Are You Overpaying For (Or Underutilizing) Marketing?
Are you slicing off more than you can chew when it comes to your marketing budget? And, more importantly, is the piece of the marketing pie you’re buying worth all the dough? If you’re a small to medium-sized pizza shop, you probably have some hesitancy when it comes to spending money on marketing. For one, marketing can seem, and can often be, very expensive for your small business. You may not think you’ll get much ROI from it, and, because of this, you may assume it’s just not worth it. But it is an important topping on the business pie, and it doesn’t have to be so expensive.
It’s All in the Sauce
Having an excellent, well-known sauce is sometimes all it takes to have the best pizza in town, and the same goes for your marketing. If you use the right marketing tactics (the right ingredients, spices, and so-on), your sauce can bring old and new customers through the door, and be worth the money it takes to make it.
These chosen ingredients and spices all depend on what you need to boost sales, and it’s important to not just throw random ones into the mix. Trial and error, and a bit of research, goes a long way. Small to medium-sized businesses are often better off taking a customizable approach, using marketing tactics and tools here and there.
You Don’t Need the Entire Spice Rack – Just the Ones that Work Best for Your Shop
For starters, think about whether you need someone all the time, part-time, or on a freelance or project by project basis to fulfill your marketing needs. Look at where you’re lacking in messaging, branding, and advertising for your shop. Sometimes it just takes a minor rebrand, messaging makeover, or a few campaigns to really ramp up your promotion and publicity without overspending. Maybe you don’t even need an additional person to do the tasks at hand. With several easily accessible marketing tools, like MailChimp, Pardot, Canva, and *ahem* ZaHub, you can whip up some marketing all on your own, with just a bit of help on the backend.
Additionally, make sure you research and weigh your options. It’s better to spend more time up front than to waste time (and money) on the wrong resources. When it comes to software and automation systems, be sure to compare prices, options, and features of each product. If you’re taking on a new marketing tool or hiring a freelancer, part-timer, or full-time employee, negotiating is always a smart move. “At worst, they say no.” Also, be sure to always check for reviews and testimonials. Whether you see a positive review or a negative one, you’ll be steered in the right direction.
Finally, don’t forget to consider how long it will take for the marketer to get onboarded, or for you, the “new marketing guru”, to get a grasp on the concept or tool. If the marketing system seems cheap, it may actually be expensive once you consider the time and man-power it will take to get it up and running, and more importantly, to make it effective.
Don’t Forget the Dough
We’re all about saving money and not overpaying, and let’s be honest, who isn’t? Sometimes those $5 slices do the job without breaking the bank, and we’re happy with that! *ZA-ZING CHA-CHING*!
As we said before, marketing services can be very customizable, so having a budget that’s clear before looking into marketing people and/or tools is always a good idea. Creating a marketing plan, or simply deciding on what tools to use, is much easier when you know your maximum spend. Additionally, you’ll want to think through your audience base to ensure you’re picking the right types of marketing to spend on. Focus in on a few channels rather than spreading your budget too thin. We’re talking about utilizing print versus digital, sending frequent versus infrequent messaging, and using branding elements that will speak to your audience. Direct mail marketing can be a great and fairly inexpensive tool for all ages, and it breaks through all of today’s digital noise. But, if you’re audience can also be intrigued by digital messages, you may want to try pairing that direct mail with digital ads, social media, and email.
ROI from Your Piece of the Pie
Choosing the right marketing services, automation tools, or a quality marketer/marketing company to work with are all extremely important. Even more important? Making sure the marketing you’re using is creating traction and results. Although some types of marketing can be more difficult than others to measure, there are several ways to ensure you’re getting that ROI.
“You have to put a focus on measurement and be able to adapt in real time if something isn’t working.” In other words, don’t just set it and forget it. Establish KPIs before using these tools or working with new marketers so you can better track and understand their value. Create goals that you hope to achieve with these marketing services, and be sure to report regularly on these goals and your shop’s progress where it relates to marketing.
Analytics can provide both results of your current marketing tactics, and a ton of perspective. You can use analytics provided by social sites, google, or the backend of your website, or, if you’re looking to have all of your analytics in one place, invest in a tool like HubSpot.
Don’t Skimp On the Sauce
Lastly – don’t skimp on marketing services just to realize that you should have spent a bit more. Like we said before, research is key to finding what will work best for your specific needs. The last thing you want to do is sacrifice quality for price. Sometimes the extra spend is worth it in the long run. Even if your marketing expenses are low, if you’re not getting any results, you’re already overpaying.