Your Marketing Success Depends on Getting Back to the Basics

Do you speak the same language as your customers? Does your brand image reflect your positioning? Does your website adequately represent your service offering? Are your strategies deployed on the right channels? Chances are that these questions are frequently on your mind. It's perfectly normal, and that's the real challenge in marketing: to stay true to yourself while evolving with the changes and trends. Hence, the need to sometimes take a step back and go back to the basics in order to move forward. The good news is that this article offers you some food for thought to help you ask the right questions.

Escape the Daily Grind With Regular Introspection

We live in an era where projects quickly succeed the other, opportunities multiply and there is much time spent on putting out fires. Welcome to the age of immediacy: this phenomenon is both exciting and disconcerting, so much so that it can prevent you from having a clear and unobstructed view of your company strategy.

In fact, despite the 1001 good ideas that cross your mind, change management, whether it is the abolition of cookies, the ever-increasing importance of GAFAs or health measures, remains a crucial aspect in the formulation of your objectives and key messages. Since we are a society in constant evolution, it is optimal to regularly reassess the alignment of your marketing efforts with your strategic vision if you want to maximize results and benefits.

Return to the Basics to Make Sense of Your Story

In 2021 especially, building a relationship of trust between brands and their consumers is key. To paraphrase a famous proverb, you must first get to know yourself before others do. Regular introspection, in the form of an annual reflection, for example, can be an excellent starting point. Note, however, that the exercise will only be complete with a prior analysis of the competitive environment and your brand's positioning in the market.

Why: The “Mission, Vision and Values" Trio

They guide your daily decision-making; translate your long-term vision and help build your company's identity. Contrary to what you might think, these three pillars of your positioning are far from being static. The world is changing, so are you, and that's just fine!

• Your mission is your company's reason for being: why does it exist?
• Your vision is what you want to achieve long term: where do you see your business in 15 years?
• Your values are the basis of your organizational culture: what are the common beliefs that set you apart?

These three elements, as trivial as they may seem, are in fact the foundation of your strategy and guide all your marketing efforts to achieve your established goals. Likewise, they influence the level of employee engagement, your credibility with suppliers and the experience you provide to your customers. All good reasons to not neglect this step!

What: Your Value Proposition

How do you know if the messages you are conveying are being interpreted correctly? Any good marketing strategy starts with a better understanding of your target audience: who are they, what are their interests, needs, expectations, what frustrates them, and which media channels do they primarily use? To do this, personify them with a persona (typical customer) by giving them a name, an identity and character traits. This will help you put yourself in their shoes and better understand what they are looking for, what they fear or what they expect from an organization like yours. In short, to better understand the person (and not just the potential buyer behind it). After all, marketing in 2021, is all about authenticity and empathy.

Once this template is completed, do the same with your offer: what is the nature of the products and services offered, what need(s) do they meet, how do they benefit the consumer and how do they mitigate potential irritants? This exercise is a great way to view your offer from a different perspective, to confirm its alignment with your customers and to promote the best aspects of your offer. Chances are that this profile comes more naturally to you, because you represent the best option to meet their needs.

How: Your Marketing Mix

Have you ever heard of the "4Ps" in marketing? Or perhaps even the "5P's" or "7P's"? Whatever the number, this concept, better known as the "marketing mix", is used to summarize your entire marketing strategy from an operational point of view. In other words, it is essential.

At the risk of repeating myself, an increased knowledge of your target audience will allow you to validate that each element of your marketing mix adequately meets the needs, expectations and reality of the consumer. You will also be able to adjust your strategy, if need be.

Now It's Your Turn!

You now have everything you need to address the key questions that will define your strategy: "why", "what" and "how". Now you simply need to find the answers that will make you shine among the right audiences. Need help implementing these best practices? Our experts will be happy to elevate your business journey by supporting you in your strategic thinking. Reach out to us!