Creating a ‘Marketing First’ Mindset in your Business
Marketing is crucial, but too often it's seen as a separate department instead of a top priority in the office. Your marketing team shouldn't operate in a bubble. As they say in the classics, marketing is a mindset, not just a department (Startup Grind). If you want to build a successful business, you need to integrate your marketing efforts with everything else you're doing to create something magical. These tips will show you how to bring your teams together and maximise your impact in the digital world.
What does it mean to adopt a ‘Marketing First’ mindset?
Marketers who get ‘it’ know what users want, how their company's solutions fit the bill, and how to convey that relationship effectively.
When you take a marketing-first approach, you make sure your products and services are relevant to the market. That means brand-building and positioning, both inside and out, to create personas that not only complement your business goals but drive your competitiveness and success. In other words, your marketing strategy is your secret weapon. Working together with a creative digital agency to create a marketing plan that knocks your competition out of the water is integral to leaving your end-users saying, "Wow, that's exactly what I need!"
Make Marketing the ‘Heart’ of Your Business
To get a marketing-first approach happening, it’s imperative to get senior leadership on board. They have to champion the mindset across the entire organisation. This shift won't happen overnight, but with a deliberate adoption of the philosophy, the benefits will show up. As companies become more aware of their reputations in the market, they need to shift from talking about themselves to championing their value. This shift can't come from any other function, and it's up to the leadership team to spread the word. We're talking about culture shift, people! Unless the organisation changes its thinking, nothing else will stick.
Marketing Goals = Business Goals
By the time a salesperson gets involved, up to 90% of the sales process could be completed by social selling. (Forrester)
Gone are the days of a siloed approach to business. In today's world, every department needs to be customer-focused. Even the tech geeks and marketing mavens need to stay on top of what the customers want! By working together, sales and marketing can create a customer-first strategy that increases revenue, boosts visibility, and sets the brand apart from competitors.
Marketing offers an outside-in perspective that helps the sales teams understand what consumers want. By keeping an ear to the ground and collaborating closely, teams can create killer campaigns that generate leads and drive revenue. And let's be real, when there are hard targets involved, the game is changed!
It's important for other departments to take marketing seriously, which is why tying marketing efforts to ‘return on investment’ is key. When marketers put money on the table, everyone else pays attention. And when business departments and marketing invest in the go-to-market effort together, that's co-ownership at its finest. The best-case scenario is when businesses recognise marketing as their driving force and fund the entire marketing effort. That's when the real magic happens.
Everyone should REALLY know your audience
Let's face it - no one likes to be left out of the loop, especially customers. Customer engagement is the lifeline of any successful business. But how do you keep the conversation going after your customer has left the building? In the good old days, chatting with the hostess, cracking jokes with the waiter, and waving to the cashier were the norm. But in the digital age of today, you need to engage your customers beyond the physical store.
Enter marketing, the answer to all your engagement woes! Whether it's through social media, email, or text messages, marketing allows you to keep your customers connected and interested long after they've left the building. And the best part? Your audience wants to have a relationship with your brand!
This is where digital marketing analytics comes in. By knowing your customers' interactions inside and out, you can tailor your marketing strategy to cater to their needs and form a meaningful connection that lasts.
Final Thoughts
In today's digital world, a marketing-first mindset is essential for success. By integrating marketing efforts with every other aspect of your business, you create a customer-focused strategy that sets you apart from the competition. Remember to get senior leadership on board and tie marketing efforts to return on investment. By doing so, you can create a culture shift that puts marketing at the heart of your business. At our creative digital agency in Melbourne, we're ready to help you create a marketing plan that knocks your competition out of the water. Don't hesitate to reach out.
