There’s loads of buzz words around marketing, aren’t there? Like funnels, thought leadership, and big data. And then there’s a word I use a lot. Strategy. But what does that mean? What does a marketing strategist do? And how can it help your business?
Forget about the other buzz words. Firstly, let me explain what strategy is and how it helps businesses raise their game.
In the dictionary, strategy is defined as ‘a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.’ We’re all familiar with that aren’t we? But how does it apply in marketing terms? It’s simple…a marketing strategy works towards achieving a business’s long and short-term goals. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
So, what does a marketing strategist do?
Through a process of analysis, understanding your business and objectives, a marketing strategist creates (and implements) a plan that’s going to make your marketing worthwhile and get results. Here are some of the areas a marketing strategy looks at:
Your objectives
Does your business have some goals? Perhaps you want to sell more of a product or service. Maybe you have something new you’d like to launch. Maybe you’d like to grow your business with existing clients. If you haven’t sat down and worked out what your goals are, then a marketing strategy will focus on these first and foremost. Because if we don’t know what you’re aiming for, what’s the point of your marketing?
Analysis
This is the bit where a marketing strategist will look at what’s going on in the wider world that may affect your business and marketing. They’ll look at what’s going on inside your business and with your industry and competitors too. It all helps form a picture of what could help achieve your goals and what could hinder them. It’s a way of pre-empting and planning ahead too. A marketing strategist will also look at what marketing you’ve been doing and what your online presence is like.
People, people, people
And then there’s the people who are going to buy from you. Work with you. Or use your services. A marketing strategist will have a good look at who these people are and why they’re likely to buy from you. They get to know their demographics, their geographics and all sorts of other information…but the main thing we want to understand is what are their pain points and why do they need to work with you or use your products and services?
Recommendations
So what does a marketing strategist do with all this information? They pull it all together and make recommendations of tactics you can use to make your marketing work towards your goals. It’ll include things like social media content and email marketing. And it might even include more traditional methods, such as direct emails and advertising.
A time scaled plan
Whatever your marketing strategist suggests, it’s great if this information is provided in an easy to digest plan of action. If you work with me, I provide a critical path to get projects moving along. And because it’s planned with your budget, ability and capacity in mind, it feels far less overwhelming than before.
Marketing strategist de-crypted
So there you have it. These are the things that a marketing strategist will do for you and your business.
Would you like to feel that your marketing is in control and working towards your business and even life goals? If so, please get in touch. I’d love to work with you. You can also see more about my marketing strategy service here.
And if you’d like to know more about outsourcing your marketing, take a read of my blog here.
