What Makes Up Your Marketing Pie?

“Facebook Will Be Back Soon, Facebook is down for required maintenance right now, but you should be able to get back on within a few minutes…”
Ok, don’t panic!  At least that’s what I was telling myself the morning of October 11th, 2017, as I anxiously waited for Facebook to come back online.
Unfortunately, outages happen and Facebook is “only human”.  I know, I know, it’s not “human” per se, but humans programmed it, and therefore it is subject to the same uncertainties that all humans face when it comes to technology.
This is a perfect example of why Facebook, and Social Media in general, should only make up a percentage of your marketing plan.
What would you do if your favorite social media platform suddenly disappeared? How would you generate leads or grow your list? How would you market your business?
All valid questions you should be thinking of when it comes to your marketing strategy.
If Facebook represents only a slice of the “marketing pie,” what would the other slices be?
Would you turn to other social networking platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Snapchat, Alignable?  Would you seek out traditional media, such as magazines, newspapers, billboards, television? Would you ramp up your online presence, such as email marketing, website, SEO? How about physical business-building events, such as the networking meetings, community involvement, event sponsorships, pass out promotional materials?
What would you do?
Here are the four main areas to consider:

Print
Print advertising is another powerful method of marketing.  Don’t discount it; research shows that people respond to print ads and digital ads differently.  In an article titled Advertising Science: The Power of Print, Randallreilly.com shared that “print achieved the highest levels of brand favorability and purchase intent of any measured media.”  During a 2015 study by Temple University Fox Center for Neural Decision Making, participants were exposed to print and digital ads and surveyed to gauge preferences and recall. The study revealed the following:
– Respondents spent more time reviewing the print ads
– Print ads yielded higher levels of recall
– Print ads caused more activity in brain areas associated with value and desire, both key markers of purchase interest.
With print advertising having the highest ad recall lift and perceived value to the reader, it makes print one of the most valuable forms of marketing. Does your marketing plan include print?
A well-balanced Marketing Plan, or Pie, is made up of multiple slices. Each slice compliments one another. However, when the pie is only made up of a single slice, then you’re vulnerable.  Because, what happens when that slice is gone or “temporarily down”? You guessed it – your marketing plan is gone too!

Email Marketing
Rumors are that email marketing is dead, and that’s just it – it’s a rumor.  With proper segmentation, email marketing can place the right message in front of the right person at the right time which leads to a high conversion rate. Segmentation is the act of segmenting your audience so that they receive the emails that speak to them directly. Segmentation is very different than the generic weekly newsletter sent to everyone on your list.  Instead, segmented lists are based on interest, actions, and an ascension plan.  Are you harnessing the power of segmentation for your email marketing?

Social Media
As mentioned, social media plays a large part in marketing today.  Having a solid social media strategy allows you to get in front of existing and prospective clients consistently.  I find that, when asked, most small business owners lack a proper social media strategy.  Are you taking advantage of social media platforms and all that they have to offer, like advertising, messaging, live events, etc.?

Face to Face
There’s nothing more powerful than getting to know a person, in person. Whether it’s face to face or on the phone, there’s a connection created when you meet someone that can take years to build through other types of media.  Look for opportunities that can offer face time with prospects. What events have you attended that could have served as networking opportunities? How will you make better use of them next time to market your business?
How many slices does your marketing pie contain?

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