Go for the gold with this five-ring marketing strategy

Looking for a medal-worthy marketing strategy? Put us in, coach.

If you’re an avid Olympics watcher, you know the feeling of suspense and grandeur a single moment can hold, as the game changes in a matter of seconds. What feels like an unbelievable feat in a short amount of time comes from years of training, development and preparation. In the same way, marketing your business requires dedicated time, effort and expertise behind the scenes.

While you may not be an Olympic athlete, you can still go for the gold. Inspired by the spirit of the Olympic games, we've created a five-ring strategy to help you win and break industry records. Each of these five strategies has unique strengths, and when combined, they create a marketing game plan that will leave your competitors in the dust.

The Website of Champions.

In our five-ring marketing strategy, the black circle represents your website. It’s the glue that connects every aspect of your marketing channels: social media, email, ads, sales collateral and more. That means settling for average isn’t an option; you need a website that excels — one that attracts new customers and fosters loyalty. We’ve identified some key components that can make a website medal-worthy.

• Excellent Design and Functionality. Your website should visually capture the look and feel of your brand while keeping functionality and user experience in mind. A website that combines eye-catching design with ease of use will keep users on webpages longer, and lead to more engagement.
• Compelling Content. Website content is compelling when you can speak your audience’s language, identify their problem and provide a solution. Along with problem-solving, your website messaging should tell a story about who you are, why you do what you do and why that matters to your audience.
• Search Engine Optimization. On that note, your messaging must include the right keywords to attract your target audience. That's where search engine optimization comes in. Find out what keywords people are using so you can rank highly on search engine results pages.
• Social Proof. Reviews from satisfied customers are powerful tools that allow your reputation to speak for itself. Find a few of your best reviews, preferably on the shorter side, and display them on the homepage of your website.

The Social Media Race.

Every post is a hurdle jumped and every “like” another lap. Social media feels like a race, and it’s the little milestones that add up to victory. Start with understanding your audience and how they use each social media channel. Learn about their interests and what they’re looking for on social media. It may help to do a survey and get feedback from your followers on their preferences, pain points and satisfaction levels.

Find out which platform your social media audience uses most and meet them there. For example, Gen Z is all about TikTok, while Millennials are the largest group of Instagram users. Sometimes you must experiment with different platforms to see which is the best fit for your company.

Social media offers your company an opportunity to show off its personality and create buzz around your brand. Videos are one of the most popular ways to engage with online audiences, as users are looking to be entertained, receive information and feel connected. Create content that is meaningful and valuable to your specific audience.

Emailing for Gold.

Email marketing can come in the form of a broad eblast to large groups promoting a new product, or a tailored message for a specific person. Using tools such as your CRM or POS system, you can cull existing data on your customers to help you determine the best strategy for your target audience. So rather than taking a shot in the dark, you’re tailoring your emails using existing customer data, such as:

• Purchase history. Consider what problem inspired them to purchase your product. Retarget those customers with more options and ideas.
• First-party data. Some companies collect information from their subscribers and purchasers, such as age, gender and location. Craft email messaging and content based on these data points.
• The customer journey. With tools like Google Analytics, Instagram, Facebook Insights and customer reviews, you can study customer behaviors. Take note of what pages on your website they visit and how they interact with your products.

Use your collected data to categorize customers into different groups that share characteristics and target each type with your email content. Nurture these relationships over time with email drip campaigns to guide your audience through a customer journey. Also known as a user journey, a customer journey refers to the steps consumers take before making a purchase.

Victory in Visuals: Sales Collateral.

While marketing can give your brand an online presence, your sales team turns seekers into customers (the ultimate victory). Sales collateral can equip your sales teams with the resources they need to seal the deal. Materials such as brochures, flyers, presentations and case studies serve as powerful tools that support sales efforts and influence buying decisions.

Propel your sales team to triumph with these key sales collateral tips:

• Target each market. Every market has its own unique pain points. Tailor your materials to address the individual needs of each.
• Keep it focused. While it’s tempting to dump everything your company does into a brochure or flyer, you should keep your message clear, concise and to the point. Don’t overwhelm the reader — let them ask for more and drive them to your website.
• Highlight the benefits. Emphasize the unique value propositions that set your business apart from your competitors. Explain how your services solve a problem and fulfill a need.
• Use visuals wisely. ?Incorporate eye-catching visuals that help to explain your solutions in a way that is easy to understand and doesn’t overwhelm.
• Include a clear call-to-action. Guide your audience to the next steps, whether it's visiting the website, contacting the sales team or making a purchase.

Hit the Bullseye with Pay-per-click Ads.

The Olympics are all about measurable achievements, like time, distance and scores. Pay-per-click or PPC advertising is similar in that it provides clear, quantifiable metrics that track the success of your campaigns. The term “pay per click” indicates that companies pay a fee each time their online ad is clicked on. In a way, you are buying visitors to your website rather than earning them organically. You only pay for what people are engaging with, ensuring that your marketing dollars are spent efficiently.

PPC campaigns allow companies to reach potential customers at the exact moment they are searching for relevant products or services. These campaigns target specific keywords, demographics and geographic locations so you can hit the mark, every time. Track the results in real-time with metrics such as clicks, impressions, conversions and return on investment (ROI) for data-driven optimization.

Faster, Higher, Stronger

Design At Work is here to provide all the parts that work together to build your brand and market your business. As an extension of your company, we implement each of these five strategies (among others) to increase leads and set your business up to win. If you’re ready to make your business faster, your conversion rates higher and your online presence stronger — contact us today.