snh 2018
Implementing an effective marketing strategy is one of the biggest challenges Accountants face today. The internet has transformed the way consumers and businesses find one another and interact. In many respects, the internet has made marketing more accessible and affordable than ever before for the average small-to-medium size business. But, this shift has also created a lot of noise online that businesses need to cut through to get a meaningful message to their target audience. The common tactics you’ll hear about include social media, email marketing, Google AdWords, and blogging. But how do you know which tactic is best for your business? And moreover, how do you use each tactic to get the most out of it? The more you explore and try marketing on your own, the more complicated it seems to be.
Let’s take a step back and learn to think like a marketer.
Applying the Scientific Mindset
Marketing is a lot like science (with a sprinkle of art). Let’s take a page from The Data Detective’s playbook and use the scientific method for example: question, research, hypothesis, experiment, analysis.
Marketing works much the same way. You have a product or service you want to sell. You ask the question “Who is my customer?” Then you do a little research on your competition, their customers, and other potential customers. You gain insights into their personas, pain points, and drivers for making buying decisions. Then you make a prediction, “I bet if I prove to my potential customers that my product or service will save them money, time, or increase their productivity, they’ll show interest.” Then, you run an experiment; i.e. a marketing campaign. Put ads in front of your potential customers and see how they respond. Then, analyze your results and refine the variables in your next experiment. Run another campaign, then refine again and so on.
You can’t argue with the success of the scientific method. If we apply the same thinking to our marketing efforts, we can create a successful marketing strategy from the ground up.
Where Do I Begin?
Now, you’re probably thinking, “Yeah right, that’s easier said than done.” And, you’re right. Marketing takes patience and experience to get good at. But the hardest part is just getting started. Take that first step. Like much of science, your first experiment will be riddled with accidents, mistakes, shortcomings, oversights. But these accidents are invaluable to finding new discoveries and achieving a successful outcome.
Embrace the accidents. Learn from them. And don’t ever stop experimenting.
Learn More
If you enjoyed this article, I encourage you to attend Scaling New Heights this year in June to learn more. I will be expanding on the information within this article during my session, Creating and Implementing a Successful Online Marketing Strategy. We’ll dive into specific tactics and you’ll learn about which are best for your business.
I am also excited to present a session on managing customer and professional relationships, Tools for Making Relationships Professionally Personal. I hope to see you there!