5 min read
Strategy sounds like a corporate word.
Probably something for big companies with marketing departments, quarterly reviews, and colour-coded spreadsheets (which you may or may not have, to varying degrees).
But the thing is, for small-medium sized businesses, a marketing strategy is even more important - because you have less time, less budget, and less room for wasted effort.
So first, what actually IS a marketing strategy?
Strip away the jargon and a marketing strategy is simply a clear plan for how you're going to find and attract customers. It answers three questions: Who are you trying to reach? What do you want to say to them? Where and how are you going to say it?
That's it. No need for 60-page documents thank you.
Most small-med businesses absolutely butcher marketing. Which is why most SMEs stay SME sized.
When you're busy with operations and more pressing matters, marketing slips down the radar and turns into this waste of time that has no rhyme or reason. But the thing is, bigger companies are big because they recognise marketing as the serious business engine it is.
The most common pattern we see is what we call 'random acts of marketing'. A Facebook post here, a flyer there. Or worse, the classic website with dwindling traffic that was built three years ago and hasn't been touched since (HUGE opportunity cost there). A half-finished Instagram account scraping by week by week.... etc
Most probably there's no consistent message, no clear audience, no defined goal. It's the marketing equivalent of throwing things at a wall and hoping something sticks (hint: it won't).
Ok, so how do I un-butcher my SME's marketing?
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You need a clear understanding of who your best customer is, not just 'anyone who needs my service', but specifically WHO
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A consistent message: what makes you different, why someone should choose you over a competitor
- A strategy: which part of the funnel is your focus right now? Are you trying to build trust, educate customers, drive awareness or drive conversions? Start bottom up, campaign by campaign for best efficiency effort/reward.
- A primary channel: as a small business without a team, you can't do it all and well. Marketing is a massive beast and the companies that have one exec scramble to do it all...have lacklustre results. There's no point having eggs in the baskets if they're all cracked. Choose, where are you going to show up consistently?
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A way to capture interest: website, phone number, booking link, something to drive conversions
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A way to measure what's working - even if it's just asking new customers how they found you. You need to understand how to most efficiently reallocate your efforts as a small-med business with limited resources.
Don't panic though. You don't need to do everything.
You need to do the right things, consistently, for the right people. Which is the whole point of having a strategy (making choices about which actions to take, how, and when, for the maximal reward).
When should you ask for help with marketing as an SME?
- When your time is better spent doing the thing you're good at than trying to figure out marketing.
- When you're spending money on things that aren't working and you don't know why.
- When you want to grow but you're not sure what to do next.
- When you see your company is missing out compared to competitors who have stronger marketing than you (not your fault - you can't compete with experienced marketers who have spent their entire careers studying the tools and algorithms).
👋 ClearCut Agency manages full funnel marketing for small-medium businesses who'd rather focus on running their business. As individuals, we've worked with some of the biggest brands in the business, now sharing our expertise with local SMEs to help their enterprise thrive. If you'd like to partner with us, get in touch below for a free consultation.