Building a Living & Breathing Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses

Building a Living and Breathing Marketing Strategy

2Powered by Presented by

Meet the Panel

Ramon RaySmall Business Technology Evangelist,

Smallbiztechnology.com

Raghav MathurVP, Strategy & Business Development,G/O Digital

Moderator

Raymond HennesseyEditorial Director,Entrepreneur.com


We’ll Explore:

Digital’s pervasive influence over consumer behaviors

What types of digital marketing drive online and offline actions for small businesses

How to make the best use of content and education to justify marketing spend and guide planning

The ins and outs of building a fluid marketing strategy


Digital’s Influence Is Pervasive


It’s a Digital World—We’re Just Living In It

54%Replaced phone bookswith Internet & local

search

93%Online searches

begin with search engines

2.6BLocal internet

searches performed monthly

84%Use digital tools

before and during trips to stores

Source: ComScore, CMO.com, Small Business Community, CMO.com, 2014


24% of small businesses plan to spend more on marketing and advertising services over the next 12 months

Investment In Digital Becomes Top Priority

Source: Cargo, September 2014


There’s No Magic Potion for SuccessIt doesn’t result from deploying a tactic here or there; it requires continual nurturing and optimization.


Which Types of Marketing & Content Resonate With

Consumers?


First Understand the Digital Buyer’s Journey

Source: G/O Digital “Digital Buyer’s Journey” Infographic, April 2014


Be Deliberate to Trigger Online andOffline Actions

Improve SEO33% of clicks from organic search results go to the top of Google listings

Draw Facebook users offline54% say discounts on Facebook could motivate them to call and/or book an appointment

Make websitesmobile-friendly57% won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site

Increase leads with targeted email56% have made a purchase offline as a result of email marketing messages

Establish credibility and boost trust72% say they trust online reviews and positive customer experiences are 3 times more likely to result in a recommendation

Target offers by location9 out of 10 mobile searches lead to action

Source: G/O Digital “Digital Buyer’s Journey” Infographic, April 2014


How to Justify Marketing Spend & Guide Planning


Challenges Breed Unique Advantages• Only 4% of SMB staff works in marketing-

related roles, where they influence buying decisions

• 82% of SMBs earn up to $2.5 million in annual revenue, however, 78% of SMBs, digital marketing accounts for only 5% of annual revenue

Time is Money and SMBs Act Fast• 64% of SMBs take less than one month to

make spending decisions of over $1000 from the time a need is identified

.

Source: G/O Digital & Entrepreneur’s “Crossing the Digital Divide” Report, May 2015


How to Evaluate & Hire the Right Marketing Provider

TIP #1: Make sure marketing providers understand yourbusiness category, your industry and your needs.

WHY? 27% of SMBs believe it’s more important for a potential vendor to understand their organizational needs/goals than it is to deliver on

commitments (18%) and meet designated timeframes (5%).




TIP #2: Look for vendors who produce research studies to illustrate how your consumers’ digital interactions correlate to

purchase intent – both online and offline.

WHY? 33% of SMBs are most likely to share research studies with colleagues.




TIP #3: Ask for concrete proof of value in the form of customer testimonials and case studies.

WHY? The top 3 types of information SMBs find most useful when researching digital marketing solutions are: pricing information, peer

recommendations and customer testimonials/references.



The Ins & Outs of Building a Fluid Marketing Strategy


Six Steps for Building a Living & Breathing Marketing Strategy

Define your audience

Make specific media choices

Research vendors/solutions

Know how/ where content will be released

Build production calendars based

on tactical rollout

Ensure that the plan remains fluid by adjusting campaigns based on analytics

TARGETING

STRUCTURE

OUTLINING COSTS

MAPPING DISTRIBUTION

CHANNELS

IMPLEMENTATION

REVISITING THE PLAN


Conception/IdeationCreate a campaign based on defined challenges/goals.

DevelopmentBuild the components (e.g., SEO/PPC, mobile optimization, targeted email marketing, social ads, etc.)

ImplementationExecute the plan.

Post-mortemGauge what worked and what didn’t work, then test and learn for future success.

The Anatomy of a CampaignIndividual components should complement each other. Reinforce brand messaging throughout each stage of a campaign.


Gauging Return on Marketing Dollars

• Identify and track quantifiable metrics (conversions, sales, revenue growth).

• Test and optimize repeatedly so every single marketing dollar and tactic is deployed wisely.

• Analyze trends from each campaign and translate into actionable lessons for future success.


Let’s Answer Some Questions


More Content To Help You

RESEARCH STUDY

INFOGRAPHICWEBINAR SLIDESHARE

Use these additional pieces of content to guide you in allocating your digital marketing spend and annual plans.

Building a Living and Breathing Marketing Strategy

http://www.godigitalmarketing.com/resources/crossing-the-digital-divide

http://www.godigitalmarketing.com/infographic-digital-buyers-journey/

http://www.slideshare.net/GODigitalMarketing/crossing-the-digital-divide-47789749