Trick or Treat: Is Your Marketing Strategy Helping or Hurting Your Business?
If you’re a business owner, you probably have an understanding of different marketing strategies and practices. Chances are that you’ve implemented a few. However, if you aren’t getting the results you expected, it might be a sign that your marketing efforts are harming your business rather than helping it. To help, the experts at McCauley Marketing Services have compiled a few common mistakes that we see businesses make and have offered effective tips for getting the results your business deserves.
Digital Marketing
Social media can be a business’s best friend. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allow business owners and administrators to connect directly with their customers. The platforms also offer opportunities to build brand recognition and reputation status. However, misusing social media can lead to negative ramifications for your business and disinterest from customers. Common mistakes made on social media include using the wrong brand voice, treating company pages like personal profiles, not posting valuable information and not measuring data.
Thankfully, all of these mistakes can be avoided. Potential customers tend to judge your business based on your social media pages, so it’s important to maintain a professional brand voice and image. Chances are that what works for a teen clothing brand won’t work for a dermatologist’s office. In addition, make sure that the information you’re sharing is relevant and valuable. For example, an eye doctor would benefit more from sharing insights about eye fatigue than posting cute animal videos. Finally, watch your analytics. While it is important to pay attention to what type of posts garner the most engagement, you should also be watching your return on investment to see if your social media efforts are leading to more business.
Branding
As cliché as it sounds, a picture really does say a thousand words. While your business might be producing quality content and sharing valuable information, visuals and branding materials are important aspects that can’t be swept under the rug. Common visual mistakes businesses make include being inconsistent, using irrelevant imagery and misunderstanding your industry or your customers.
Consistency is arguably the most important factor when it comes to branding. When you’re creating marketing materials, crafting a flyer or designing your website, you need to make sure you are using the same color palette, logo and fonts across platforms. Developing company brand guidelines can help your business appear more cohesive and build brand recognition and trust among your customers.
In addition, using imagery that doesn’t pertain to your business can be confusing for customers. Make sure the photos you’re posting relate to what you’re sharing and that they add to the content rather than take away from it. Finally, know the norms and what’s effective for your industry. For example, if you own a relaxing spa, focus on using cool color tones that make customers feel calm instead of bright colors such as red that could make your clients feel energized instead.
As competition continues to grow, putting your best foot forward has become essential while marketing your business. However, with so many different marketing guidelines and strategies to keep in mind, some business owners can feel overwhelmed or ill-equipped. By hiring an experienced marketing agency to take on your outreach efforts, you can be assured that your business will be in good hands.
Here at McCauley Marketing Services, our team is constantly keeping up with marketing trends and best practices. With decades of experience, we know exactly what works best for reaching and retaining customers and what tactics should be avoided. If you’re interested in learning more about our services and how we can help your business, contact McCauley Marketing Services today. In addition, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more information about marketing best practices.