by Karen Petrauskas | Oct 21, 2022
How to create a basic marketing strategy
If you’re looking to grow your small business and see explosive results in the months and years ahead, there’s something you need to focus on right now… goal setting and a marketing strategy.
Often we can be afraid to move forward for fear of going backwards – if you’ve found yourself feeling like nothing works in your online marketing efforts – let us tell you that you are not alone.
Or perhaps you have bursts of great things that work, and then you hit a dry period. You think you’ve found something good, but then it doesn’t work again. Sound familiar?
Let’s look at the definition of a strategy: a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.
This means that when you map out exactly what you want to achieve, inclusive of your overall business aims and goals, you can create a plan that will help you execute and deliver the goods.
There is never a better time than NOW to put plans into place to see an end result. Whether we’re coming into the busiest time of the year, coming to the end of the year, starting a fresh year, or are halfway through – there is always a time to put a strategy in place. Without a plan how do you know where you are going?
It’s the same as if you were on holiday, stick Google Maps on and enter your destination. You don’t know the area or where you should be going, but the device will point you in the right direction and make sure that you get there. You can tweak the route or ‘recalculate’ if you need to, and you will still end up in the right place.
This is a great analogy for online marketing too. The digital world is a busy place, there’s so much constantly going on around us and we can get distracted with just one click. It’s easy to jump on your favourite social platform to check or post something and come away an hour later with nothing to show for your time. We know where we’re supposed to be going but without a clear plan of what to do, we can get lost very easily.
So, how do we get away from this and find the clear path?
5 steps to creating a basic marketing strategy:
1) Identify and Set Goals
2) Understand your audience
3) Communicate your USP
4) Select your tools
5) Execute
#1 – Identify and Set Goals
Your marketing goals should reflect the goals that you’ve laid out in your business goals. If you’ve not done this, take a step back and have a think on your overall business expectations first of all. When you know where your business should be heading, you’ll have an idea of the direction that you expect it to go in.
Using these goals as a foundation, identify how you can make them come to life through marketing. For example, if your business goal is to have £XXX of revenue by the end of the year, your marketing goal may be to increase sales by 10% each month.
Identify the target, create the goal.
#2 – Understand your audience
Are you marketing to the whole world, or to the people that need to hear your message? If you’re not clear on who you are targeting, then you’ll end up with a wishy-washy message that gets lost in translation.
Identify the people who you want to target – create a persona. You may have more than one persona, but each goal can be directed to a particular one. It’s a snapshot of who your ideal customer would be.
Here’s a closer look for example: “A woman between 30-45, who lives in the city, who loves to shop, is looking for an outfit for work”.
This is a clear and definitive picture of who we can target. From this we can get to know her a little, where she hangs out online, what types of people are in her network, where she might like to shop, what types of content works best…
Understand the ideal persona.
#3 – Communicate your USP
USP – unique selling proposition, or unique selling point. There is always going to be competition, whether you’re aware of it or not, so learn to love your USP and use this to get over and above the crowd.
What makes you stand out, what makes your product or service the perfect choice? Why should someone buy from you?
Knowing how to position yourself will become part of your secret weapon!
Be unique and authentic.
#4 – Select your marketing tools
Wow, this is a big one, with so many online marketing tools to choose from, you could easily get lost in just this point. So, do some research. It may take time, but it’s better to do it before hand rather than during or after.
How can you measure what you’re doing and how can you create a systemised approach to your marketing?
Do you have the right equipment to see what works and what doesn’t, can you measure each step along the way?
Can you find a marketing tool that makes life easier?
Different areas of the marketing process will require different tools, so think about planning, communication, execution and measuring. Can you combine any of these, do you want to pay for premium platforms or go for free versions?
Find the tools that work for your business.
#5 – Execute
Once you’ve got everything laid out – you’re sure on who your ideal customer is, you know what your goals are, you understand what sets you apart, and you have the correct tools to get started – now it’s time to put the factors together and formulate a plan of action. You should by now know which direction you’re heading in! You need to get SMART!
It’s time to take action, it’s time to put into practise everything you’ve collated together and plan out a way to bring it to life. This needs careful consideration. You could look at all your data and still not use it to create the perfect marketing plan (please don’t do this!) – instead, use all the research you have pulled together to start your marketing journey on the right track.
Take the necessary action steps to move forward
Organisation can be a great asset at times like these – and with our Yearly Social Media Planner you can be sure that you can track all your goals; weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly, all together. It even includes a calendar to map out your monthly content too. Something this simple can be extremely effective in helping you stay on focus throughout the year across your online marketing channels.
If you’ve read all this, know it’s something that you need for your business but simply don’t have the time, knowledge or skills to put it together, we can help! Schedule a free consultation to introduce yourself and let’s see how we can create a great marketing plan for your business.
In the meantime, feel free to download our FREE social media checklist “Don’t forget the basics” to make sure you’re ticking all the boxes 🙂
by Karen Petrauskas | Sep 16, 2022
How do you retain customers? How do you scale and grow a business?
A great customer service, experience, and open communication is key.
We’ve been thinking a lot lately about the ‘customer journey’, not just for KJP Creative and our other interests, but for all the other people who we are surrounded by too. This includes our clients, our friends, the businesses we come into contact with through our networks… everyone. There’s no question that a good customer experience has a positive affect.
How?
- It’s boosts confidence in the customer.
- It gives them a positive experience.
- It makes them know that they are valued.
- It gives them reason to recommend your services or product.
- It builds trust and relationship.
These are all GREAT for growing and scaling a business!
When you’ve got a proven track record for customer satisfaction, it’s much easier & cost-effective to keep a current client and to work with them long-term, than it is to having to keep finding new ones.
Would you rather work with 5 well-paying, happy and easy clients who value your expertise and skills, or 20 low-paying, nit-gritty clients who ask questions at every decision?
It comes down to what your end goal is and the types of clients you prefer to work with. If it’s volume you’re after, then the latter is probably what you’re after – as many clients as you can get.
However if it’s value & desire to help and add value you’re looking for, you’d probably rather nurture your existing clients and scale and grow through a similar type of persona.
How do you create customer satisfaction?
#1 – Communication
Communicate with them at all times. Find out what makes them tick, what they like or need, and work with them to create what they are looking for, whether that be through a service or a product, communicate on all levels.
It doesn’t hurt to over-communicate, it’s when they’re left feeling alone or not knowing what you’re doing that gives a bad impression.
#2 – Check Ins
Check in regularly and make sure everything is ok. This could be in the form of an email – by newsletter if you’re talking about your customers as a whole – or a personal email just to let them know you’re thinking of them and are there to help.
Make it a regular exercise if possible to send an email at a certain day & time, so they get familiar with when to expect your correspondence. This also opens up the doors if they have questions, they know they’ll have an opportunity at this given time.
#3 – Reassurance
Give them a call, or arrange a video call. Hearing your voice can create reassurance. How often do you actually speak to your clients? If this is something you’re not comfortable with, partner with someone who can do this for you!
Clients like to know they’re getting the best value possible. By giving them a call and keeping them in the loop regularly, you’re letting them know that they’re in the forefront of your mind, and you’re doing all you can to help them.
#4 – Social Media
Use your social media channels – yes that’s right. Your social media can be used to create a positive vibe for your clients. It can help keep them in the loop with what’s happening, what’s coming up, offers, tips & tricks, feedback – and so much more. Your social media is a great place to build those relationships before the client journey even begins.
Nurture new followers, reach out to people who are engaging with you, schedule a call to see how you can help, send them a gift even! It’s about standing out and standing above the competition and letting your customers know that you care about them personally.
If you’re a small business who is struggling to grow past a certain point, perhaps customer service could be one of your sticking points. Take a closer look at the above points and see how you can better incorporate them into you business strategy. And in turn, bring it into your marketing strategy that enables you to scale.
If you simply don’t have the time to put so much effort into the customer service side of things through your online marketing, we’d love to have a chat with you to see how we can partner with you to help. Drop us a message and let’s have a conversation.
by Karen Petrauskas | Aug 3, 2022
Struggling with balancing summer holidays / family / running a business and social media?
It’s the summer holidays for many – so as a business owner, how do the school holidays effect your business life – and how do you work your marketing around the holiday season?
Getting to the summer is an achievement, many looking forward to a well-earned summer break with the family, however this does and can have repercussions on your social media channels if you’re not careful in the planning stages.
We talk about this so much, and probably sound like a broken record, but having a content plan and calendar really does help get your marketing organised so you can see clearly, laid out in front of you, what you need to do and plan how you’re going to do it. A content calendar helps you plan ahead for as long as you need; planning campaigns, showing gaps, or just placing content strategically over a time period.
So, if you’ve got to the beginning of the holidays and you’re struggling to think how you’re going to manage your social media while you’re off on your hols – NOW is the time to get it all in place so you can enjoy a few weeks of calm and fun.
And do you know what? Customers understand that August is holiday season. Most people are accommodating when they’re communicated to effectively. It’s when communication drops, that people lose trust in a brand. If you’re out of the office for a week or two, stick it on your email out of office. There’s nothing worse than a customer trying to get in touch from something they’ve seen on social, and then don’t receive a response from their email. A gentle out of office lets them know that they’re valued and you will be in touch as soon as you return.
You’re allowed to have a holiday!
It’s ok to take a break!
Don’t feel guilty and like you need to be working on your business 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s not realistic and it’s not healthy.
What is realistic is that you create great systems which help you to be productive and efficient when you are working, to cover for the times that you are not.
Get started on content planning
>> Grab a blank piece of paper, split it into 7 columns wide and 5 rows deep and write down the dates for the next month in each box, like a calendar.
Now you’re ready to plan, plan, plan.
#1 – start with what you know
Start to write in the content you know you need to share over that month.
Don’t make it complicated, you don’t have a whole load of time to get beautifully designed graphics prepared or perfectly worded copy written up. If you’re doing this last minute, make it as simple and easy as possible.
#2 – inspire others
Next, find some meaningful quotes and inspirational verses that you could share – make sure they will resonate with your audience.
#3 – get the conversation started
Why not try some light-hearted content that will fill in some of the gaps? What would make your audience laugh or smile? Pick some of the awareness days which fall into the month and create content around those.
#4 – curate content
Lastly, look for articles which have been written by other people that will work well for your audience – curated content. This maybe be blogs which you’ve recently read, or publications that you know are good for your readers.
All these things together can fill up a whole month’s worth of content. Once it’s all written on the calendar, it’s time to put it into action and use your favourite scheduling tool to get them ready.
#5 – schedule
** We only recommend tools that we have personally used – we suggest any of the following:
If you can isolate a day, or break it up into bite size chunks you can manage, you’ll have your holiday season covered in no time across all your social channels.
Hey, don’t sweat it though. If you have left it to the last minute and really don’t have time to think about all things social – we can do it for you! Plus we’ll be around to manage all the community engagement too if you’d like us to 🙂
… Connect with KJP Creative – just drop us an email with some details about you and your business and we will be in touch.
Happy holidays – And enjoy the sunshine!
by Karen Petrauskas | Jul 8, 2022
How are we in July already – The time certainly flies when you’re having fun!
Quarter 2: are you ready for the next season of the year?
It’s no joke that as a small business owner it can be hard to manage everything, especially when you prioritise and know that you have certain targets to meet. Social media can be hard to juggle and fit in to the pattern and to do it well creates even more stress for some.
How can you make a difference to the outcome of your social media efforts? ENJOY it! 😉
If you’re not creatively minded or don’t have a flair for design, perhaps you find it hard to create eye-catching graphics or posts that grab attention. But there is another way… tap into the emotion of your readers – make them laugh!
Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine. — Lord Byron
It’s ok to smile and laugh – in fact laughter is good for the soul, it motivates us, inspires us and gives us the energy to persevere and carry on. If you pass that onto your readers, you’ll give them that same boost and lift in confidence.
When you start to hit an emotion, people start to resonate, people start to enjoy your content, start liking or sharing, and before you know it, you’ve got a knock-on effect of engagement on your channels.
ALWAYS have fun with your social media content, it doesn’t matter what type of business or industry you are in, everyone’s human and enjoys a laugh every now and again.
Most people go on social media to check in with friends or family or to see what’s happening in the world – if you can brighten their day and give them something to smile about, even better!
So, as we delve into the second half of the year, be serious about the goals and targets you have for your business, but find creative ways to make them successful.
If you’re looking for a way to manage your marketing strategy, or are fed up with post-it notes everywhere and hundreds of tabs open on your laptop – why not treat yourself to a copy of our Social Media Planner, just £7.99 over on Amazon.
Whatever the season, whatever the day of the week, give your social channels the happiness they deserve.
If you’ve got anything to add, please drop a comment or below, we value your opinions also.
** Struggling to hit the emotion with your audience to see growth? Why not give us a call and let us work with you to create a social media strategy and plan to help you get the results you need to finish the year on target.
by Karen Petrauskas | Jun 17, 2022
- Struggling to keep up with your social media marketing?
- Not sure what to post on your social media channels?
- Losing productivity by spending too much time on social media?
How do you manage your social media effectively and efficiently?
A (well thought-out, strategically planned, eye-catching) social media content plan is your answer. In short, an awesome content plan.
Having a social media presence is a necessity in today’s digital world, even if you are just on one platform. Managing it well and learning to work with tools that can make you both productive and efficient in your business can make a whole world of difference to the outcome, not to mention your mental health!
Many small business owners don’t realise or understand the need to create a content plan, it’s often done on a day-to-day basis and is based on whatever the person is feeling that day. There’s no strategy or thought behind it, just what comes to mind when they remember they have to post. This can create chaos on your social channels, with no real meaning behind any of it.
We understand that everyone is busy, marketing is not always at the forefront of your mind, but when you get distracted or side-tracked into doing other things within your business, your social media marketing is often the task that gets pushed aside and often forgotten, creating an inconsistent pattern. Not only does this provide inconsistency for your audience but it doesn’t give you direction or help with long-term targeting or strategies for marketing, and in turn, sales.
The most basic tool for your social media planning, is getting to grips with a content plan.
A content plan will be your best friend for life!
Here at KJP Creative, we use a pen and paper for this at the beginning stage, and write everything down so we can see everything clearly and laid out in front of us – usually working to a month’s plan. Here’s our top 5 tips for creating an awesome content marketing plan:
#1 – Map out
Create a blank view of your calendar for the month ahead, and start to fill in the gaps… Tip: use a different colour for each type of content so you can see at a glance. The more you start to fill in, you’ll see gaps of where you need content, or where you’re putting too much of the same thing together etc. Learn to spread things out, or manage a campaign at a glance.
#2 – Get thinking & start writing
Write in certain things that you know you want to share that month, these could be things that tie in with overall goals, things that work towards wider targets. Next comes some of your own content, blog posts, or articles that you’ve written. Then think about telling people about what you do, detailing different aspects of your business.
#3 – Use curated content
You can then start to drop in articles that you’ve enjoyed reading, or content that would be beneficial to your readers – it doesn’t have to be all your own content, it’s good to get an all-round view on topics. There might also be people or accounts who you can reshare content from, make notes of dates that this might be applicable.
#4 – Utilise awareness days
How about some awareness days to get your audience talking? We wouldn’t advise jumping on every awareness day that happens, but choose ones that are relevant to your readers and get them thinking and talking about real issues they face and ones they can resonate with. These are great to keep up with trends, things that happening around you, world events etc.
#5 – Tap into emotions
The key to your content plan is to create content that is going to be engaging for your readers, and is going to tap into an emotion. Emotions are so important, and there are so many out there to trigger, but hitting a nerve can be the difference between someone stopping to take notice of you, to scrolling right past and not. Find the balance, find what works well with your audience. Do they enjoy a joke, or would they prefer a motivational post?
What’s next with the content plan?
Once you’ve got your content plan together, it’s about writing the content to go with the plan, creating the images/ graphics, and scheduling. Everyone works differently, so find a pattern that works for you. And find a scheduling tool that you can get on with. Some are easier than others, some have analytics, some integrate with other platforms, some are easy for a mobile device… the choice is really down to personal preference – the key is to actually find time to doing it!
Don’t have the time? Block out sections in your diary for each part of the plan:
- Content planning
- Research
- Writing
- Graphics
- Scheduling
If you’ve only got an hour one day and half hour the next, block these times out and stick to them. Make this a regular part of your to-do list. Once you get into the habit, it’ll become easier and quicker – promise!
However, if you’re still reading and wonder how you’d ever get time to create a proper strategic content plan, or it’s simply not your forte, or what you want to be focussed on right now, we can help! That’s what we love to do, and it’s our speciality. Just contact us, and we’ll be in touch to talk further.
But for those who are ready to see your social media take off to new heights – we challenge you to take content planning seriously and give it a go. And we’d love to hear back from you once you have!
In the meantime, why not checkout our FREE Awareness Days calendar to get you started…
