Your marketing budget should be 6 to 10% of your gross revenue. Digital should be 50% of of your budget. (New businesses should allocate 12-20% of their gross revenue).
Can I use all digital marketing?
No, it doesn’t matter how perfect your digital marketing plan is, you should also be seen in other ways to really build your brand. This is especially true when you are a local company selling to a local target market. You need your potential clients to see you as a local community resource. Stress that you are locally owned and operated – people want to support local business.
All business need to take their marketing full circle. You can’t just do one part of marketing and expected to work for you. Remember, it takes 6 to 8 touches before a person makes a buying decision
Some other marketing strategies to add into your marketing plan
• Vehicle Lettering – Vehicle lettering is like a mobile billboard. Your vehicles are driving all through your target area, take advantage of this great exposure and it will also help to strengthen your brand recognition.
• Yard signs – Depending on your business, yard signs are a great way to get your business recognized and remembered. This is one of the least inexpensive form of advertising and helps to build your brand. The more your logo is seen, the more it will be remembered.
• Apparel – Have your employees wear shirts with your company name – In addition to knowing that they look professional when they are representing your company, they will be walking billboards for your company.
• Promo items should also be part of your marketing arsenal. When you do a job, you should leave behind a promotional item, something to keep your name in their mind after you leave the job site.
• Yard Signs are inexpensive and another great way for people to see your name.
• Door Hangers – Again, depending on your business, you may want to add door hangers to your marketing plan. When an installer is doing a job, have them drop off a door hanger on a few houses on each side of the home you are working on. If the homeowner saw your vehicle and saw the yard sign, now they see your information on their door it is a third touch!
• Print Ads – Find a magazine that is a good fit for your business – if you decide to do magazine ads, make sure you commit to at least 6 issues to give it a chance.
• Radio Ads – local radio ads are another great way to build your brand locally
• Billboards – again depending on your business, this may be a great way to be seen
• Every Door Direct Mail – this is a much less expensive option than direct mail. You can target the neighbors on a street you are working on or that you would like to be working on (you choose a postal carrier route – no mailing list is needed). If you use this with a yard sign and a door hanger and vehicle lettering, you have just had 4 touches! Now you are becoming familiar.
• Direct Mail is another great way to get your name out there. Depending on your business I would suggest either a small mailing so you can follow up, or send a larger mailing that goes to the people who receive the magazine that you choose to advertise in. They’ve already seen your name once, now it’s a second hit.
The Most Important Part of Marketing…
Remember when you’re doing any form of advertising the content is the most important piece to your marketing strategy, don’t just tell them who you are and what you can do. Tell the reader you understand them and their problems and how you will solve their problem for them, how you are the solution.
This is the perfect time to look at you marketing mix and make sure you take it full circle!
If you have a question about your marketing or design, email [email protected]