Your marketing message can’t be off

Whether your business intends to run marketing efforts itself or hire on an agency to take on the effort for you, the goal at the end of the day is making sure that your marketing message is one that resonates with consumers.

In today’s ultra-competitive business world, having a strong and cohesive marketing message that not only gets through to new customers, but also sticks with customers through the years, is a critical component to staying in business for a long time.

With that said, what have you been doing in the early stages of 2016 to make your brand’s marketing message resonate with shoppers and buyers?

If you have been finding a few bumps in the road, think about these tips:

1. Developing your message 

First and foremost, what kind of marketing message do you want/need to get out to consumers? While this may sound like a simple question, you might be surprised at how often businesses (especially those handling the marketing end of things) struggle with this question. If you don’t know exactly what you want to say to the buying public, how can you expect them to know? Clearly define your marketing message and then move on to how you will go about delivering it.

2. Presenting the message 

You could have the greatest marketing message mankind has ever seen, but what if the presentation is a bust? Unfortunately, too many marketers and businesses for that matter end up with a message that while itself is strong, looks lackluster in its presentation. This is where your site’s landing pages and overall presentation skills prove so critical. It is important that you create landing pages that not only work properly (load quickly, don’t feature broken links etc.), but also come alive with words and imagery.For the words, keep your marketing message short and sweet. Keep in mind that many consumers are not only busy people, but many of these same individuals have relatively short attention spans. If your message drags on and on, you stand a good chance of losing them before they even get to the end. Also make sure to add imagery whenever possible. Imagery doesn’t mean just a fill-in picture to do just that, fill in some space. Use photos that will resonate with consumers, drawing them closer to wanting more of your brand. You should even consider videos that highlight your product or service, along with some background on your business. More marketers and businesses in general are turning to sites such as YouTube to post their marketing videos on, something that could prove beneficial for you in bringing more online traffic your way.

3. Delivering the message

In order to get your marketing message out there, your mode of delivery needs to be ready to go. Will you opt for more traditional marketing delivery methods such as flyers, pamphlets and email? Are you strong and competitive when it comes to social media? Where is mobile marketing on your radar? Even though it is fine (and more often than not recommended) to have multiple ways of delivering the marketing goods, be sure that you can do just that in the event you set out and publicize such.

4. Socializing your message 

Call it the big elephant in the room perhaps, but there are still countless business owners, and marketers for that matter, who do not take advantage of all social networking has to offer. Your marketing message can and likely will receive a boost when you turn to social sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. If you haven’t already, use one or more of these sites to open up to and engage with consumers 24/7. One note, however, don’t use social media to try and ram a sale or two down consumer’s throats. Social media is a great tool for talking about and showcasing what you do, helping consumers with their questions or concerns as they pertain to your brand or your industry overall for that matter, and coming across as an authoritative figure in your market.

With all that is riding on your brand’s marketing message, are you confident it is ready to convert some consumers into customers?

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers marketing and business topics on the web.