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7 Main Reasons Why You Need a Digital Marketing Strategy in 2018

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digital marketing strategy

The face of marketing has changed significantly in the past few decades and even more so in the past few years. People are more informed when making purchases, thanks to the overwhelming availability of information online for virtually all products, companies, and people. Now, followers are your potential customers. As a result, digital marketing has become the preferred marketing strategy for many companies that exist today.

Even so, not all companies have a solid marketing strategy from which they work. While many companies are successfully trucking along without any clear digital marketing strategy, they are not necessarily harnessing the full power of this online trend. If you are serious about making gains with your company or brand, then you must create a clear, actionable digital marketing strategy.

Not totally convinced your company needs one? Here are seven reasons why your company needs one stat:

1. A clear strategy will help you focus

Most companies want to increase their online reach by getting more Instagram followers or growing their Facebook page. This, however, does not serve as a sufficient goal. Companies must determine how many followers they want and by how much they want to increase their conversion rate. Without a clear, written strategy, it is difficult for companies to come up with an effective action plan since they aren’t quite clear on what their goals are.

2. Existing & start-up competitors will take your potential customers

Digital marketing is a very competitive industry and if you’re not actively competing then you are losing. For every hour that you are not making your brand known and accessible, you are losing potential customers to your competitors and all of your future competitors. This alone, should inspire you to get your digital marketing game strong.

3. Help you optimize and adapt

With a well-written plan, companies are able to regularly check in on their current methods and determine if they are working as effectively as planned. A plan can not only help you set goals, but it can also include built-in “check-ups” that allow you to regularly assess your methods. By regularly checking the efficacy of your methods, you can be certain that you won’t be wasting any valuable time or resources on things that simply are not working.

Iconosquare, for example, allows you to fully monitor the statistics of your Instagram page. By having access to detailed real-time stats, you can quickly adjust your strategy to follow the methods that work best.

“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” – Theophrastus

4. Limit duplication of content or resources

Most companies have several people working in marketing and outreach. Even in small businesses, communication can get mixed and initiatives can be duplicated. By creating a clear digital marketing strategy, you are able to ensure that everyone on your team is on the same page. This will prevent not only duplicate content but also duplicate accounts, tools, and programs used. This saves both time and money.

5. Prepares responsive and efficient organization

The difference between a traditional marketing strategy and a digital one is that you are given a lot more wiggle room in your digital marketing strategy. One of the main challenges in marketing is responding to your audience, the market, and the everyday problems that come with running a business. With a solid marketing strategy, you can experiment with new approaches to gaining and keeping customers. This also means that you can eliminate methods that do not work.

6. You won’t know your online demand

You may think that you have an incredible tool, but your target audience may not agree. By crafting an online marketing strategy, you are better able to not only provide better services but also find out which services your potential customers actually want. In fact, many companies function solely through Instagram, placing all of their product and marketing efforts on the social media platform. By doing so, they are able to closely monitor customer profiles and behaviors, the behavior of competitors, and the latest trends in the market. An Instagram account can help you easily achieve each of these things.

Engage, Enlighten, Encourage and especially…just be yourself! Social media is a community effort, everyone is an asset.” – Susan Cooper

7. Helps in the management of resources

Without a well-thought out strategy, your business can quickly overspend on resources or tools that many not be effective. By setting a budget within your plan, you are better able to allocate funds in an efficient manner. This is absolutely crucial for any business that is looking to make a profit.

A super common strategy among Instagram marketers is to use helpful tools that don’t break the bank. Many marketers pay for programs that gain Instagram followers for a minimal cost so that they can focus their main resources on ad campaigns and creative design, instead.

Creating a digital marketing strategy doesn’t need to be a high-brow project. You can simply begin by stating clear goals and experimenting with tools that fit within your budget. In fact, a good online marketing strategy will likely change several times each year as it adapts to the audience and trends. The important thing is that you make one.

How are you growing your digitial marketing strategies for 2018? Let us know through the comments below!

Monica Wilson is a writer, social media manager and SEO content marketer.  She currently lives on the coast of Ecuador, working remotely as a freelancer. Her primary focus is on building online visibility of new, up and coming brands, particularly brands that promote health and wellness. She lives a nomadic lifestyle, though is originally from California. Check out Growr.

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Startups

5 Strategic Power Moves to Successfully Build Your Empire

Transitioning from idea to empire is a journey of strategic planning, execution, and constant evolution

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how to build your empire

The journey from a fledgling idea to a thriving empire is both exhilarating and daunting. The Startup Launchpad is not just a process but also a strategic framework that enables visionary entrepreneurs to become market leaders. This framework comprises five power moves, each a critical steppingstone in building a successful business.

These moves—Ideation, Business Plan, Online Presence, Strategic Marketing, and Launch and Growth—are the blueprint for turning aspirations into achievements. (more…)

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How to Avoid Startup Clichés and Buzzwords When Pitching Investors

Using jargon can make you sound like you’re trying to fill space instead of providing meaningful data

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How to pitch investors better

Entrepreneurs frequently seek startup funding through a variety of channels. Yet, none seem as challenging as successfully pitching to experienced investors. After all, investors are pressed for time and eager for opportunities. These characteristics make it challenging to motivate them, especially if you’re bombarding them with a pitch full of jargon. (more…)

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From Idea to Empire: 5 Power Moves for Your Startup to Thrive in Today’s Market

As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned that understanding market dynamics and choosing the right business model are crucial

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How to thrive in the startup market in 2024

As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned that understanding market dynamics and choosing the right business model are crucial.

A few months into the startup, I was quick to gauge why it is necessary to go beyond the nuances of operational efficiency and the art of sustaining a business amid growing competition.

Collaboration is key.

The HR and the recruiting teams work with departments to foster a culture of collaboration, but what’s indispensable to business performance is the sync between the marketing and sales teams. What we’d consider as entrepreneurs is the need to ensure seamless collaboration to predict and achieve business goals together. In turn, this will help secure long-term recurring revenue for the business.

Besides, entrepreneurs need to focus on revenue as they gear up to take their startup from $0 to $1 million. The journey is filled with critical decisions, from identifying your target customer base to choosing the right funding strategy.

So, what next?

Read on… because here are five practical, results-driven strategies that you as a founder can implement to make a mark in their industry.

#1. Embrace the Lean Methodology

What is lean methodology?

It is all about pivoting resources to create more value for customers with fewer resources. 

This principle encourages you to be more agile and allow rapid iteration based on customer feedback rather than spending years perfecting a product before it hits the market.

Want to implement it?

Here’s what you can do.

Build “Measure-Learn” Loop: What I did was develop a minimum viable product (MVP), a simple version of the product. You can do the same since it allows you to start the learning process as quickly as possible. After launching MVP, measure how customers use it and learn from their behaviors and feedback.

Here’s what I can recommend here:

  • Identify the core features that solve your customers’ primary needs and focus solely on those to develop your MVP.
  • Know the feedback channels where early users can communicate their experiences, suggestions, and complaints.
  • Analyze user behavior and feedback to make informed product development and iteration decisions.

#2. Focus on Customer Development

Let’s talk about taking our startup to the next level. 

It’s not just about getting customers – it’s about really getting to know them. We need to dive into their world, understand their struggles, and see how our product or service can make a difference in their lives. 

It’s like we’re detectives, piecing together the puzzle of our business hypothesis by actually chatting with our customers

What would you ideally do here?

Understand Customer Segments: I’d say, start dividing your target market into segments and develop a deep understanding of each segment’s demographics, behaviors, needs, and pain points. The idea is to get into their shoes and really feel what they feel.

Ensure your Product Clicks: When starting up, think of what you offer and consider whether it clicks with what our customers need. My thought was “Does my product solve their problems? Does it make their day better?” Put yourself through a tough grilling session to show customers the value proposition and ensure that the product’s promise matches what our customers are looking for.

I’d recommend the following actions here:

  • Talk to them – through surveys, interviews, or even casual chats. The goal? To gather real, raw insights about what they need and expect.
  • Use the collected data to create detailed profiles for each type of customer. This way, everyone on our team really understood we were serving. I think this should help your startup as well.
  • Try out different versions of our product with a few customer groups. It’s all about feedback here – understanding if you’re hitting the mark or if we need to pivot.

#3. Foster a Data-Driven Culture

The digital world is highly data driven since it fuels key decisions in a startup. 

I believe it’s essential for us to build a data-driven culture. This means, you’ll move from making decisions based on hunches or assumptions. Instead, the focus should be on data analytics and insights to guide our strategies and improve our outcomes.

What can you do?

Use Data Analytics Tools: You should be using these tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data related to customer behavior, market trends, and our business operations. Here, consider the adoption of pipeline forecasting that leverages AI to find patterns in marketing data. 

In turn, you’ll get areas for improvement since it can analyze historical data and predict the outcome for you to plan your.

Action Items:

  • Pinpoint key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your business objectives and ensure they are measurable and actionable.
  • Next, you can consider training your team to understand and use data analytics tools. This might involve workshops or bringing in experts to build a data-savvy workforce.
  • Once everything is in place, regularly review data reports and dashboards. This gives us a clear picture of a startup’s health and helps adjust your strategies and predict future trends.

#4. Strengthen Your Financial Acumen

A good grip on financial skills is important to steer your business towards growth and making sure it stays on track. For this, you’ll have to understand the money side of things, which helps you manage your cash flow. Think of figuring out smart investment moves and sizing up any risks that come your way.

Here’s a tip on how you can get savvy with your finances.

Maintain Rigorous Financial Discipline: I’m really focused on cultivating a strong company culture, one that truly resonates with our mission. So, I’d suggest fostering open communication and encouraging a sense of ownership and collaboration among everyone in the team.

Action Items:

  • Get to know your financial statements inside out – I’m talking about the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. These are like the vital signs for your business’s financial health
  • Use financial forecasting that helps predict your future money moves. With this, you will have a heads-up on upcoming revenues, expenses, and how much cash you’ll need. Also, research on the available financial forecasting tools that can make predictions spot-on.
  • Don’t go at it alone. Regularly touch base with financial advisors or mentors. With them by your side, you’ll have a fresh perspective on your financial strategies to ensure you’re on the right path to hit your business goals.

5. Prioritize Team Building and Leadership Development

It is crucial to focus on building a solid team and developing strong leaders. This means putting our resources into the people who are going to propel our company forward. 

What you’ll aim for here?

Creating a culture where everyone collaborates and every team member has the chance to emerge as a leader.

What I would do:

Cultivate a Strong Company Culture: This culture should mirror our mission and foster open communication. It’s important that it encourages everyone to feel a sense of ownership and work together.

Invest in Leadership and Team Development: As founders, we’ll have to make way for opportunities for teams to enhance their skills, face new challenges, and grow in their careers.

Some concrete steps that you should consider taking:

  • Begin with clearly communicating your startup’s vision, mission, and values so that every team member is on the same page.
  • Conduct regular team-building activities and workshops to boost skills and strengthen a sense of unity and collaboration.
  • How about starting a mentorship program within our organization? The more experienced team members could guide and support the growth of newer or less experienced folks.
  • Alas… encourage feedback at all levels. We should keep striving to create an environment where open, honest communication is the norm and everyone feels safe to speak up.

I know it’s one thing to get your head around these ideas and quite another to actually make them a part of your everyday business life. But that’s where the real magic happens, right? It’s all in the doing. 

As a startup founder, this means more than just being a big dreamer. How about rolling up your sleeves to be the planner who pays attention to the smallest details. Ultimately, these tips and more tactics around it will help carve a leader in you who listens and cares and the learner who’s always ready to adapt

So, as you’re either starting out or moving forward on this entrepreneurial adventure, keep these practical tips right there.

May these be your guiding lights, helping you steer through the wild and exciting world of building a startup that’s not just a dream, but a thriving reality.

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12 Things I Learned in 12 Months of Working on My Startup

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Image Credit: Unsplash

A few weeks ago I launched my startup. It took exactly 12 months from the initial idea until the moment I saw my app in the App Store. And these were some of the most challenging, fun and exciting 12 months of my whole life. (more…)

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