So, I was at a business networking event the other day and I came across a dental practitioner. Quite a pleasant change from the usual accountants, solicitors, printers, web designers, graphic designers etc that you meet at these types of events.
When I explained that I was a marketing consultant based in Bradford and that we work with clients throughout the UK, his immediate question to me was – ‘So what’s the best marketing for me to get more customers through the door’. He was hoping for a ‘one size fits all’ answer. Unfortunately, that wasn’t what I gave him.
My answer was this: any successful marketing campaign is made up of a series of channels and not just one ‘best marketing’ approach – there is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ solution to marketing. You need a marketing strategy that encapsulates a thorough understanding of who your customers are, how they live, what they like, what they don’t like, where they live, how far they will travel for your service and so on. Once you know everything you can about your customers, you’ll know the type of media they will respond to (I won’t go into competitor analysis, SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, pricing or any other in-depth areas of a marketing plan in order to prevent this blog turning into an essay).
For example, it’s pointless investing heavily in a social media campaign if your target audience is made up of little old ladies over 70. It’s highly unlikely they will be social media users. If this were the case, the local newspaper may be more suitable (though traditional advertising is dwindling in its effectiveness it still has its uses – but this would also be dependent on reader demographics, circulation, frequency etc).
Once you understand your target demographic, you’ll be able to find the most suitable marketing medium. Yes, there are numerous things that are expected these days – a nice brand identity, a user-friendly desktop and mobile friendly website, more than one way to contact you etc. Once you have all these in place, it’s all about targeting your clients through the channels that work for your business whether it’s through direct mail, telemarketing, search engine optimisation, pay per click advertising, social media, PR, face to face selling, referral systems etc.
If you’re struggling to find out the most effective method of marketing to your customers, one of our areas of expertise just so happens to be in helping you find the most effective channels to market your brand. Get in touch for a brew and a chat!
It can be difficult to know where to start when writing your marketing strategy. Our free marketing strategy template on creating a plan that gets results can help. Download now.
