Marketing from a place of strength

A new year means a new marketing plan. Maybe this is the year you finally work on that rebranding effort, launch that new service, change perceptions among a key market segment, get your collateral overhauled, figure out your social media strategy or (fill in the blank here).

But chances are, you’re basing a lot of that plan on What’s Been Done Before. Oftentimes, putting together a marketing plan means looking at what happened last year and tweaking it a little here or there to meet the current climate. Too often, our plans are built on the past instead of what we want to achieve in the future. And so, we get similar results.

That’s not exactly coming from a place of strength. It’s responding instead of creating. And it’s not proactive marketing, either. There are many ways to come from a place of strength and a place of vision when creating your marketing plan and getting the work done. Yet few businesses do this.

As you launch into a new year, consider these ideas:

Let go of last year’s plan. Nobody wants to hear this. It’s more work. But unless you are looking for last year’s results (and if last year was a great year, you may be), it just doesn’t make sense to operate that way. What if you were to start with a blank slate? Working backwards from the results you want to achieve, what kinds of tools and tactics can you use to make that happen?

Think a little bigger. What lies at the heart of your mission, your strategic plan, your vision for the future? Imagine (for a few minutes) that there were no obstacles. What do you want to do, deliver, launch, achieve in the next year, five years, 20 years. Go wide, and then (only then) narrow down which of those things could happen this year. Put those in your plan.

Position your expertise. What you do best is the best thing you can convey to your market. If you’re not sharing that expertise with your clients and customers, it’s time to start. Put a comprehensive effort in place to tell your audience what you know that they need to know. Be useful. This will not only communicate your value, but build trust and enhance relationships.

Differentiate. Your strengths aren’t exactly the same as your competitors, so why would you want to market exactly the way they do? What sets your organization apart? What’s the “secret sauce”? It may be the unique background of your team, the amenities you offer that others don’t, the way you deliver your service, your business culture— whatever it is, let it inform your marketing and communications efforts.

Put the right people on the job. Depending on your situation, that may mean shuffling workload around, delegating more or bringing in outside help. It may mean allowing your staff to concentrate on what they do best. Your goal is do what it takes to get focused on what you do best, what your customers need from you and what you need to do to meet your year-end goals.

What does coming from a place of strength and vision mean to you?