5 Tips for Creating Marketing Strategies That Connect with Users

You need a solid marketing plan or strategy to succeed in a competitive market even when you are convinced that you have the best or most desirable product in your niche. A well-structured marketing strategy gives a framework to communicate effectively with your target market, promote your products or services, and measure progress or lack thereof for future decisions.

One effective component of a marketing strategy that can help businesses reach their target audience and drive traffic to their website is PPC (pay-per-click) advertising. It involves paying for clicks on ads that appear at the top or bottom of search engine results pages, on websites, or on social media platforms. Advertisers can set a budget and bid on keywords relevant to their products or services. With the right targeting and ad copy, PPC can result in a high return on investment and increased brand awareness.

With all this in mind, here are five important tips to help you craft effective customer-focused marketing strategies.

Tip#1: Use Research to Inform Your Marketing Strategies

Unless you are the only player in a market – in which case you would not need a marketing strategy- every strategic decision you make should be informed by market research.

“If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.” — Pearl Buck.

The role of marketing research is to help you understand what needs to be done, which will form the basis for the specific plans or techniques you will include in your marketing strategy.

Tip#2: Understand Target Audience

Your target audience is the most important factor when deciding on a marketing strategy. Start by developing detailed customer personas that are relevant to the product or service you are selling. For example, know the age group you are targeting, their price sensitivity, buying trends, and other unique traits influencing their purchasing decisions.

Ultimately, good customer personas will help you create a great relationship marketing strategy building a strong engagement with your customers. Remember, the goal of any marketing strategy is to allow a business to create a connection with potential customers that salespeople can use to make a sale or convert.

Tip #3 Know Your Market

Research about your market should tell you about your competition, threats, opportunities, and other external factors affecting your business. Conduct an environmental scan and industry analysis to gain insights that will help you penetrate your market, and gain a sustainable competitive advantage.

The connection you desire to create with your target audience can only be achieved if you view what you are against as a business or brand. At the same time, external factors like the political climate might prevent you or help you connect with potential customers.

Tip# 4: Understand your Company or Personal Brand

Understanding your business on a deeper level will help you position yourself for success from a marketing perspective. Know your strengths and weakness, and what you stand for or represent as a business and use that knowledge to tell stories that resonate with your target audience.

Tip#5: Aim to Create Stories, Not Arguments

It’s easy to slip into an academic perspective that emphasizes arguments supporting your product or service when developing marketing strategies. However, it has been proven that stories sell more than plain arguments or claims that promote a product or service. As Seth Godin, renowned marketer and author, said, “marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, but about the stories, you tell.”

Aim to have a very broad but informed understanding of your target audience, your environment, and what you have to offer to create an effective marketing strategy. Ultimately, your marketing strategy should be aimed at helping your business to connect with your target audience and creatively promote your products or services.