Marketing Strategy

/ / Marketing Strategy

In addition to deepening the approaches and tools that the internet offers us, I believe it is crucial to start from the fundamentals of digital marketing.

What are the essential elements that, if absent, can decree the failure of an online promotion project?

Let’s see them together:

  • Data collection and analysis
  • Assessment of resources and limits within which to move
  • Identification of SMART objectives
  • Strategy creation
  • Identification of Success Indicators

Data collection and analysis

There is no digital marketing strategy that applies to all industries and to all the players involved in a given industry. It therefore becomes vital to begin the approach to a promotion project (online or offline) starting from the collection of data on the activity to be promoted and on the ecosystem in which it lives and acts. Once analyzed, those information will allow you to make more accurate assessments and make better decisions.

A small example to clarify this point: it is not certain that a marketing strategy designed for a craftsman who carries out his activity in a medium-large city can be applied to a craftsman, in the same sector as the first, but who operates in a small isolated town or village. Or, my direct competitor is doing X, Y and Z so surely those solutions are suitable for me; let’s not fall into the error of taking these things for granted, single elements that may seem obvious and useless can represent enormous resources or obstacles, analyzing them and knowing them will work in our favor.

Assessment of resources and limits within which to move

It is obvious that any entrepreneur or self-employed person would like to have at their disposal the same economic, human and instrumental resources that large companies such as Apple, Coca Cola etc have, in order to create, promote and sell unique and magnificent products and services, in the best possible way. The harsh reality is that the vast majority of SMEs, both Italian and foreign, despite dreaming big, find themselves having to deal with limited resources (of all kinds). This does not mean that if we are not Apple then we must give up our entrepreneurial dream, on the contrary, we must, however, take advantage of the analysis made in the first phase to understand what are the availabilities to draw on and also the limits within which we can move.

Keep in mind that resources are not only economic, but also and above all human and instrumental ones, which obviously are directly influenced by the economic aspect.

Being aware of limits and potential, perhaps even hidden, becomes in turn an additional resource that can be exploited to the fullest.

Identification of SMART goals

Just as it doesn’t make much sense to leave for a trip without having the slightest idea of where you want to go, it is not very smart and effective not to have clear the objectives you want to pursue by implementing a certain action. A generic: I want everyone to know my business and my products cannot be called a real goal. In order to better promote your project / product / service, try to identify SMART objectives,: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

Again, examples are worth a thousand explanations:

You are the owner of a small shop, located in a small town, and you sell the products of your farm:

NON S.M.A.R.T ObjectiveS.M.A.R.T. Goal
I would like to increase the sales of my products through e-commerceI would like to increase the sales of my products by 40% thanks to the creation of an e-commerce and I set myself as a deadline to check if the project was successful today in two years

Strategy creation

Once the data has been analyzed, the resources available and the SMART objectives defined, it is time to create the strategy that will guide us in making use of the information and resources, transforming them into actions that will lead us to reach the goals we have set ourselves. The strategy is not just a vague indication of what needs to be used, what needs to be done etc; the strategy is a real document that will guide all the people involved in the project in carrying out their task thanks to means and tools and will remember the reason for this commitment as well as the rules according to which they should “play”. In fact, the strategy brings together all these 5 pillars that are the backbone of a good digital marketing project.

Ok Elena, but after creating and sharing the strategy with all the people involved, taking into account the ecosystem in which we are moving, how do I know if this project is going in the right direction or is failing?

Identification of Success Indicators

Let’ts remember that these indicators cannot be “copied and pasted” from other projects, or univocally imposed by only one of the actors involved in the project. The best solution is that the identification of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) is the result and the right blend of the point of view of the entrepreneur or company and the technical eye of the professional / consultant.

This approach makes it possible to make the strategy and the effort made to achieve the set goals, more effective and truly personalized; too technical indicators could be useless and not relevant for the company but also too superficial metrics could frustrate the important work of preparation and implementation of the project.

It is now clear that strategy is the fundamental and priority step to lay the foundations for a successful Marketing (but not only) project.

So what are you waiting for? Take action!

Let’s evaluate your company or project together and build the perfect strategy for your needs.

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