How to Know What Marketing When?

Knowing what marketing when is a common stumbling block, particularly for small businesses and independent consultants. Marketing is an easy expense to skip, right? No. Not knowing how to leverage marketing tools at what time in your business cycles is where most mistakes are made. 
​
This field is one that everyone thinks they know. In fact, marketing is a huge umbrella that touches on virtually all areas of a business. In my experience, most people know just enough to be dangerous. Here are just a few areas that marketing encompasses in any business of any size, in any industry. 

• Branding and Identity
• Market Research and Consumer Insights
• Content Marketing
• Digital Marketing
• Advertising
• Public Relations (PR)
• Social Media Management
• Product Marketing
• Event Marketing
• Sales Enablement
• Growth Marketing and Demand Generation
• Data Analytics and Performance Measurement
• Influencer Marketing
• Channel and Partner Marketing
• Cause and Social Marketing
• Corporate Marketing
• Customer Experience (CX) Marketing
• Internal Communications
• Content Creation
• Client Relationships

Each marketing channel offers unique deliverables and strategic advantages for drawing attention, generating awareness, and driving revenue. Depending on your specific goals, resources, and capabilities, one or several of these areas might be the right approach at any given time.

Not all marketing experts have deep knowledge of all marketing channels. Even big marketing agencies have specific departments with specialists. Given a large budget and extensive reach like Coca-Cola or Nike, nearly all these channels are leveraged. Small businesses or solo consultancies almost never have those kinds of options.

That's when it makes financial sense to allocate the right eggs into the most impactful baskets. Working from a framework can help you get started. This graphic illustrates some preliminary suggestions for small businesses and solo consultancies.  

If you don't have the capacity or resources to be consistent with your efforts, I want to help. Go Marketing is one way small business owners can lay the path toward success and growth. Let's connect to discuss the specific challenges that your small business, professional services consultancy, or startup.

Laurie Fish McDowell | Founder & Principal Consultant