If you’re a business owner or have a vested interest in your company’s marketing strategy, you already have your marketing frameworks in place.
But what is your plan to adjust to the ever-changing market, and will it result in better sales for 2022?
Whoa – hold on a second. Are we really talking about 2022?
Pretty unbelievable that it’s right around the corner. And while it’s not the end of the world as Hollywood blockbusters thought it would be, it’s definitely been the end of life as we know it.
Cars still don’t fly, but they do drive themselves. The world is getting hotter; we work in our PJ’s, teach our kids at home and have a good excuse not to visit our in-laws.
Now, while we don’t have new end of the world predictions and can’t tell you who’ll win the Super Bowl, we can guide you through developing and adjusting your marketing strategy for the new year.
It all starts with Google Maps
Before you can adjust your marketing strategy, you first need to create it. So start with a roadmap of the entire year to give you a panoramic view of where you’re going marketing-wise. Not that old-fashioned map book with crinkled pages that you often forget to check. We’re talking about those epic Google maps that show you traffic and detours in real-time, rest stops, motels, and reviews you’ve left along the way.
Now is the time to create a comprehensive marketing roadmap to cover each quarter with one main goal and different tactics to reach it. Then, allocate specific platforms that will suit each tactic, plan structured timeframes, buffers, and contingencies. You also need to research your competitors to find a need or spot a gap that your brand can quickly fill.
But, if only we could ask, ‘Mirror Mirror on the wall … is there anything wrong with my marketing strategy at all?’
Since we don’t really expect an answer, here’s what you need to adjust your marketing strategy for better sales.
3 ways to adjust your marketing strategy
1. Adjust for literal seasonal changes
There’s a long sciencey explanation for why and how the weather changes, which we’re not gonna get into. We will highlight that each season has a different psychological effect and physical change in buying habits and moods.
Example: No one is looking for beach towels in December. Instead, consumers are focused on ‘hoodies for sale’ or ‘easy hot chocolate recipes.’
Whether you’ve got a product or service, think about the physical needs and psychological changes your customers are going through. Then adjust the how, what, and when of your marketing strategy. For example, an ice cream business notes how sales dip during winter, but they get through the season by adjusting to include ice cream cakes for Valentines and St. Patricks. With this kind of expansion, you’ll also need to adjust your advertising campaigns and commercial scripts.
2. Adjust your marketing strategy for holidays
Holidays are a huge motivating factor for people to hit the shopping mall, so you’ll need to factor these events into your roadmap.
Example: A romantic video sounds like an excellent way to showcase your new range of chocolates. But is that something people buy to celebrate New Year’s Eve? Not really. This is something that would sell way better in February when love is all around. For example, Krispy Kreme’s range of gratitude doughnuts is not a typical addition to a Thanksgiving dinner, but it sure makes for a tasty snack based on a topic that’s on people’s minds.
3. Adjust your marketing strategy for trends
Marketing strategies are often adjusted according to what’s trending. But brands are advised to be authentic, so isn’t this a contradiction? Not if you put your own spin on it. Yes, trends are where the people are. And where there are people, there are sales.
While you should be authentic, you also need to follow the crowd or the latest trend. Just do it in a neon jacket and hydro-dipped sneakers.
Example: As Netflix’s Squid Game became a global phenomenon, trends like dalgona candy caught on. So, restaurants and cookie stores adjusted their products with a Squid Game spin.
Overall, the key takeaway is that you need to plan and adjust your marketing strategy around seasonal changes like the weather, holidays, festivals, and trends. This will help you to establish a cycle of profits that will continue all year round.
Where and when to advertise adjustments in your marketing strategy
Carefully plan where you need to launch your marketing adjustments. Stary by researching where your target market browses and shops such as social media, TV commercials, and in-store promotions.
However, these projections will change throughout the year as popularity and usage fluctuate. In winter, foot traffic usually dips, while online searches increase. But when online platforms are hit with tech issues like the Facebook outage, impressions and clicks drastically decrease.
So don’t launch something just because you have a launch date. Keep up with shopping habits and users’ preferences to avoid these dips and dives by making the right adjustments.
You also need to do research on when to launch an adjustment. While there are more constant platforms like Super Bowl spots, which bring in almost 100 million viewers, those usually cost the earth. Okay – maybe not the literal earth, but at 5.5 million for a :30-second spot, you could possibly buy an island or even a small country.
But nothing is stopping you from riding the waves of this constant yearly trend. For example, if you own a sporting goods store, use online channels to launch promo videos, optimize for keywords, and use trending hashtags to improve online traffic. Then use offline methods like sporting events and fundraisers to increase awareness and foot traffic to your store.
Or keep it simple and incorporate just one aspect of Super Bowl awesomeness; voice overs. That’s right. Adding a compelling voice over to your next promo, commercial, or explainer can be a powerful adjustment. If you’re unsure what it might sound like, use an online platform like Voice123 to post a voice over project with a custom script to find the right voice to represent your brand.
Lastly, don’t forget to track the performance of your adjustments. This will show you ‘where and when’ you succeeded. Then you can make more data-driven adjustments for your next marketing campaign.
Closing thoughts
‘Your marketing strategy is the greatest of them all.’
No – the mirror didn’t answer back, but that’s probably what it would say if you use these points to adjust your marketing strategy for better sales.
Think of it as playing video games such as MarioKart Tour. Everyone’s trying to win, competitors are all around, and obstacles and challenges come flying out of thin air. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have an awesome time as you duck, dive, and evade to cross the finish line first! Adjusting your marketing strategy will similarly take time, planning, evasive maneuvers, and research. But it will also have awesome results!
So – we wish you all the best as you adjust your marketing strategy for better sales by factoring in seasonal changes and holidays, using the right platforms, and putting your spin on popular trends!
And if you’re aiming for authenticity, who better to voice your next project than the pros on Voice123?
Invite them to audition and may the best strategy win!
