Why Your Marketing Plan Isn't Working?

A failed marketing plan is usually the result of three common mistakes, and by identifying what they are, you will be able to avoid making them. We will go over what those three mistakes are so you can craft a strategy that avoids them and see real success out of your marketing efforts.

1. Improper Goal Setting

The goals that you choose for your marketing efforts should be SMART: specific, relevant, measurable, timely, and achievable. Instead of focusing on something overly broad such as “increase profits”, break down your bigger goals into small goals that will serve as stepping stones towards that more ambitious undertaking.

To illustrate the most common marketing goals include: increasing SEO and rank higher in search results, boost brand engagement, generating new leads, educate the market on what you offer, and many more.

Each of these goals is tied to specific marketing practices that make them achievable for teams of all sizes. The key is to know exactly what you are trying to achieve in the first place therefore you can target your efforts in the right direction.

Remember, goal setting is an ongoing activity, not just a means to an end. Build in reminders to keep your business on track and make regular time slots available to review your goals. Your end destination may remain quite similar over the long term – however, the action plan you set for yourself along the way can change significantly.

2. Tracking at the Wrong Metrics

Companies begin amassing dozens of reports, tracking numbers on top of numbers, hoping they will all fit together and light the way to success. Nevertheless – with attention being pulled in different directions by so many reports, hours are wasted tracking the wrong metrics.

For example – if you did not clearly outline your goals, then chances are you looking at the wrong metrics to measure your goals’ success. Another point to note is, that even if your goals are well-defined, you can still be measuring performance using incorrect metrics.

You risk missing out on important insights that can help you determine whether you are on the right road if you are analyzing the incorrect data or just aren't sure what to make of the data you have.

Identifying and tracking just a few key metrics are crucial to a successful marketing plan. Companies must focus on a few key metrics that indicate the true health of their business, rather than getting lost in dozens of less important metrics. Those key measures should directly relate to business goals. By doing so, organizations will be able to perform and grow.

When you hone in on the right metrics, you ensure that you are paying attention to where it counts. You also give yourself the best opportunity to see where and how you need to tweak your marketing plan.

3. Lack of Consistency

Truly effective marketing comes down to consistency – with paid advertising, content marking, email marketing, and so on. At its core, marketing is about controlling the conversation around your brand. You want to set the dialogue in terms of your identity and your values, and to make those ideas and values a central part of how current and potential customers perceive you.

When different aspects of your marketing messages do not reinforce each other, the inconsistencies alienate consumers. Switching from strategy-to-strategy results in unclear expectations making potential customers unsure of the characteristics of your offerings and creating unhappy customers who do not get what they expect.

When you’re forming your marketing plan, always keep consistency in mind. What is the overarching message you want to convey about your business? What distinguishes your business from others, and do all aspects of your marketing campaigns reflect to it? Consistency builds trust, authority, and awareness – and in turn, these factors help get you closer to your major goals. Aim to be consistent in everything you do relate to marketing, and your message will be a lot more impactful.

To conclude, every strategy and action in your marketing plan should be focused on enhancing your brand identity and achieving your pre-determined objectives. Furthermore, simply being aware of these common mistakes should help you deal with them in advance and ensure your success when implement your marketing plan. Contact Marketing Eye to determine what steps are necessary to improve your marketing plan.