Marketing is an essential aspect of any business, and it can be the difference between success and failure. However, even the most experienced marketers can make mistakes that can have a detrimental effect on a business.
Common marketing mistakes and how to avoid them.
Not having a clear target audience
Without a clear understanding of who your target audience is, it can be difficult to create effective marketing campaigns that resonate with them. This can lead to wasted resources and a lack of engagement with your target market.
To identify your target audience, conduct thorough market research and create buyer personas that will help you understand your target audience’s needs, wants, and behaviors.
Neglecting to analyze data
Often when working in a creative environment, we forget about the importance of data. The reality is that marketing decisions should be driven by data, otherwise it can be difficult to determine what is working and what is not. This can lead to a lack of direction and a lack of accountability for the results of your marketing efforts.
Prior to the launch of a campaign, your marketing and management team should have a clear set of metrics in place to track and analyze your efforts on a regular basis.
Inconsistent messaging
Establishing a consistent brand will help build trust and credibility with your target audience. Marketing teams should take the time to determine their brand’s core messaging through various exercises. An example of this would be holding interviews with various members of the management team to determine the brand’s mission, values, vision, voice, tone and visual identity. This exercise provides a set of standards for all departments within the company when developing content, whether it be through email, social media, traditional advertising, press releases and more. When in doubt, be sure to follow the Rule of 7 to ensure all your efforts are in sync.
Not having a clear Call-to-Action
A call-to-action (CTA) is an instruction that prompts the audience to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. Without a clear CTA, it can be difficult to encourage engagement and conversions.
However, is important to note that not all CTAs need to be sales driven. Oftentimes brands are able to build a sense of community by also drawing attention to or directly supporting causes that are a part of their overarching mission or values.
Failure to have a mobile-optimized website
With a majority of people using mobile devices to access the internet, many brands are adopting the “mobile first” mentality. This means there is a focus on developing content that is built for mobile versus desktop computers and laptops. Here are just a few things to consider when designing websites for mobile:
- Optimizing files sizes for video and photos to aid in faster load times.
- Selecting fonts and sizing that are easier to read on smaller screens.
- Ensuring ease of navigation; consumers should be able to find key elements of your website quickly, such as search features, contact, etc. Depending on product or service type the optimum number of “clicks” you want it to take for a customer to reach your product will vary.
While mobile optimization is key, it is important that brands don’t neglect other website formats as you want users on all devices to navigate easily and ultimately convert through your sales funnel.
Getting stuck in traditional marketing
While traditional marketing isn’t “dead” so to speak, it’s important for marketing teams to implement current marketing trends and technologies. The marketing landscape is constantly changing, and brands will need to be flexible in order to remain competitive. Without this, it can be difficult to engage with your target audience and drive conversions.
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