When you think about marketing, you think about social media, Google ads, websites, magazines and all of those tactical marketing channels you use to promote your product or service to your customer. There is an element that should come before these marketing tactics that could make or break the effectiveness of your marketing.

A marketing STRATEGY!

Crafting a successful marketing strategy involves an in-depth understanding of your target audience, awareness of your point of difference, and a strong brand positioning.

Defining Your Target Market

At the heart of any marketing strategy lies the need to understand who your audience is. This step allows you to tailor your messaging, channel selection and product/service development to resonate with the needs and preferences of your audience.

As a minimum, you need to understand your target audience’s mindset, problems, pain points, and moments that matter, i.e. what brings them joy. This allows you to understand how you add value to them – referred to as your customer value proposition.

Understanding Your Point of Difference

In a crowded market, standing out is imperative. This is why understanding your point of difference is so important. Your point of difference sets your product and service apart from competitors. Identifying and articulating your point of difference will help customers choose you.

This process involves a comprehensive analysis of your competition, understanding what they offer and how they position themselves. Comparing this analysis to your own offer and position will then help you to understand what your point of difference is.

Highlighting your strengths – whether through product innovation, superior quality, exceptional service, pricing, problem solving, or a combination of factors – helps you carve a distinct identity in the market. This uniqueness should be the cornerstone of your marketing messages.

Establishing Your Brand Position

Brand positioning involves the deliberate effort to occupy a distinct place in the minds of your target audience. It encompasses how you want your audience to perceive your brand in relation to competitors.

Consistent messaging, storytelling and visual identity play a crucial role in influencing your customers. This consistency must occur across all touchpoints. If even one touchpoint is out of alignment, it creates mistrust, and your brand feels unauthentic.

This messaging and storytelling should align with your values, as it is your values that drive your behaviour and therefore dictate the experience your customers have. Being true to your values is important as you will need to be able to provide evidence such as testimonials to be able to convince potential customers who have not experienced your product or service.

A robust marketing strategy revolves around these three core elements – 1. defining your target audience, 2. understanding your point of difference and 3. establishing your brand position. Each element is interconnected, forming a cohesive framework that guides your activity and messaging to ensure it resonates with customers. Taking the time to address each of these elements lays the foundation for a successful and impactful marketing strategy.

If you’d like to know how Teresa supports her clients to create impactful marketing strategies, visit  her website:  http://www.marketingarchitect.co.nz/