Over the past month I’ve been hearing, reading and thinking a lot about being intentional.
For some, now is about the time that new year’s resolutions start fading to just a memory – but if you did set out personal goals for the year, I hope you were clear about not only what you wanted to achieve, but how you were going to achieve them.
If we make a conscious decision to hit a new goal, be it in life or in business, but we don’t think about and understand the journey it will take to get there, we won’t get there!
We need to be intentional.
This year, one of my personal goals is to climb a mountain. To arrive at the foot of the mountain in jeans and a pair of Converse perhaps wouldn’t be the best idea! I’ve thought it and am planning the trip thoroughly with my friends, ensuring we have the right footwear and equipment. But if we were to just leave it to spontaneity, it would be unlikely to happen.
It’s like that in marketing.
A strong marketing plan can be the cornerstone of a successful business, but make sure the plan is set out with the end goal in mind. If the focus is on execution at the expense of strategy, something has gone wrong!
It’s likely that you’ll need a combination of marketing activities in order to reach your targets market. We talk to our new clients about what’s called the “momentum principle”. It can take up to eight contacts to convert a prospect into a customer, and many brands give up after just one or two.
The most success comes with constant momentum.
This can be anything from your website or corporate literature, to a PPC campaign or some social content. There are so many avenues to exploit, and with repetition of your message comes greater brand awareness, which is more likely to lead to an enquiry.
Take the time to ensure you have a well thought out, fully developed marketing strategy. It may require more work upfront, but it will pay off in the long run.
What do you want to achieve in 2017? Set out your vision and goals, and then create a plan of how you’ll achieve them.
Be planful. Be specific. Be intentional!
John Filmer is an Account Manager, creative thinker at Happy Creative, a strategic marketing and branding agency based in Blackpool, Lancashire. To learn more or contact us please go to www.happy-creative.co.uk
