Introduction
Regardless of which business sector(s) you are in, putting in place a sound digital marketing strategy is imperative.
Here’s an explanation of what a digital marketing strategy is and the first building block you need to put in place to enhance brand recognition and attract those from your target audience.
A digital marketing strategy is….:
A series of actions which help to achieve your chosen company goals. These actions need implementing via selected online marketing channels which align to your business sector and company ethos.
Don’t let the term “strategy” intimidate. It is really just your “plan of action” that can be used to achieve either a single goal or multiple goals.
Where to start:
Without having a clear idea of your target audience your digital marketing campaign(s) will not be maximised.
Your online marketing strategy, both offline and online should not take the approach of trying to be something for everyone. Stay focused, know your target audience and target them!
Building your customer personas:
Customer personas are built to represent your ideal customers. This can be achieved through such things as:
- Research
- Surveys
- Interviews of your target audience
It is very important to understand that wherever possible such information gathering is based on “real data”.
We say this because any marketing strategy based on making target audience assumptions can very quickly head in the wrong direction.
To achieve the fullest customer personas picture possible, you should make sure to include a mix of customers, a selection of prospects you have, and others who align to your target audience but are not yet in your contact database.
What kind of information needs gathering?
This very much depends on your business and whether you are B2B or B2C. Another factor will relate to whether your product(s) are deemed high or low-cost.
Two key ways to gather such information are by obtaining:
- Quantitative (Demographic) information: This includes such things as:
Location, Age, Job title and income bracket.
- Qualitative (Psychographic) information: This will be dependent upon the need you have created for the product(s) or services offered.
It is quite possible that you will already have a good handle on this type of information but it should include:
Customer goals, challenges, hobbies, interests and their priorities.
The importance of accurate customer personas:
Do not underestimate the huge value and insight of accurate customer personas. It will help all team members to:
- Foster a deeper understanding of your customer needs.
- Enhance product or service development through the creation of features that benefit your target customers.
- Prioritise the projects, campaigns and any initiatives in which to invest time and resource in.
- Bring together a customer-centric vision across all departments and team members.
Better equipped to serve your customer base:
Understanding your target audience is one thing. Serving them to the best of your ability is another!
Companies that take the time to understand and cater for their target audience will see their stature grow.
Through such attention to customer needs, satisfaction and the associated customer experience you will see that desired increase in your active customer base increase.
That's all for now:
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