Marketing connects your brand and products to customers. When it is properly thought out and skillfully developed, marketing creates awareness of your brand. It also helps consumers to understand the unique value of your products. Marketing mistakes can be costly and cause you to miss important opportunities. Here are some to avoid as you move forward into 2018.
Not setting goals
There is a saying that goes “failure to plan is planning to fail.” Before launching any marketing campaign, you must define the goals and understand how to measure the success of those goals. This will allow you to identify performing and non-performing tactics later. Tracking performance to goals will also help to justify future marketing investments.
Marketing too late
All products have a purchase consideration life cycle, whether it is as quick as one moment or as long as several months. It is important to understand how long your audience reflects and researches a decision to buy your product. Schedule marketing efforts accordingly. This will allow you to reach the audience at the right time. Promote a brand-new product at least a few months prior to product launch.
Ignoring analytics
Analytics are best for evaluating long-term trends and big picture results. While you do not need to get bogged down in exact numbers on a day-to-day basis, it is important to check in on analytics data regularly. Check data once a campaign launches to ensure tracking is set up properly. Then pay attention to trends and dig deeper into engagement metrics for the sources that drive the most traffic.
Focusing on desktop
Mobile should be a consideration in all marketing tactics. Forbes reports that in many industries, the average mobile share of site traffic now exceeds 50%. Neglecting the mobile audience can alienate valuable potential customers. Make all digital consumer touch points mobile-friendly.
Doing social media the wrong way
“Many marketers forget that social media is meant to be a space for dialogue and engagement, rather than simply broadcast,” says Jessica Riches, a social media strategist from LMW Labs. Social media is personal and your presence should be engaging and customer-centric.
Sometimes marketing produces mistakes or surprises. However, knowing what to look out for can save you time and ensure better results. Consider bringing in experts, like ours at id8, to help you manage your efforts and optimize sales.
