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Does the perfect Marketing Plan exist?

Posted on January 18, 2022 by argonaut-ms in Uncategorized

When you search for marketing plan templates, suggestions, or best practices, there are bountiful articles, posts, videos to learn from. But out of all the examples and guidelines, are they truly the ‘best marketing plan’ for your efforts?

When it comes to the best marketing plan for your company/team, we believe it would be one that fits these criteria: it is achievable and relevant.

Achievability depends mainly on the resources that need to execute the plan. Yes, the right tools, support from the team, the approach and what the plan is does factor into success. But if the individual/team responsible for the execution cannot allocate appropriate time or efforts towards accomplishing milestones, even the greatest plan would not be effective. No matter how small you break the plan down, how often you attempt to hold your team accountable for results, or how seemingly feasible your plan is, if it is not a priority it will not take off.

Relevance will depend on your targeted audience and how you’re able to gain feedback. Undoubtedly, relevance includes quality content that addresses your audiences’ pain points, and/or instances that connect you to your audience’s issues. We add the importance for feedback as it acts as a catalyst on many fronts. When you know you are engaging your audience, it ignites the intensity of your efforts. Whether it is likes on a post, clicks without likes or comments, even just impressions or views; the ability to track how your audience interacts with your efforts allows you to understand the five Ws and one H (who, what, why, where, when, and how). This insight will help you create better content and interactions that your audience responds to.

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Once you have an achievable marketing plan with dedicated resources to execute, the relevance of your efforts will create momentum for you and your team to continue forward. You’ll be able to open channels of communication with your audience that you may have overlooked in the past; or better yet, did not know existed. The magnitude of influence the word of mouth has, the impact of your audience’s subconscious recognition for your company and brand, even the demise of being out of sight and out of mind.

Whatever your marketing plan, make it count.

The Sales Lifecycle Coming to Fruition

Posted on March 24, 2021March 29, 2021 by argonaut-ms in Definition

In the last post we talked about the difference between sales and marketing. We also discussed how it would be difficult for one to be successful without the other. This time let us explore business development and how it plays into this process, since it really takes all three components to play ball.

Business development is often defined as the activity of pursuing opportunities for a particular business/organization. Think of it as a targeted and customized effort towards a defined segment/company/individual. Truly, business development would be more comparable to marketing in its intent and efforts. Marketing would be the holistic effort, with components such as brand image, messaging, and vision. Business development would be the targeted efforts and engagements, solidified with marketing materials. Both can be (should be, really) strategic in nature, with the end goal of the sale in mind.

In small/medium/privately owned businesses where oftentimes one person wears many hats, the person handling marketing, business development efforts, and sales happens to be the same person. With the insight from their business development efforts, they can create targeted marketing material that speaks to the clients directly. With marketing’s effort in presenting the company or performing market research, the company’s reach can expand past existing clients and partners. Finally, with full conviction and experience as a skilled salesperson, the client lifecycle comes to full circle upon conversion of the transaction. Unfortunately, there comes a tipping point when one person handling so many aspects bottleneck the process. If we compared marketing, business development, and sales with an offensive football team’s strategy, you might understand why some teams grow to a certain point and seem to plateau.

If you use the same concept that a sale (the transaction) would be a touchdown, then marketing would be the offensive linemen, where business development efforts would be the fullback, running back, wide receivers, and tight end positions. The quarterback leading the strategy and execution would be the role who oversees these three efforts, whether it be a manager, director, principal, vice president, or chief officer.

Thinking in terms of an offensive football team’s players and their responsibilities might bring to light why it is possible to be on the verge of full capacity with limited skilled resources. Does your team have the right strategy, tools, team players, and mindset to ensure the lifecycle comes to fruition?

=, vs, or &? Marketing _ Sales

Posted on February 23, 2021March 29, 2021 by argonaut-ms in Definition

Many people equate Marketing to Sales. We believe that Marketing is the strategic effort at a macro level, versus Sales as a targeted approach of the conversion itself – the actual transaction at a micro level. Undoubtedly, Marketing and Sales go hand in hand, and their efforts intertwine with each other to project the team towards the same end goal.

Some people say to best use their time, they do not want to make duplicate efforts when it comes to communicating with their clients or prospects. “Marketing gives me leads and I convert the sale, right?” As the intent is to stay front of mind for clients and prospects, Marketing sends its macro level message to the client/prospect, then Sales adds that personal touch and reinforces the message. Having more ‘touches’ than not is an investment that would pay dividends in the future.

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Looking at the two efforts as independent is unrealistic, as Marketing’s initiatives supports Sales efforts and enhances the client experience. Without the insight from Sales, Marketing’s message and efforts will not be as effective. Without the support from Marketing in means of content, brand awareness etc., Sales will have a tougher time reaching and engaging target audiences. How many times have you enjoyed being ‘sold’?

Just as other functions such as operations, Information Technology (IT), Human Resources (HR), and Accounting/Finance are all crucial to a business and are interdependent, there is little reason why Marketing and Sales would not be viewed as such to support optimal business operations. When Sales and Marketing has an aligned strategy to support each other it increases the probability of conversion – isn’t that the ultimate goal?