How to Create a Revenue-Focused Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps

Without a clear, revenue-focused marketing strategy, your business will struggle to align marketing efforts with tangible financial outcomes aka a clear and repeatable MROI (Marketing Return On Investment).

This will lead to ineffective spending, poor customer targeting, and missed growth opportunities.

Over the past 14 years, I've refined a proven 7-step process for creating a revenue-focused marketing strategy that helps business consulting organisations increase client acquisition and maximise ROI.

In this article, we'll cover everything from defining your long-term goals to optimising your sales tactics.

Along the way, I’ll share common pitfalls and key tips to ensure your strategy not only aligns with your business objectives but actively drives revenue.

Ready to transform your marketing approach and see real, tangible results?

Step 1: Define Your Long-Term Goals

Before you can plan your marketing, you need to set clear, actionable long-term goals. What is your vision for the company? Are you aiming to expand, prepare for a sale, or perhaps streamline for more efficient operation?

Your goals will shape every part of your marketing strategy, making this an essential first step.

• Set Specific Targets: Aim for clarity and precision in your goals (e.g., increase revenue by x% within the next 90 days - Yes, it's possible!).
• Align Goals with Business Values: Ensure your objectives resonate with your business's core values and mission.

For instance, if your goal is to prepare for acquisition, your marketing should focus on building a strong, attractive brand and showcasing business stability and profitability.

What to look out for: Many skip this foundational step, jumping straight into tactical actions without a clear direction. Avoid this trap to ensure all marketing efforts are purposefully aligned with your broader business aims.

Step 2: Assess Your Resources

Now, evaluate what you already have that can drive your marketing. This includes your team’s skills, past marketing materials, and successful campaigns. Understanding your existing strengths helps you build on them rather than starting from scratch.

• Inventory Successful Campaigns: Which past efforts yielded the best ROI? Why?
• Skill Assessment: What marketing skills does your team excel in? SEO, content creation, digital ads?

Leveraging existing successful tactics can save time and money, providing a tested foundation on which to build new strategies.

What to look out for: Don’t underestimate the resources you already have. Reinventing the wheel can lead to unnecessary expenditure and missed opportunities to capitalise on proven strategies.

Step 3: Catalogue Available Marketing Assets

List all current assets that can support your marketing—from digital content like eBooks and webinars to unique technologies or proprietary processes. This comprehensive inventory will be crucial for planning effective use.

• Digital Assets: eBooks, webinars, case studies.
• Physical Assets: Unique technology, in-house software tools.

Understanding what you have allows for smarter allocation of marketing budgets, focusing spending on areas with less coverage.

What to look out for: Missing out on leveraging existing assets can lead to fragmented and ineffective marketing. Ensure you have a complete list before moving forward.

Step 4: Understand Current Marketing Team Capabilities

It’s vital to match marketing tasks with team members who possess the right skills and enjoy those particular activities. This not only boosts effectiveness but also enhances job satisfaction and productivity.

• Match Skills with Roles: Assign roles based on individual strengths and preferences.
• Training Opportunities: Identify gaps in skills and provide training to fill them.

Aligning roles and responsibilities optimises your team's output and ensures that marketing efforts are sustainable and effective.

What to look out for: Assigning tasks to team members who lack interest or skills in those areas can lead to poor results and reduced morale.

Step 5: Define Your Target Market

Who benefits most from your consulting services? Defining your ideal customer is crucial for focused and effective marketing. Understand their needs, challenges, and how your services solve their specific problems.

• Customer Profiles: Create detailed descriptions of your ideal clients.
• Market Research: Conduct surveys, interviews, and research to fine-tune your understanding of your target market.

This clarity in customer targeting prevents resource wastage on uninterested or unsuitable prospects.

What to look out for: Vague or incorrect definitions of your target market can lead to misguided marketing efforts that don’t resonate with potential clients.

Step 6: Make Your Offer Stand Out

How does your consulting service stand out from the competition? Develop clear USPs and value propositions that highlight why your business is the preferable choice.

• Competitive Analysis: Understand what competitors offer and how you can better meet customer needs.
• Value Propositions: Craft clear statements that articulate the unique benefits of choosing your services.

Effective positioning ensures your marketing messages are compelling and resonate with your target audience.

What to look out for: Failing to differentiate from competitors can make your marketing efforts seem generic and ineffective.

Step 7: Optimise Your Sales Process

Before broad marketing strategies are deployed, ensure your sales process is seamless and effective. This step is about refining your approach to convert leads into customers efficiently.

• Sales Training: Equip your team with the latest sales techniques.
• Review Sales Calls: Analyze recordings to identify areas for improvement.

An optimised sales process ensures that marketing leads are effectively converted into revenue.

What to look out for: Neglecting to refine the sales process can result in a poor conversion rate, wasting the effort spent generating leads.

What's Next: Watch My Free Marketing Strategy Training

Discover How We Help Professional Service Businesses Grow Revenue With SMART Digital Marketing Strategies, Ensuring a Clear Return on Investment In 90 Days

Here's what you'll learn:

? The fail-proof technique to create a marketing strategy that fits perfectly with your business

? Understand precisely what your marketing should focus on this month, this quarter, and for the next two years

? The strategic framework for building and scaling revenue-focused marketing strategies

? How to shift from repetitive, ineffective marketing to campaigns that consistently drive revenue

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