Mid-Missouri Marketing Resource Blog

Get ready campers - BrandKamp is back! 

Originally published 9-28-2015. Updated 9-11-2020

Let’s see if this story sounds familiar… a local business owner spent months researching her marketing options. She knew she wanted to be on a few radio stations. Her competitors were on TV, so she was interested in options on a local channel, and of course she knew she needed to be online, though she wasn't sure exactly where or how. Her employees insisted she should put a coupon in direct mail, and a close friend swore she'd regret it if she didn’t do billboards.

This is one of the main differences between business owners who experience success and those who are just trying to stay afloat. All successful businesses have a clear marketing strategy that makes everything they do more effective.

Many small business owners get overwhelmed with daily marketing tasks like sending emails, tweeting, advertising, blogging and so on, so they aren’t taking the time to work on the decisions that’ll improve the performance of their tactics.

Strategy is simply the decisions you need to make so your tactics work better. Your marketing strategy is the foundation for creating awareness, generating interest, closing new sales, and continuing customer engagement.

Your marketing strategy guides your company culture, your products and services, and your pricing.

Here are a few keys to consider when creating a strong marketing strategy:

It is clear over the past 10 years how popular social media marketing has become. But, believe it or not, some businesses are still not executing the correct social media strategy or think that it has no effect on their business. Spoiler Alert: it most definitely does. When you hire a person who studies social media platforms and is dedicated to engaging with customers, producing branding and sales driven content, and building awareness that is HUGE for your business. Still don’t believe us? Here are are top reasons why your business needs a social media manager:

We like “easy.” Who doesn’t? In fact, the easier it is, the more we like it...and the more we’ll keep on doing it. What’s true in life is also true in business. It’s not a complicated concept...make it easy for your customers to do business with you. The easier it is for people to buy your products and services, the more likely it is they’ll do it...and keep doing it. Therefore, the last thing you want to do is unintentionally complicate the buying process. Here are 5 ways to examine your business model and make changes that create an easier customer experience.

Your customers are the reason you are in business, so the least we can do is give them an easier, more seamless buying experience. Examine your business and ask yourself honestly, “Where am I complicating things and missing opportunities? Where am I slow to embrace new methods or technologies that would help my customers want to do business with me?” We thought about those questions...and here are the answers we came up with:

“Call 1-800 steemer… Stanley Steemer gets carpet cleaner!”

“Give me a break, give me a break, break me off a piece of that... Kitkat bar!”

“Like a good neighbor… State Farm is there!” 

(We are willing to bet you just sang those catchy jingles while reading them…)

Some may say that nothing can drive an advertising message like a catchy jingle. We like to think of jingles as an important part of your “audio signature.” Whether your listeners love it or hate it, a good jingle will relate your brand name with a concept, idea, or promotion. While many people believe that jingles are outdated, we disagree. In fact, one recent study found that 89 percent of participants believed jingles to be an effective method of advertising.

So, does your business need a jingle? Here are three reasons why your answer should be yes:

You've probably heard the phrase "print is dead." Given the surge in increased digital usage, current trends in print readership seem to support that statement. However, while magazine is a printed medium, it is not considered "print" in the journalistic sense of the word. The word "print" refers to the world of newspapers, while magazine is a different beast. There are those who prophesied the decline of magazine in the face of its digital counterparts, however, recent data reveals that prediction to have been false. Magazine readership continues to grow.  Online readership has served to enhance, not replace, our favorite magazines. There's absolutely no indication that magazine readership is doing anything but increasing. In fact, many newspapers created magazines as a last-ditch effort to bring in additional revenue. Magazines remain to be a powerful branding strategy and a lucrative form of advertising…if utilized correctly. Here’s how to build your brand using magazine advertising:

On this day dedicated to love, why not consider how to get your customers to fall in love with your business? Just as in a romantic relationship, the relationship built between your business and your customers is one of value and loyalty. This loyalty often leads your customers to care more than passively about the development, furtherance and overall success of your business. This term is what we like to call ownership. Ownership exists in a sphere above customer loyalty and is closer to an actual relationship than a mere customer/business interaction (but not in a weird way). To encourage your customers to move from passive to loyal and then to ownership by “romancing them” follow the tips listed below:

Most business owners love the idea of giving to charity, in theory at least. But oftentimes businesses are strapped for cash, limited on staff and short on time. Running a business often takes priority over charitable contributions.  Yet many remain committed to giving back, even making it part of their company core values. Have you ever wondered how supporting a charity can benefit your business? Corporate volunteerism and donations  to charity don’t have to be a zero-sum game, and being involved can have a far-reaching positive impact.

Did you know that there is a link between weather and your mood? Which, ultimately will affect your purchasing decisions. Researchers are calling it weather-based marketing. But, for those of us who work in sales, you are aware of this already. When winter hits, leads and revenue tend to turn into an icy slowdown. The question is, how do you keep sales hot through the colder months and increase revenue? Find out below with these five tips.