The internet is not working!!!!!

If you are like many of our clients, you face a bit of frustration with the online world.  After all, you were told that you need a great website to attract clients only to find that your site visits are not what they should be.  You were told to have engaging social media only to find that you are not getting the traction due to the social media company’s algorithms.  You sent out electronic newsletters only to find a dismal open rate.  All of this has brought you to the point of just frustration.  You know how important it is to have a solid online presence but it just feels overwhelming and frustrating.

Now, we are not saying that any of those tools are not important. Actually, they all are, if used correctly. The biggest problem that we see, it seems on a daily basis, is the tools are not being used together, they are not congruent in their messaging, and there is no plan behind them.

For most businesses, when they began, they developed a Business Plan. This Business Plan focused in on what the company does. One section of that Business Plan focuses in on sales predictions. However, most never really dive into the who and hows of that marketing. Numbers are produced on assumptions of sales without really saying how those sales will take place.

Developing a Marketing Plan focuses specifically within the area of sales and marketing. Audience scopes are narrowed and messaging is created. Once the audience scope is narrowed, the specific tools or platforms that will connect with those audience will be discussed. A plan is put forward to reach those audiences with a message that will drive engagement.

All of the tools need to work together to build congruency. Basically, your social media must have the same “feel” as your website. Your eNewsletters must have the same feel as your blogs. When a client feels your communication is incongruent, it creates an issues. Something just doesn’t feel right even if we can not put our finger on why we feel the way we do.

Each tool has a purpose. While some work well for specific issues, they may not work as well for others. Knowing the purpose of each tool and how it can be used allows us to incorporate that tool into an overall plan. This allows us to use each tool purposely and intentionally for specific reasons.

New internet tools are coming out all of the time. While some may be a great fit for your business, what we find is that most people get caught up in chasing the next greatest thing. Begin with your core plan utilizing the tools that make sense. When a new service is presented, if you would like, take some time to evaluate how that tool will fit within your plan. If it adds an element or connection that you don’t currently have, let’s add it. If it doesn’t, no matter how good it looks, leave it alone. Keep your energy focused on the tools that are driving traffic.

Finally, all of the tools must point to your website. Let’s be honest, we all have been frustrated by algorithms on platforms that just seem to restrict engagement. Because those platforms are “shared space” you don’t control who will see anything you post. There is nothing wrong with those platforms, but your ultimate goal is driving traffic to your website. Your website is the only real estate that you actually own online. The more people pushed through your website, the higher you are going to rank in the search engines.

There is a lot more to search engine optimization, but we will deal with that on another post. If you need some help developing a clear Marketing and Communication Plan, reach out to us. We would love to have a conversation with you.