Does this sound like you?
You’ve poured your heart and soul into your business. You’ve got a great product or service that you’re super excited to share with the world, but when it comes to actually getting the message out, you’re stumped. You don’t know which of the marketing tactics you’re using are working and which aren’t. You’re putting yourself out there, and no one’s biting.
This can happen to even the best business ideas. That’s why at 8 Signal, we believe that a marketing strategy plan always comes before implementation.
Always.
Always.
Always.
If you’ve read some any of my previous posts, you’re probably thinking, “Man, this guy sounds like a broken record!” I can’t stress enough how important this stuff is! Implementation without strategy will often leave you wondering if your marketing is really making a difference to your business’s bottom line. You’ll measure using the wrong metrics (if any) and usually come to the wrong conclusions. Maybe you’ll assume that Google ads, blogging, email marketing, or other tactics don’t work in your business or industry, when in reality you’ve been implementing the wrong tactic for these platforms. Or maybe you have the wrong expectation of what each platform can or can’t do.
That’s why at 8 Signal we always (always, always!) start with a plan. We believe having an effective strategy in place will help organizations like yours accelerate your growth. Creating a successful marketing strategy is essential, but if you’re not sure how to make a marketing plan, getting started can feel overwhelming.
That’s where we come in! Today, let’s talk about how to write a marketing strategy that works for your business and produces specific, measurable results. There are three key ingredients to 8 Signal’s marketing blueprint: creating your ideal buyer persona, uncovering your before-and-after transformation message, and mapping out your eight-step value framework. In this article, I explain what these are and how we use each one to build an unstoppable marketing strategy plan designed to meet your company’s marketing needs.
1. Create your ideal buyer persona
When you close your eyes and picture someone using your product or service, who do you see? Think specific. A well-documented description of your ideal buyer will help focus your company’s time, energy, and money on serving your target market. Would you rather reach people who’ll become raving fans, or spend your time trying to please bad clients who leave negative reviews on the interwebs?
By understanding your ideal buyer’s demographics, fears, desires, and purchase drivers, you’ll make better decisions in your marketing, sales, and fulfillment efforts. A buyer persona will help you identify who your ideal target audience is and know which marketing platforms are better suited to find and connect with them.
2. Uncover your before-and-after transformation message
When it comes to figuring out how to make a marketing plan, so many companies waste time talking about the wrong things. With the before and after transformation message, our goal is to communicate the life-changing impact your business can provide for your ideal buyer persona.
Using a marketing strategy template (also known as a grid), we uncover your target audience’s deep, underlying needs and desires, and clearly explain how your company can transform their lives for the better. This helps create compelling messages that not only connect with your target audience on an emotional level, but also clearly shows them that your company is radically different from any other available alternatives.
3. Map your buyer personas’ eight-step value journey
The eight-step value journey is a sequential step-by-step process that guides your ideal buyers from complete strangers to raving fans and helps you generate a predictable flow of clients. This roadmap also helps your marketing team track the right key performance indicator for each step in the journey so that your prospects walk through a seamless process that leads to a sales experience.
I’m in! Teach me how to make a marketing plan!
(At least, this is what I hope you’re saying!)
At 8 Signal, we’re on a mission to help business leaders make an impact in their communities. We’ve found that the best way to do this is by setting them (and you!) on a path toward laser-focused marketing that produces results… and it all starts with the 8 Signal marketing blueprint.
To get started, fill out the form on this page, and we’ll schedule your very own marketing strategy session. Using our proven methodology, we’ll guide you through an interview process that combines your industry knowledge with our marketing expertise to create a marketing blueprint that positions you for success.
If you’re tired of haphazard marketing that’s out of sync with the rest of your organization, and you’re ready to take your marketing and your business to the next level, you’ve come to the right place! I look forward to seeing you on the other side.
