I can hear it already.
“I can’t take on another thing!”
But let me challenge you with this question.
”Can you really afford not to?”
Marketing cannot just be an afterthought, I know time for afterthoughts rarely, if ever, come. But let’s shift our mindset for a minute here and think about this. The sales and/or success you are having today was driven by the marketing and communication done in the past. Your today vastly impacts your tomorrow and the marketing message you project is the voice that communicates this to your future audience. So whether it is with focus and dedication or not at all…
you are already marketing your business today and driving what the future tomorrow will bring.
Yup. You are already communicating to your customers throughout everything you do, from what is said when you answer the phone to how your email tone comes across, so perhaps we should pause one moment and get tuned into what we are already telling our customers. Most importantly, do you know what your foundation is for it all?
What is your business mission? Does this drive your operation from the top down?
What is the future vision you have for your business? Does this help direct and impact daily decisions for you and your employees? It should. It just takes a little time to think and write this out but the impact this footing can create is monumental.
Having a simple plan does not have to be intimidating. Plans are to meant to alleviate the stress around a task are they not? This is the help of a Marketing Plan. A plan, like a journey, starts with a simple goal and the first forward steps of action. So what marketing step comes first? Once we know our Mission and Vision for our business next comes the foundational element of communicating this to our customers.
WHERE TO START?
Once thing we do know, email is not dead. Why not start small with a consistent email message? Regardless of which Generation your customer base is in, email marketing still remains high on the list of Marketing Strategies that are affective today.
“And according to a study by Bluecore, email is still king when it comes to personal communications from brands. The study found that a whopping 74% of Baby Boomers consider email to be the most personal channel for receiving brand communications, followed by 72% of Gen X, 64% of Millennials, and even 60% of Gen Z. That’s right, even the Gen Zers can appreciate a well-crafted email. So, what does this mean for us marketers? Well, it means that email marketing is still a vital part of any successful marketing strategy, and we should be paying attention to the different preferences of each generation.” Read the full Article HERE.
Once we know WHAT we are communicating to and WHO our target audience is, email is a great option for all generations. Different generations are looking for slightly different things in these communications but to start, collecting and maintaining communication with your customers is a great place to begin. You can do it! So pencil in some time for YOUR MARKETING and let “what marketing?” be a question you don’t ever have to ask.
Thinking about making an updated marketing plan and need help? Contact us today! We would love to join the conversation and help you get a plan in place for your future marketing journey!