The Time May Be Now to Re-Think the Online Marketing Approach

While the economy attempts to get some legs under it, many companies, be they just starting a business or around for some time now, are looking at and reviewing their marketing efforts.

If your business is trying to wrap its arms around the all-important return on investment (ROI), your online marketing and social media efforts are great places to give a second look. In essence, are you getting the bang for your dollar when it comes to properly marketing your company online?

Marketing in 2012 is even more challenging for many companies given most experts cannot pinpoint with certainty where the economy is going. 

Company May Have Put Brakes on Spending

Despite a drop in the national unemployment rate and in increase in job hires in a number of sectors, an election year typically means not much gets done in Washington. That translates into meaning companies may be hesitant to spend big dollars until they see which way the political wind is blowing.

The wind in recent years has blown in the direction of more clients having a wait and see attitude about making purchases, meaning marketing and social media pros have had more challenges. With that being the case, many businesses are finding their ROI’s dwindling, hence worried company heads.

If your online marketing and social media efforts seem to be less than stellar right now in bringing more business to your company, then spend some time after removing the bad economy factor to see where you can better the situation.

Among the items to review:

  • Define the marketing department’s role once again and what may have changed from one year ago.
  • Has the team been altered as far as additional or fewer personnel?
  • Has there been a switch as far as the clientele you are seeking?
  • Does the team have all the needed tools readied to be successful right now?

The marketing department wears many different hats in its outreach to present and potential clients; working both as ambassador for the sales team and seeking new business in the process.

Is the Marketing Message Unified?

What is critical, especially in a challenged economy like we’ve seen the last few years, is offering clients a coherent message that is positioned to succeed.

The message – perhaps that’s where the problem rests, or worse yet, could it be the messenger?

While the message has to be one that is unified from the top on down, the people delivering that message have to be supportive of it. In the event the marketing head is getting overruled by the CEO or even company owner, the message going out to clients can be perceived as mixed at best.

At the end of the day, the marketing department must be in sync with the rest of the company in what is put out there for current and potential clients when it comes to online marketing and social media initiatives.

If the message and the messenger/s are all on the same page, the chances of success greatly increase.

Online marketing and spreading your company’s word via social media are not brain surgery, but they can sure provide a headache now and then.

Dave Thomas writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.

 

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