5 Ways To Get Ahead In Your Marketing Strategy

2020 has been an eventful year, with many twists and turns – and man, you really need to be on top of your marketing strategy if you want to get ahead. As an entrepreneur, you know that – in business – you have to be flexible and take the changes in stride, while still planning your business with a forward-looking optimistic outlook.

With 2021 in sight, you will once again have to be prepared to be flexible with your marketing strategies. A new year brings new challenges – and exciting new opportunities, should you choose to see it that way.

You need a strategy if you want to succeed.

This morning, while I was having coffee, I compiled a list of the advice I have been giving my clients regarding marketing in uncertain times during the last 6 months. With so much talk about second waves and how long this pandemic may last, I thought it might be helpful for you.

These recommendations will help anchor you as you lean into change and embrace the detour.

My 5 recommendations on staying relevant and getting ahead of the crowd with your #MarketingStrategy: (Click to Tweet!)

My 5 recommendations on staying relevant and getting ahead of the crowd with your marketing strategy:

1. Don’t stop your marketing, but be prepared to stop your automation.

Things are changing all the time – stay in the know. If you use scheduling applications like Hootsuite or the native scheduling tool within Facebook, be mindful of what you have tee-d up.

When major events or even regional changes occur, the content you’ve scheduled in advance may no longer be appropriate. Especially given what’s going on in the world, and regulations changing frequently, promote wisely.

Be prepared to pause or turn off your automation (including your ads), and do your marketing in real-time.

2. Don’t be tone-deaf.

Do you know where your ideal clients and audience are at right now? Are you considering what their daily life, challenges and business struggles look like there?

You market for your client to solve their current problems – not to make yourself look good. If you’re not in tune with their current problems, you’re likely tone deaf.

Don’t be insensitive to the situations your audience is facing. If you are connected to your customers on social media, spend some time looking at what they are saying and sharing. This will allow you to gain an understanding of what they are going through, how they feel and what is important to them right now – and as things change.

During these uncertain times and with COVID-19 restrictions continuing to change, there can be a lot of panic, fear, and apprehension. Some markets and niches might be facing serious challenges in their business that you need to be aware of.

For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic originally broke out, some businesses had to immediately make decisions around laying employees off. To not be sensitive to this in your marketing, if this has happened to your customers, is being tone-deaf.

It’s important to be sensitive to issues like this when planning your marketing. If you don’t act with compassion, it can impact your marketing and your reputation.

3. Leaders contribute value instead of fear and hope over panic.

You are a leader.

And as such, it’s important to provide value to the people you are connected to. Do not contribute to the chaos and fear that others may be feeling, instead try and help out.

You can contribute value by thinking about what you can do to help out, and by taking a moment to pause and think before you share content. Propaganda and fake news continue to be alive and well on social media.

As a leader, you should be looking at the information you’re sharing carefully to ensure it’s credible. What you share on social media is a reflection of your judgment as a leader and business owner.

Contribute positive information: share your ideas and best practices. If you have ideas and ways to help people, do it. You could make a huge impact in somebody’s life, their livelihood, and the livelihood of their employees.

4. Embrace personalization.

Have one on one conversations with your customers. Show up with more empathy, compassion and consideration for others.

Embrace personalization, have conversations with your customers, & show up with more empathy, compassion & consideration for others. Find more ways to stay relevant with your marketing strategy here: (Click to Tweet!)

If 2020 has taught you anything, it’s that you need to know your customers’ and clients’ problems intimately in order to serve them well. To do that, you need to prioritize communicating with them one-on-one rather than talking to the masses.

Think about how you can personalize your message for the specific people you want to impact. Reach out to individuals privately and ask how they’re doing.

When you take a step back and personalize the way you are communicating, your marketing will do a lot better – and is so much more genuine.

5. Reach out and be flexible.

Reach out to those who are most impacted by what’s going on and ask if there’s anything you can do to help.

For example, I have had conversations with some of my clients around their coaching fees and how we can defer some of them if need be this year. This is the reality of running a business, but it also inspires trust and loyalty in your clients.

Don’t be a good person because it's good for #business – be a good person because it's good to be a good person. The fact that it’s good for business too is a bonus. Read more: (Click to Tweet!)

Don’t be a good person because it’s good for business – be a good person because it’s good to be a good person. The fact that it’s good for business too is a bonus.

Take your marketing day by day.

Here’s the lesson to lean into: 

Don’t stop your marketing – stay visible, stay present, and stay connected to your customers. Keep your marketing going, and assess what makes sense on a daily basis.

When times get hard and change, don’t roll up the carpet and say, “I’m done. My business is over.”

Right now is a very good time to get creative, think ahead and strategize how you can add value, build a stronger community and build more loyalty with your existing customers.

What tip are you going to focus on so you can make your marketing strategy stronger going into next year?

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