Here’s a story that might sound familiar. You work hard to build a marketing strategy aligned with your business goals. You begin executing on the strategy, but you aren’t seeing the results you want. However, you aren’t quite sure what to do differently or how to make a new plan. Before you know it, other responsibilities creep up and marketing is pushed to the back burner.

On top of this, you aren’t exactly sure how Google Ads work or how to develop an email nurturing program. Then a pandemic hits and all of a sudden it’s been five months since you’ve done any marketing and your lead generation programs are in serious need of revival.

We’ve certainly heard this story before and it led us to develop a quick hit, six-step rescue marketing strategy plan to help businesses bring their lead generation efforts back to life. We’ve broken it down into five steps:

• Analyze Data
• Uncover Insights
• Develop & Implement Recommendations
• Measure Results
• Develop Long-term Plan

&Marketing’s Marketing Strategy Rescue Plan Approach

We had the opportunity to test out our process on a client who needed to kickstart their lead generation efforts after being derailed by the pandemic chaos. Let’s break it down step by step.

Step 1: Analyze data

We went straight for the data first to understand what has been done, identify gaps, assess results from current activity, and identify what is driving those results. We utilized all data platforms the client could provide including:

• Google Analytics
• Google Ads
• Social Advertising
• Search Console
• CRM Data

Additionally, we interviewed current customers to get greater insight into the user experience. This helped frame how we looked at the data to develop actionable insights we could apply to marketing tactics.

Step 2: Uncover Insights

After mining and analyzing the data, we began forming insights to fuel our rescue testing efforts. This means we looked holistically at data to determine overall trends and potential areas of improvement.

In the example of this client, we identified they were not effectively utilizing their data to update their marketing channels or adhering to best practices in Google Ads or LinkedIn. They also weren’t consistently communicating with their prospects.

Step 3: Develop & Implement Recommendations

Using the data and insights gathered, we pulled together a recommended “testing plan.” In order to gain quick results and re-evaluate, we recommend developing a four to six week plan backed by data insights that’s designed to help meet a specific and agreed upon goal.

In this example, our goal was to generate leads. With this information in mind, we laid out a four-step plan to generate leads. Here’s what that looked like:

• Utilize LinkedIn Advertising. We decided to try LinkedIn ads because our client has some high quality downloadable pieces of content that weren’t being fully leveraged. Plus, their audience spends a good deal of time on LinkedIn. We built ads with a call to action to download the content.
• Launch Google Ads.The client had tried running paid search before on Google Ads, but due to competing priorities, they had trouble keeping up. Without a hands-on approach, it’s nearly impossible to adhere to best practices. Our team decided to revamp the account so the client’s site would be included in related search results.
• Test Email Marketing.Email marketing had been done in the past, but with little consistency. Initial results were encouraging, but follow-up was nonexistent. &Marketing put together an email marketing calendar to repurpose existing content. We also created a reporting structure for the sales team to follow up with anyone who engaged with the emails.
• Focus on Content. Though they already had a strong content library, their organic results have been lacking. &Marketing put together a data-backed content calendar to hone in on terms and topics we know their target audience is searching for on Google.

Step 4: Measure ResultsAs with all things marketing (and business), what matters most are the results. Developing ways to measure the tactics against your goal makes it possible to know how things are performing. If you aren’t tracking toward your goal, don’t panic. That simply means you need to try something new. This is why we measure–so we know what works and what doesn’t. The key is testing it for a bit before deciding to invest a great deal of time and money. That way, when you do invest, you will know you aren’t just shooting in the dark.

For this project it was all about lead generation, so our metrics were pretty standard:

• Number of leads broken down by source
• Cost per lead broken down by source
• Meetings booked
• Sales closed

Step 5: Create a Long-term Action Plan

After running the tests and analyzing the metrics in relation to the goals, we had a much better understanding of what performed well and what didn’t, what can be optimized, and what should be scrapped or added. Then we developed an action plan based on the results to best fit the client’s overall business goals.

The Results of Our Marketing Strategy Rescue Plan

In this case we discovered that while LinkedIn was producing leads, data showed the best leads were attributed to the email lead nurturing campaigns. So our recommended plan of action was to focus efforts on email marketing and stop investing in digital ads. This empowered the client to take back the reins on their marketing with an increased confidence that they are using their precious time wisely.

Rescue projects like the one above present opportunities to reset, revise, or restart marketing efforts with the confidence of knowing you are investing your resources wisely to achieve overall business goals. Need help rescuing your marketing for 2021? Contact us and we’ll be happy to put together a rescue project for you to get your marketing back on track.

About the Authors:

Ann Ehinger – Marketing Manager Ann Ehinger serves as the link between clients and creative to drive projects that deliver results. With over a decade of experience working in the nonprofit, technology, and agency space, Ann is adept at managing a project from idea to completion while navigating all the ups and downs that pop up in between.

Paul Ferguson – As a Marketing Director at &Marketing, Paul Ferguson uses his 16 years of B2B marketing experience to help clients develop fully integrated marketing solutions that make impressions and drive results. Whether it be design-oriented campaigns or digital market execution, Paul skillfully creates strategies backed by data, to effectively reach client’s desired audiences. Paul graduated from La Salle University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a double minor in Marketing and Business Administration. Visit Paul’s LinkedIn.

About &Marketing:

&Marketing provides the robust outsourced marketing department growing companies need without the high overhead costs of big agencies or full-time employees. Our variable model empowers businesses to reach their growth goals through access to the guidance and expertise of senior level strategists and a flexible execution team.

&Marketing recently helped an established company craft the logo and brand identity for a new, separate endeavor using Storytelling & Branding.

Business Challenge Summary

&Marketing’s client, Freya Systems, is developing a new brand called Allvaldi as a launching pad for a product strategy separate from their base business. Allvaldi will commercialize web and mobile applications initially focused on the inspection and maintenance space for pipelines, infrastructure, and aviation, with the eventual aim to broaden the platform.

Allvaldi’s name is based on a giant from Norse mythology, commonly known as Ivaldi or Alvaldi. The sons of Ivaldi were master craftsmen who created tools for the gods, and the client saw this new company as a digital smith forging powerful tools for their customers. They came to us with a desire to develop a brand that communicated this narrative, while also conveying a sense of modernity and fun.

&Marketing’s Approach

Before any design work began, we scheduled a working session with Allvaldi where we could understand their background, their audience, and their goals for the company. During this working session we utilized a unique combination of Donald Miller’s Storybrand Framework, along with a Brand Archetypes exercise. This allowed us to uncover who their customer is, what problem(s) they face, how Allvaldi is uniquely positioned to guide them to a solution, and how they can help their clients find their ‘happily ever after.’

Once we established that narrative, it was important for Allvaldi to know their place in the story. We shared the twelve Brand Archetypes (applied to marketing by Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson) with Allvaldi, and through a combination of a Narrative Marketing Outline and supplemental questions, were able to determine the Archetypal Guide their customers need.

In this case, their customer is seeking to minimize human error in inspections and reporting in order to focus on the things AI and programming can’t do. The guide they are looking for is one who understands the need to control the mundane (Ruler) in order to have the freedom to create the magnificent (Creator). Once the story (and their place in it) was established, the work of creating their visual identity could begin.

Here is our typical process for crafting a brand’s visual identity:

• Develop 8-10 concepts of a logo based on the Narrative Marketing Outline and Brand Archetypes
• Share with the client and narrow down to one design
• Refine the chosen design based on client feedback
• Share with the client, receive final feedback, and finish logo

Once the logo was approved, we moved on to create their brand guide. Here is our typical process for developing a brand guide:

• Select 3-5 color palette and font pairing options, and provide samples for the client using the finalized logo and lorem ipsum text
• Share with the client and narrow down to one color palette and font pairing
• Take the selected color palette, font pairing, and logo to create the brand guide
• Share the brand guide with the client
• Package and deliver the guide, logo, and font files

About &Marketing:

&Marketing provides the robust outsourced marketing department growing companies need without the high overhead costs of big agencies or full-time employees. Our variable model empowers businesses to reach their growth goals through access to the guidance and expertise of senior level strategists and a flexible execution team.

Our client partner is a distributor of industrial equipment with over 15 years of experience. Just prior to engaging &Marketing, they had rebranded and launched a new website. As a smaller company swimming in a sea of dominant, larger distributors, their differentiation was based on exceptional service and going above and beyond for their clients.

Business Challenge Summary

The primary problem this partner faced was a result of the company’s decision to change its name during rebranding. The client partner knew they needed marketing help, but they weren’t sure what specific mix of marketing assistance would be most appropriate. We worked with them to help them identify what they needed at a high level: a coordinated marketing program to target specific industry users to promote brand recognition and adoption.

&Marketing’s Solution

Here’s what we did to address their needs:

• Our web development team got to work rebuilding industry and product pages on their website, which would be used to drive engagement for their specialty areas.
• Next, we created a blog with compelling content that helped share their personality and uniqueness. This client’s ‘human-ness’ and service-oriented approach were the business traits that would set them apart from everyone else in their industry. The blog was the perfect way to give them a unique voice and set them apart.
• We implemented a Google AdWords campaign that began with broad strokes, then narrowed our scope to focus on more meaningful traffic.
• We helped them create an eCommerce platform using Shopify, so customers could interact directly with their site.
• We supported an industry trade show with planning assistance prior to the event, demo facilitation during, and follow-up after the conclusion of the show.

&Marketing Pro-Tip

Don’t forget the “after!” after a trade show. So often, the relief of getting througha trade show can overshadowthe need to check backin at the conclusion of the event, but the follow-up is just as important as the prep work. For example, doing simple things after a show can have a huge impact. Recap the trade show on your blog, share through social media, and send those you met a personal email with a link to your blog.

About &Marketing:

&Marketing provides the robust outsourced marketing department growing companies need without the high overhead costs of big agencies or full-time employees. Our variable model empowers businesses to reach their growth goals through access to the guidance and expertise of senior level strategists and a flexible execution team.

When facing an emergency, more and more people use online searches to find services for help. The digital landscape is filled with information, and business owners must have a compelling online presence to compete in today’s technology-driven world and ‘break through’ the clutter. Fortunately, &Marketing has experience in helping such a business as part of our ‘win-win’ model.

Business Challenge Summary

&Marketing’s client partner is a professional services franchise specializing in damage repair for businesses and homes. The franchise operates under strict geographical restrictions, limiting the scope of all marketing work. The owner of the local franchise, who had been in business since the 1980’s, struggled with limited technical knowledge, exclaiming, “All I know is that phone isn’t ringing as much as it used to!”

&Marketing’s Solution

Up front, &Marketing: 

• Reviewed the franchise’s online presence (which was basically invisible in a sea of competition).

• Conducted a business review (employee interviews and secondary research).

• Comprehensively upgraded their online presence, tracking, and reporting:

• Revamped their social media presence on platforms such as Google My Business, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Yelp so that everything was updated and accurate.

• Installed a phone call tracking software to attribute calls to their original sources (social media, website, etc).

• Installed Google Analytics & Ads to fully capture all inbound traffic and built audiences, and mapped out advertisements.

• Developed a monthly tracking report to review key performance indicators.

&Marketing then used this information to execute a two prong marketing strategy plan to help this business grow: 

1) Content Creation & Distribution:

• Developed a content strategy (including case studies, tips, and employee profiles) to target several B2B and B2C customer groups through personal outreach, social media, and targeted email.
• Organized these campaigns into a cohesive execution calendar based on the seasonal nature of the business so that potential website visitors could find the franchise quickly when needed.

2) Digital Advertising:

• Ran zip code specific Google AdWords, Bing advertising, and social media campaigns to target particular services.
• Boosted the traffic to the client’s website (when appropriate) – which increased inbound phone calls (that were being tracked and logged.

Results

The client partner experienced a 30%+ increase in year over year sales and improved their online image through site traffic, social media likes, and positive reviews. The data from the call tracking software also led to insights on how to better target the franchise’s customers. Most importantly, we have built a trusted ‘win-win’ relationship with our client that encourages both sides to constantly look for ways to foster continued growth.

 “The team from &Marketing has been fantastic to work with! I’ve been in business for 30+ years, and have noticed a complete change in how customers search for my service. The team took the time to understand my business, and are now executing a digital marketing program to improve my businesses’ visibility with my prospects. They’ve done a mix of blog posts, Google presence, paid advertising, and social media… its made a difference. My business is up at least 30% since I started working with &Marketing”

 — MARY P., FRANCHISE OWNER

About &Marketing:

&Marketing provides the robust outsourced marketing department growing companies need without the high overhead costs of big agencies or full-time employees. Our variable model empowers businesses to reach their growth goals through access to the guidance and expertise of senior level strategists and a flexible execution team.