The last few years have been an interesting ride for US businesses. Dismal forecasts, sluggish recovery, and many SMBs caught in the crossfire were forced to close their doors. 2015 brought with it new signs of optimism and an uptick in recovery and revenues for many. One thing is certain. Adaptive companies succeed where others fail.
More change is sure to come. Consumer habits are shifting and technology is changing e-commerce and service delivery landscapes rapidly. So, how do you adapt to new market demands? Will your marketing tactics actually drive revenue?
Something Old or Something New?
You could repeat your ads and strategies, but it’s likely you weren’t thrilled with how they performed last year. Before you “lather, rinse and repeat,” pause and see if what you’re doing is working. Let’s check for a pulse on that marketing plan.
“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”
–Stephen Hawking
9 Signals You May Need New Tactics:
- Your prospects research online before buying. And that research doesn’t include your website.
- You’re not getting increases in traffic to your site each month.
- Your increased traffic doesn’t translate to increased leads and sales.
- You are relying on too many gimmicks, coupons or sales each month/quarter.
- You are launching a new product or service in the next year.
- You need more leads from marketing to increase sales/revenues.
- Your prospects and customers don’t easily recognize your brand across channels?
Can they tell you what’s special about your company or product? - Your prospects and customers don’t actively engage with your content – like, share, and comment.
- You can’t track your online activities all the way through to your sales and profits.
Your marketing plan, effort and budget may be misdirected if you’re not seeing the responses you’d like to these signal items.
Take a good look at what has worked and what hasn’t. You’re likely to find a few things you’ve “always done” that need to be cut this year. You may find a few areas where you could benefit from expert advice or additional emphasis.
Take action now to evaluate your strategies and their results. Make smart adjustments by shifting your investment and effort into tactics that produce results. Look for ways to incorporate marketing automation, and explore options for more engaging tactics with prospects and consumers through your website, fresh content and social channels.
If you’d like help assessing what works and what doesn’t, get a Free Strategy Session with our marketing experts.
