It’s that time of year – pumpkin everything, sweaters, college football – ah, yes: fall is here. And, cooler weather has finally arrived.
As we do every year, we’ve “fallen back”. We turned back the clocks, had that extra hour of sleep and returned to a life of dusk welcoming us home every evening.
The idea of “falling back” has me thinking about the foundation of marketing. “Falling back to the basics”. It’s easy to get distracted by shiny trends and buzzwords – influencer campaigns, social media promotions, flashy websites. Without a doubt, these strategies are important in the digital age and we love using them, but how do you ensure that they’re actually delivering an ROI.
As business people and marketers, it’s important to re-ground ourselves in our goals, our processes, and the “why” behind the “what” we’re choosing to spend our marketing dollars on.
So, let’s fall back together and cover the basics.
1: Grassroots Campaigns
If you’ve ever had a conversation with a McKeeman Maven, you know that we’re big fans of what we call “good neighbor visits.” We believe that there’s no substitute for grassroots marketing in your community. Getting your name and, yes, your actual face in front of your community members is one of the simplest ways to build a relationship with your potential customers. Why? Because consumers are growing more tired of traditional advertising. In fact, they’re tuning it out. In-person campaigns allow you the opportunity to connect with your people directly and cut through the marketing clutter.
2: A Killer Website (but not how you might think)
Everybody seems to be looking for a website with video, animations and flashy plug-ins. Those things are nice (and crazy expensive), but are they actually driving traffic and conversions? The most important thing you need for your website is Search Engine Optimization. New to SEO? It’s simple – SEO makes it easier for potential customers to find you online. Ever wonder why one brand is always showing up at the top of your Google search? Take a look at these stats and it’ll all become clear.
3: Active Social Media Presence
Being active on your social media outlets should be a vital part of your marketing campaign. 2.32 billion people use Facebook every month, and your customers are having a conversation whether you participate or not, so you might as well join in. We believe you should keep the attention of your customers by posting regularly, sharing engaging content, and being responsive to reviews, messages, and comments. After all, where else can you reach and have a conversation with your fans from the comfort of your computer screen?
We know that the concept of a marketing communications plan sounds daunting, but it can be this simple: pick 3 to 5 priorities, do them well and continually keep a pulse on what they’re doing for you. Need some help some help with falling back to your basics? Visit our website to see how we can partner.