It's important for any business to have a consistent marketing plan for the entire year. Tactics like PPC, display ads, and radio sponsorships (to name a few) can drive traffic to your website and attract customers to your business.
Nevertheless, tactics alone won't be enough to help you meet key business goals. Only tactics that align with an overall marketing strategy will generate a meaningful impact. Here are a few reasons why it's vital to map out your marketing strategy for at least 12 months at a time.
Having A Plan Ahead of Time
With a 12-month marketing strategy (also known as an annual campaign), businesses can plan ahead and set goals for the entire year. It helps ensure that they allocate enough resources to each unique marketing campaign deployed throughout the year and don't go over budget in the process. It also enables effective time management.
For instance, when a campaign is associated with a specific deadline, each stakeholder understands the level of urgency involved as the deadline nears. When marketing managers clearly understand each campaign's budget, they'll be more diligent and creative in meeting campaign goals because they know the limits they need to work within, without going into the red.
Consistency and Frequency
Inconsistency or irregularity in marketing can really damage a brand's perception in the public eye. A long-term marketing strategy helps to combat both of these issues.
For example, adhering to a "single source of truth" for messaging content will enable you to maintain a consistent brand position throughout the year. Consumers won't be confused or turned off by a sudden pivot in your messaging. Moreover, planning for a high frequency of messaging can increase awareness among consumers — the first key stage in the customer value journey.
Such consistency and frequency will gradually build brand recognition and trust among your customers. By taking a strategic, long-term approach to your marketing, you can establish a strong and consistent presence in the minds of your target audience, which can lead to increased brand awareness, customer engagement, and ultimately, revenue. In return, you can expect increased sales and loyalty from them.
ROI Improvement
It has often been said that insanity means "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Developing a 12-month marketing strategy doesn't lock you into a specific way of reaching out to consumers. Instead, it allows you to periodically take a step back and determine whether your current approach is working. If not, you'll have an opportunity to make any adjustments as needed.
This process of continuous optimization should be baked into any marketing strategy, and it's a key ingredient in achieving an exceptional return on investment (ROI). When you've clearly defined your marketing channels and tactics as part of a cohesive whole, it's much easier to identify the bottlenecks in the process and make those key changes that will improve your results.
Enhanced Customer Engagement
Another key benefit of investing in a long-term marketing strategy is the ability to engage with customers in a holistic, highly effective way — throughout all phases of their customer journey. Any high-level strategy worth its salt is going to address the different stages of the sales and marketing funnel, and how the company should interact with prospects and leads at every point along the way.
Content marketing is a good example of how this looks in the real world. Many 12-month strategies help brands segment their content marketing according to each funnel stage.
- General blog and social media posts may be geared towards the awareness stage
- Explainers, how-to videos, and infographics towards the evaluation stage
- Special offers towards the decision stage.
Intentional segmentation helps build stronger relationships with customers and encourages repeat business.
Advantage Over Competitors
Another huge benefit that can be gained by the development of a 12-month strategy is the key competitive advantage in your company's sector. Investing in a long-term strategy can enable your team to spot emerging trends in the marketplace, and identify gaps in your competitors' strategies that you can fill.
Having an annual marketing strategy provides you with a consistent presence in the market, allowing for long-term planning, effective budgeting, agility and flexibility, and data-driven decision-making. By taking a strategic approach to marketing, you can stay ahead of your competitors and attract and retain customers more effectively.
In the long run, such a proactive approach can help your business to capture market share. You'll become known as a leader in your industry.
Build Your 12-Month Marketing Strategy with Mid-West Family Eau Claire
A 12-month marketing strategy can provide your business with a comprehensive plan for reaching and engaging with customers, improving ROI, staying true to your core brand messaging, and keeping one or two steps ahead of the competition. It will allow your business to approach marketing efforts with a long-term view and create a sustainable approach that can drive growth over time.
Of course, all of this is easier said than done. Many companies have found that the best way to develop and implement a long-term strategic plan is to partner with an experienced agency. If that described your situation, reach out to our team of friendly experts at Mid-West Family Eau Claire today. We have the expertise to create a fully customized marketing strategy that will fit your brand's every need and help you to achieve sustainable growth. Contact us today to learn more!
