Marketing Strategy: How Can I Stop It From Failing?

The dreaded ‘F’ – something that can turn your marketing strategy concept into a catastrophe.
Okay – not always a catastrophe. But we’ve all been there and had that gut feeling of what were we thinking? Is this going to work?

Studies show that 60–90% of strategic plans never fully launch. Likewise, a whopping 90% of organisations fail to execute their strategies successfully. We all go into a strategy with the best mindset and intentions, so how can it sometimes go so wrong?

The way I always like to think of it is to imagine you’re about to book a holiday that you have been looking forward to for ages. There is always so much to sort out – how’s best to travel, where to stay, where to go, will you have time to do everything you want? Unless you’re a spontaneous superstar, without considering various factors fully and making informed decisions, even the most promising holiday plans can go awry. Similarly, a well-designed and consistent marketing strategy is essential for success; without this, even the best marketing plans slip! And the last thing we want is for the numbers to fall, and you’re left with an oh dear.

So, in this blog post, we’re sharing with you three crucial tips to make best practice for any marketing strategy. Keep reading to ensure your marketing strategy stays on course and does not become a corporate facepalm.

Tip 1: Do you know your audience inside out?

You’ve probably heard this many times by now. However, it is vital for any marketing strategy to work. The last thing you’d want your marketing strategy to fail is because you were not targeting the right people and, therefore, not ranking in the engagement rewards. So, always create a marketing strategy that resonates with your target audience. If you’re unsure, it’s never too late to return to the drawing board. Check for their needs, preferences, interests, hobbies, social values, and pain points.

Remember: the key to effective marketing is providing value to your customers!

By knowing your audience inside out, you can tailor your messaging, channel selection, and creative approach to align with their desires. This understanding will enable you to craft compelling campaigns that connect with your audience personally, leading to higher engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty.

Tip 2: Set clear and measurable goals, and stick to them!

A marketing strategy without clearly defined goals is like a ship sailing aimlessly. It’s inevitable that you’ll end up somewhere, but probably different from the destination you’re aiming for!

So, to steer your marketing efforts in the right direction and avoid failure, you must establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. From increasing brand awareness and driving website traffic to generate leads or trying to boost your product sales, it will only be possible to gain true success if you have well-defined and aligned objectives and actions to follow to get there.

Remember: regularly analyse your campaign metrics, such as conversion rates and ROI, to get an accurate reflection of your strategy’s effectiveness. From this, you can also identify gaps for improvement and stay on track for a successful campaign.

Tip 3: Embracing agility and adaptability will save your marketing strategy from failing every time

Now, this might sound counterintuitive to our previous tip. However, you need the balance of a well-developed marketing strategy, and adapting to obstacles is key. Rigidly sticking to a predetermined marketing plan without room for change can be the nail in the coffin for a failing marketing strategy. Let’s face it – there will always be parts of your strategy that you can’t control. For example, marketing trends, how your audience reacts, or any technical issues or advancements. So, be willing to pivot your approach where needed. Experiment with different tactics, spaces, and messaging, and actively keep track of feedback and campaign performance. This way, you can ebb and flow with changes whilst heading toward your marketing destination.

Our final thoughts

To avoid your marketing strategy failing, you need a blend of meticulous planning, audience understanding, and adaptability. However, if your marketing strategy starts going south – there’s always something new to learn, ways to make things better, and to improve for next time!

We hope these tips help you!