Have you been struggling to promote your business? Is creating or implementing your Marketing Plan overwhelming? Have you been wanting to start advertising, but don’t know where to start? Do you know who you are Marketing to?
The term Marketing can be interpreted in many different ways. In simple terms it is promoting your business to generate more revenue or to build brand awareness. However, anytime your logo is used, or you leave your contact information – you are doing Marketing.
The key to successful Marketing is knowing Who your Clientele is, How to reach them, and What information you should provide them.
- 1. Your Marketing Plan
Creating and implementing a Marketing Plan doesn’t have to be difficult. You can use one for the entire year, or create one per event. Let’s look at our 6 Question Words: Why, When, Who, Where, What, and How.
Why are you Marketing? (There is a Thanksgiving Senior Dinner Event.)
When will you be promoting this? (The dinner is in 3 months, I’ll start inviting people 2 months in advance.)
Who is your target audience? (Anyone over the age of 65 years old.)
Where will you be advertising? (Seniors read newspapers and bulletin boards.)
What are the details they should know and the ads you will use? (The dinner is on Thursday, at 5p, at the City Building, RSVP required, more information found here. My ad colors are orange, red, and white. The bulletin boards are full color full sheet, the newspaper ads are 2×3 B&W.)
How will you implement the above to promote your event? (I’ll put up 1 flyer on each bulletin board for 1 month, then swap the ad for the second month. I’ll run my ad for 1 week every other week for 6 weeks.)
While this is a very basic Marketing Plan, together we can create an in-depth Plan with a checklist of what action should be taken, who will do it, when they will be completed, and how to track them. I will also design your ads and promotional materials to fulfill your What.
- 2. Advertising and Ad Placement
There is more to Advertising than just slapping a logo, some pictures, and words on a piece of paper. There has to be structure that promotes brand recognition. Your company should have an established theme with fonts, colors, and images (typically a logo) that are used with every advertisement.
When crafting advertisements, you encounter two primary formats: print ads and digital ads. Interestingly, in contemporary times, the distinction between the two has blurred considerably. With digital ads, you can seamlessly incorporate direct links, while print ads can leverage QR codes, providing a convenient means to guide potential customers to your designated landing page.
The content you include in each ad hinges on your specific call to action and the ad’s placement. For instance, If your ad is a highway billboard, you want to use less than 13 words. If your ad is on a library bulletin board, you want to give as much detail as possible.
Various types of ads cater to different purposes and locations, including business cards, brochures, one-pagers, trifolds, sponsorship forms, newspapers, magazines, bulletin boards, signs, banners, social media, radio, TV commercials, billboards, and more. Each medium demands a tailored approach based on its characteristics and audience.
Should you find yourself in need of assistance in creating compelling ads, devising an effective ad campaign, or determining the optimal advertising space, feel free to reach out. I’m here to help you navigate the intricacies of advertisement creation and placement. Send me a message, and let’s collaborate to enhance the visibility and impact of your advertising efforts.
- 3. Online Presence and Social Media
The importance of establishing an online presence cannot be overstated, especially for small local businesses. It should be among the initial steps when launching your business. Providing a virtual space for people to discover information about your offerings, operating hours, and contact details is essential. While a Facebook business page can serve as an initial platform, as your business expands, it’s advisable to consider launching a basic website.
The key to online presence is making sure you show activity so that your viewers can tell you are still in business. You want to keep your information concise and pertinent. Please send me a message if you need help establishing your online presence. I can assist in setting up your various profiles as well as building a basic website.
Maintaining an active online presence is key to signaling that your business is thriving. Even without a website, consistent activity on platforms like Facebook can convey your ongoing operations. Keeping your online information up to date and relevant is crucial for engaging potential customers.
If you find yourself in need of assistance in establishing or enhancing your online presence, don’t hesitate to reach out. I can help you set up and optimize various social media profiles including a basic website. Feel free to send me a message, and let’s work together to strengthen your business’s visibility in the digital realm.
- 4. Graphics and Logo
Establishing brand recognition for your company is a challenging task without a defined theme and cohesive graphics. The key to effective branding lies in utilizing a logo or adhering to a consistent standard for presenting your company name. Studies have shown that consumers often need multiple exposures to recognize and remember a brand, underscoring the importance of brand consistency.
Maintaining a uniform look, feel, and message across all platforms is crucial. Your advertisements should be recognizable as originating from your company even without explicitly reading the name. Consistency in color schemes, fonts, and logo usage reinforces your brand identity and leaves a lasting impression on your audience.
When it comes to creating marketing materials, adopting a consistent theme and graphics not only saves time but also reduces stress. Utilizing your company’s colors, fonts, and logo creates a seamless and unified appearance. Starting out with a basic logo allows for a refresh down the line once your brand is established. If you ever feel like your image needs a change, we can do a complete graphics redesign to spice up your branding.
Should you require assistance in developing a logo, refreshing or redesigning your company’s theme and graphics, or even selecting impactful colors and fonts, don’t hesitate to reach out. Send me a message using the form below, and let’s work together to elevate your brand’s visual identity.
A client once said to me, “If you were to ask 100 new business’s what their biggest problem with marketing is, I’d bet 90% would say that they don’t even know where to start.”
My goal is to alleviate the overwhelming factor of Marketing as a whole. To break it down into smaller more manageable steps for you. We will explore who you are marketing to; where they are shopping, reading, listening, and watching; and the best way to generate leads and track your ROI.
We can assess your existing online presence, examine the performance of your current ads, and review the visual appeal of your graphics.
Use the contact form below to get started.
Take Off & Soar, LLC 