Where’s the marketing magic?
It would be great if there were a fairy godmother of marketing who could point us in the right direction, and maybe wave a little magic our way while she’s at it.
Just think of the possibilities!
- She could conjure up the perfect marketing strategy
- Or sprinkle magic dust over large groups of strangers, transforming them into our ideal target market
- One wave of her wand and Poof! There would be useful and excellent content for everyone who comes across our websites and social channels
Unfortunately the above scenario is a fairytale.
And that’s because the catch with fairy godmothers is that while their powers are impressive, they come with strings attached.
You typically have to learn some valuable lessons, or even their best spells have little power.
For example, one thing that you might need to realize in order for any magic to work for you is that you need a system.
Creating a marketing strategy and a marketing plan are only the beginning.
These elements then need to become part of an ongoing process that’s manageable and sustainable, and which can be tested and optimized for growth.
Fear not! And be not overwhelmed with where to begin. Giant Arrow is here to help.
We may not be fairy godpeople, but we’ve got three simple points to put you on the path to marketing glory.
1. Start where you are and set smart quarterly goals
Don’t put the cart before the horse!
For example, if you don’t know who your ideal target audience is, or if you haven’t considered their current needs, you will be wasting time by attempting to promote content.
It’s hard to be patient when you’re excited about an initiative, but just like with diet and exercise, if you’re hoping for a low-cost magic pill that will you get you massive results right now, you’ll be very susceptible to offers which are too good to be true.
The reason quarterly goals are good is that three months isn’t too long, but it’s typically long enough to create something, test it, and see some initial results.
You’ll then be able to optimize your approach by making data-driven business decisions based on info that’s highly relevant to your goals.
2. Depend on roles you define, not on individuals
The word “marketing” is very general, and there are many people with specialized knowledge out there who can help you.
It’s really challenging to know who to hire because everyone wants to present themselves as the one-stop-shop marketing-guru solution.
If you set up a documented system that has specific roles and responsibilities, you’ll be able to avoid getting locked into working with particular firms or contractors. You’ll be able to take part or all of your marketing efforts in house if and when you wish to do so.
This is critical because your needs will change over time. A system that requires the involvement of particular employees, shareholders, vendors or any individual in order to work is not a system for long-term success.
3. Create a marketing manual
What should you do with your defined goals and roles? You need a marketing manual.
It can be a massive and detailed document, or a very simple one. At a minimum it needs to define your target market, your goals, a strategy, a timeframe, and a plan detailing exactly who’s responsible for carrying out various tasks and making decisions.
Documenting these items means they can then be measured, tested and systematically improved. The world is in a state of rapidly evolving communication technologies, and a marketing manual should be a living document that’s open to change and revision.
On the other hand, you and everyone you hire must closely follow the plan defined in your manual if you want it to actually work for you.
If all interested parties are consistently on the same page, it’s much easier to see what’s working, and to move forward with confidence.
There’s freedom in the rules
The paradox of any great system is that while it’s made up of rules, it actually frees you.
So if what you’re looking for is the ability to focus on product or service development, and you’d like to be able to hire employees, contractors or agencies to successfully help you with marketing, then the answer is your very own marketing system.
Creating a sensible system will definitely please your fairy godmother of marketing, and the best part is you just might find a little marketing magic after all.
Giant Arrow points the way by creating custom marketing systems for all kinds of initiatives, services and products.
Why not make your fairy godmother of marketing proud by getting in touch with Giant Arrow?
