Have you ever felt 50 degrees below zero? I have. I spent my high school years in Minnesota where I quickly learned the wisdom of having your home winterized. Most people who live in these frigid climes know that getting an inspection of their windows and doors could save them substantially in heating bills. Even small leaks let warm air out and freezing cold air in.
What about your business? Are there leaks in your marketing plan? You NEED to know where your marketing dollars and your time are going! Don’t assume that having a plan ensures that your marketing is airtight. Even if your current strategies seem to be working well, you always have to ask, could they work better?
Economy-wise, it’s winter. You know that marketing efficiently during a recession is critical and that keeping up your marketing will pay off, especially when the economy warms up again. The problem is that you are in the ultimate catch-22: business is down, so you need more than ever to market your brand, but money for marketing is hard to come by because business is down. A marketing inspection, or audit, can help break the deadlock and help you get more from your precious marketing money and time. You may very well need a marketing audit. A well-done inspection of your marketing will likely more than pay for itself. Be sure, however, to hire a firm with a good reputation, and ample past clients willing to give positive testimonials. There are a few out there who will handle your leaks by stuffing more of your money into the gaps, and into their own pockets.
Our company takes our clients through a discovery process to explore their plan and the strategies they have in place. We ask questions about the fitness of each strategy being employed, such as “is this radio station reaching your core audience, at the times of day when they are most likely to be listening? Is there a better place to put your money for better ROI?” We examine opportunities you may not be taking advantage of—sometimes with strategies that will cost you little to nothing—and we negotiate optimal prices on media buys. We coach our clients on how much time they need to give a strategy to produce results, and when to make a change.
A marketing audit has the potential to save you substantial money in the long run and give you the peace of mind that your efforts are well-applied. Are there leaks in your marketing plan? Maybe it’s time to find out.
Kelly Walker is President of Incyte Marketing. He can be reached at (541) 419-9976 or kelly@incytemarketing.com. Also, visit www.incytemarketing.com.
