Digital, mobile, email, print, networking and word-of-mouth are just a few of the many shapes that marketing plans take in the business world. Without a solid marketing plan in place, your perfect and timely product could be left out in the cold, never to be heard from again. So when you have a great product that you are excited about, you need to make sure it makes it to the right hands. Marketing plans ensure that this happens. To create this type of plan, leaders need a solid foundation of cooperation among employees and collaboration between departments so that the plan mirrors the understanding of the workforce. Through the six TIGERS® principles of trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success, you ensure maximum cooperation because Leaders need to understand how to interact with their team members and with their customers to create the best product and marketing plan possible. The six principles are invaluable for making this happen.
The following team building tips, along with potential consultation services, can bring your products and services in front of your target audience.
Determine your target audience.
Many leaders don’t have a clear understanding of who their target market actually is. This information is vital for success, because when you know who your target market is, you can receive the best return on investments with your marketing budget. Get your product in front of people who are most likely to buy, and you’ll enjoy more sales. When determining your target market, don’t make any assumptions of who they are. Keep your search broad at first, and then start to narrow down customer traits through psychological analyses, large-scale quantitative surveys and small-scale qualitative surveys. Look at what your competitors are doing, listen to customer feedback and track how your website’s visitors interact with the site. And even after gaining all of this information, remain flexible enough to change your understanding of your target audience as your product grows and changes.
Spend time with your customers.
After figuring out who your target audience is, there’s no better way to improve the relationship than by getting to know them on a deeper level. Observe how your users use your product and listen to their feedback to learn how to best reach your target audience and improve your product. This can be achieved by asking your consumers to share their stories and listen to them more than talk to them. When customers share their experiences, you get a better idea of what really matters to them during their shopping experiences, and by listening rather than telling, you will gain insight into their real desires and expectations.
Make a deal.
Consumers love bargains, and one extremely effective way to offer a deal is through mobile coupons. Sixty-five percent of consumers who are presented with a mobile coupon redeem that coupon within 5 minutes. That’s a lot of sales in a short amount of time. A report from Koupon Media also found that 26 percent of customers who use coupons end up purchasing more items, so while leaders may worry that by offering coupons they will make less, they will actually likely experience higher sales because of the incentive. The way that organizations offer their mobile coupons is also important, though, as 49 percent of consumers prefer to be directed to a coupon page that can be saved for later after clicking on the mobile offer. While many sales are quick, some consumers prefer the option to browse and purchase later.
Stay in the present.
In the past, organizations have preferred to produce evergreen content, which is content that does not date itself and can be used for long periods of time. But many brands are now starting to favor short, timely, relevant content in place of evergreen content. Through social media, emails and changing website content, organizations are taking the time to constantly update information as it becomes available. Customers become intrigued by the quick and brief content and are more likely to engage with the organization.
Marketing strategies are one of the most important elements for success for all organizations. If your product or services aren’t making it in the right hands, then your awesome product won’t likely lead anywhere, and you could find yourself quickly out of business. While many people likely think of marketing as billboards and print ads, marketing strategies actually cover a large range of services. Coupons, word-of-mouth and email lists are all components of a marketing plan, and the best plans take into account your target audience and their needs as well as the cooperation in the workforce to make the plan a reality. To create the best marketing strategies, determine your target audience, spend time with your customers, offer them deals and ditch evergreen content. With these strategies, you will enjoy increased sales and higher profitability for your organization.
We found the following resources to offer additional helpful information on the subject:
- 10 Ways to Learn About Your Target Audience
- 3 Simple Strategies for Generating Valuable Customer Insights
- How to Increase Sales By Using Mobile Coupons for Marketing
- 6 Marketing Trends You Can’t Afford to Miss Out On
Copyright TIGERS Success Series, Inc. by Dianne Crampton
About TIGERS Success Series, Inc.
TIGERS® Success Series is a Bend, Oregon Leadership and Team Improvement Consultant that helps committed leaders build more cooperation among employees and collaboration between departments for improved growth, revenue, purpose and impact.
We do this by deploying the TIGERS team process that improves workforce behaviors that are anchored by trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk resolution and success. Providing diagnostics and customized team interventions, you can improve both work culture and transform your adequate teams into exceptional ones.
We also license and train HRD Executives, Project Managers, Managers, Trainers and Team Consultants in the use of our award winning resources. For more information, call 1+ 541-385-7465.
