When running a business, a large part of generating leads and sales comes from successful marketing strategies. Your strategies need to be evaluated and reevaluated on a consistent basis in order to really gain a clear understanding of what is working, what needs improvement, which strategies are lacking and why. Keep in mind that the evaluation questions will change slightly, depending on your goals. For example, if you’re evaluating based on performance versus how you compare to the competition, the questions will change. Download this free 15-page marketing evaluation questionnaire and let’s get started.
Here are the top 10 questions you need to ask yourself about your business and marketing strategies:
- Does my brand tell a great story? This is where you analyze whether or not your brand’s story is apparent, and if your storytelling is fantastic. Is it clear what your story is? Do you know how to tell that story, visually and otherwise?
- How well do I know my target audience? When you can truly connect with your target audience, your sales can increase exponentially. However, you first have to get to know your audience and really nail down who you’re selling to and what your audience wants.
- Have you built various personas? These are the archetypes for your audience, i.e. age group, interests, buying history and more. This goes along with knowing and understanding your target audience. When you build the personas, you know who you’re talking to in your campaigns.
- Where do I generate most of my leads? Start with which channels you know are working for sure – either word of mouth, referral, through the website, SEO, email marketing, Facebook ads, direct mail, etc. Maybe you have a combination of avenues that work for you. The important part here is knowing where the majority of your leads are coming from, so you can improve and increase those numbers.
- Can I improve my customer’s journey? Think about your customer’s interactions with your brand or business from the beginning to the end. From when they’re aware of your product or service to when they actually make a sale, you should ensure that each step of the journey is carefully paved and nurtured.
- What is my cost per lead/cost per sale? This will dictate how much money you’re putting into your campaigns. This one is important — if you don’t know, make sure you find out.
- Are my marketing, sales and customer satisfaction departments aligned? Even if you’re a one-person show, these tactics must be aligned. These three departments depend on each other for success, so you’ll want to be sure they’re on the same page and following the same path to success.
- When was my marketing plan optimized? Again, evaluating and reevaluating your strategies and overall plans often is important, so if you haven’t optimized in a while, it may be time to do so.
- Could my company use a brand update? This goes for your logo, colors, print, digital and more. Is your brand consistent? Do you like it? Does it tell your story? If you answer no, it’s time to consider a brand update.
- How often do I analyze my marketing analytics? This includes your website analytics as well as any leads that come from outside sales and offline efforts. Use the insights you have access to, whether it’s through your social media channels, Google Analytics, your CRM, or your own lead management systems.
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