I’ve been playing the digital marketing game for over 20 years, and the landscape has changed significantly!

Business owners are facing more challenges as digital marketing becomes the standard. In a VERY crowded marketplace, it’s harder than ever to get your marketing message in front of the right people at the right time on the right platforms. And when you don’t have the expertise or experience to keep up with constantly shifting trends, it can lead to some MAJOR marketing mistakes like:

• Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall

I see way too many business owners launching marketing campaigns on a wing and a prayer. If you don’t have a clearly defined strategy, and a marketing plan designed to fit the needs and desires of your very specific audience, you’re never going to get the response you’re hoping for. Clearly define your goals for each new marketing initiative and build out your overall strategy through a series of action steps that include key performance indicators (KPIs) that alert you when adjustments are needed and keep you on the path to your goals. 

• Following the Crowd

It’s important to pay attention to marketing trends, but you also need the ability to recognize which ones are right for your business and which ones aren’t. Developing an authentic marketing style empowers you to choose the right channels for your marketing rather than just doing what everyone else is doing and hoping it works. 

If you define your client avatar so you know exactly who you’re serving, the problems they are facing, and the solutions you can offer, you can design marketing strategies that truly speak to your ideal client rather than relying on a cookie-cutter approach that doesn’t bring results. 

• Hiring the Wrong People

It takes a lot of team support to build an effective marketing initiative, but all too often, entrepreneurs try to fit square pegs into round holes. If your assistant is also moonlighting as your copywriter, you’re probably not going to get the results you desire! It’s important to have true experts with real experience in these vital roles, and cutting corners will just cost you more in the long run.

Don’t try to slap a band-aid on gaps in your company. Invest in seasoned professionals that have the experience to take your business to the next level. 

• Skipping the Analytics

Metrics? KPIs? Dashboard?? It’s a lot to take in. But if you’re not using your data to effectively analyze your marketing efforts, you have no way to measure the effectiveness of your campaign. If you want quantifiable results, and clearly defined ROI, you’ve got to use your numbers.

Analytics aren’t optional. If interpreting data isn’t your thing, you need a marketing specialist that knows how to turn your data into real-time information about the success of your latest campaign. 

• Stepping Out of Your Genius

You don’t have to be a marketing whiz, but you have to be smart enough to delegate that to somebody who is! If you don’t already have a marketing specialist on your team, it’s time to change that. 

When you don’t have the time or skillset to consistently develop high quality, cutting-edge marketing initiatives for your business, hand it over to a digital marketing team. I promise- your business will thank you!

You can’t reach the next level of success unless you’re willing to invest in your business. Instead of wasting time and money on marketing campaigns that go nowhere, use your resources to work with a marketing team that has the creativity, skill, and experience to take your business exactly where you want to go!

If you’d like to learn more about the digital marketing team that gets all eyes on you, visit www.sophiezo.com