Spring Cleaning for Your Sales & Marketing

Spring is a time of renewal: new start, new plan, new energy. And this spring we find ourselves working in a new world. Spending much more time at home, I’ve found myself thinking of projects that have been on the back burner for far too long. Inspired by the recent flood of tips, tricks, checklists and articles, let’s apply those same spring-cleaning efforts to marketing – no bleach or sanitizer required. 

Just Do It

Whether or not your business has been deemed “essential,” all businesses are operating in a new world with a new economy. Make the most of this spring by completing projects that haven’t received attention. All too frequently, we hear clients say they don’t have the time or resources to tackle “big picture” projects. When everyone is busy getting through the day, it is challenging to make time to take a step back and strategize. Well, now is the time. 

Where to Begin?

Dust-off

Take a minute to “dust-off” your last marketing plan. When was it written? How has your business changed? The marketplace and economy have shifted, so it pays to revisit your strategy. How can your business adapt to the short-term limitations forced by business closures, social distancing and decreased demand? Has your buyer changed? Defining buyer personas and your customer lifecycle are overlooked exercises that may yield insight into how you can fine tune your tactics and long-term strategy.

Refresh

An organization’s visual identity should be unique, engaging and powerful. If your business is looking to send a message of renewal, consider a brand refresh. Look at your visual brand in comparison with the brands of your competitors and organizations outside your industry. Has your visual identity evolved? Is it time for an update? We practice what we preach. Here is a look back at the evolution of the Sikich logo. 

Review & Revise

Revisit your market positioning statement, key differentiators and value proposition. Your brand messaging is key to ensuring prospective customers understand who you are the solution you offer. Make sure to explain your “why”, not just your “what” and “how”. During your next Zoom meeting, review your messaging and collect feedback regarding what new messaging you may need. 

Catalog

Photos from the last trade show and footage from the company holiday party can get lost in your email. Forever. Catalog these digital assets and leverage them for new web and social media content. When pulling together imagery for your next project, you will be glad you took the time to create a filing system. And the process of reviewing the images is time well spent, as it’s a great way to spark new content ideas. 

Access & Analyze

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Do you know how your customers are finding you? Chances are, you have Google Analytics installed on your website. But how often do you look at it? And do you understand your traffic? With sales channels such as trade shows, events and in-person marketing all but shut down, all eyes are online. Is your product or solution information easily found? Optimizing your website for your targeted keywords is key to ranking high on the search engine results page. 

Declutter

If you can access your regular workspace and have a marketing “closet” where premiums, brochures, trade show and recruiting material are stored, there is no time like the present to sort through the contents. If you see more than one logo version, dated color schemes or material for products and services you no longer offer – you know what to do with them! With clean and tidy shelving in front of you, make a list of what items need replacing. Perhaps there is a digital rather than print solution that makes sense? 

Prioritize

Every department runs on a budget, and today, many are facing uncomfortable belt-tightening. Prioritize your short and long-term marketing needs, and if possible, allocate your budget accordingly. Travel and trade show expenses are going to be way down. Is it time for your brand to invest in a targeted pay-per-click advertising campaign? Even if your product doesn’t lend itself to online sales, all products can be researched online. A mobile-friendly website, Google My Business page and on-page optimization are key to being found online. Does prioritizing digital make sense for you? 

Sikich Marketing & Design is your virtual marketing team down the hall. If you are looking for expertise from a creative and collaborative team, we’d love to hear from you.