Handling all the elements of a small business is too much for many business owners, especially as marketing becomes increasingly competitive and nuanced. In fact, more than one in three small businesses outsource at least one of their business processes.
If you're considering partnering with a marketing or media agency, look for a company offering solid, full-funnel strategies, not cyclical tactics. Here are some things you should expect from your marketing partner:
Clear Marketing Strategy
Before you can start implementing high-quality campaigns, you need a holistic marketing strategy. Who is your target audience? What are they looking for? What types of messaging will get their attention?
Before you launch renewed marketing efforts, start with a comprehensive strategy that establishes your objectives for the year, your target market, their pain points, and how your brand solves their problem or fills their needs.
Radio & Streaming TV Advertising
Virtually every small and local business benefits from adding radio and streaming television to their multi-channel marketing approach. Most consumers check into these channels multiple times per week. You can cast a wide net over a specific geographic area so local shoppers become more familiar with your brand.
Any marketing agency worth their pay will work with you to refine your messaging, the specific radio or streaming networks your ads play on, and the time segments that work best for your audience. Through unique URLs on clickable OTT or streaming ads and call tracking numbers, you can develop attribution maps to know the success of each channel or campaign.
Digital Marketing Expertise
Whether you operate online or not, a robust digital marketing strategy is key to reaching new shoppers and convincing them to spend with you and not your competitor. Vital elements of getting the most value out of digital channels include:
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Content marketing
- Email marketing
- Social media marketing
- Paid display advertising and PPC ads
Find an expert who can prioritize the best channels and success tips for maximizing your online presence.
Content Creation and Management
Content creation includes podcasting, email blasts, written website content, a business blog updated frequently with new articles, and engaging video published through various channels like social media posts. Experienced marketing services can help you zero in on the types of content your audience will care about most.
You can also choose services that completely manage content publication and distribution, stay on top of analytics so you know where your content matters most, and constantly refine your approach for the best ROI.
Social Media Management
Social media platforms help you develop more direct relationships with your audiences, but they require a lot of ongoing focus. Work with marketing support professionals who can help:
- Identify the top channels for your social media strategy
- Create and publish posts
- Engage with your audience through responses and shares
- Analyze your metrics to refine your approach
Data Analytics and Reporting
One of the most critical aspects of marketing isn't the marketing itself. Instead, it's analyzing and using the data that comes in as a result of your marketing campaigns.
However, industry tools such as Google Analytics can be complex and hard to use if you don't develop the expertise from spending hours every week in the system.
A good data analyst can sift through results and provide clear reports about the success of your efforts, but a great data analyst will use the data to make recommendations for improvement based on those metrics. Over time, you will have a robust pool of data for powering decisions on every aspect of your marketing campaigns.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Just like a marketing agency is an invaluable addition to your team, a CRM can be valuable to your company's tech stack. CRM platforms allow you to create new accounts and contact profiles for new leads and customers, track interactions and sales, and nurture every relationship from prospect to customer to repeat customer.
Some popular CRMs are:
- HubSpot
- Salesforce
- Constant Contact
- Mailchimp
Collaborative Approach
The right marketing support team will become a cohesive fixture in your revenue team by partnering with your in-house marketing experts, salespeople, and customer service teams.
They will also partner with product developers to ensure new messaging and campaigns are right on target for your business objective with no disconnect between the different facets of your business.
Continuous Learning and Adaptation
The marketing world is constantly changing—from traditional broadcast channels like radio and TV to online marketing to the rise of streaming radio and OTT. Successful channels and strategies never stand still. Your marketing partner should provide more than implementation—they are your eyes and ears into trends and changing developments in the marketing world.
Learn more about cutting-edge growth strategies and the newest trends in effective marketing by having frequent meetings, setting time aside for learning and development, and absorbing insights from your outsourced experts.
Mid-West Family Specializes in Marketing Support
Ready to launch your innovative marketing campaigns? Start by building a team you can trust to provide you with continuous support from your initial strategy through reading the results of each campaign.
At Mid-West Family Southwest Michigan, we provide comprehensive support so you can focus on business growth and power your marketing initiatives efficiently. Reach out today to get started.
