness! We used to let our fingers do the walking but now this has completely changed with the web and mobile technology. This has opened up a whole new ballpark, seize it and jump in or you’ll be left behind.

The message

The message is as important as the delivery, just make sure it’s painfully simple. Writing that profile we talked about can really help shape the message accurately.

Consistency is king

This cannot be reinforced enough, from your brand to the message to the delivery consistency is key. If it’s not consistent, youcan do untold damage to your credibility.

Know your sales process backwards

Your sales team is a valued tool in that marketing tool box, knowing the process and listening to your customers makes all the difference.

Follow up follow up follow up

Marketing campaigns followed up with a sales effort will give you that ROMI you’re looking for. Simple.

Integrated approach

Ensuring all channels of marketing are pointing in the same direction and not competing with each other with a seamless message will ensure success. It’s mathematics and it’ll multiply exponentially.

Any marketing can be effective if it’s done properly with a splash of creativity and dash of intelligence. Find out what works for you, stop doing the activity that doesn’t work and focus. It might not be rocket science but there is an art to marketing yourself that all starts with the variables and answering one simple question; Why do people buy from you?

Sian Lenegan is account director at AHP Design.

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