Sales and Marketing - Jen Jordan

Sales and Marketing - Jen Jordan
Jen Jordan brings a wealth of life and leadership experiences to her writing. After 10 years creating a variety of content for a nonprofit, Jen decided to establish her own writing business. She specializes in creating high quality blog and website content for small businesses. When she's not writing, Jen is a competitive triathlete with a goal of completing a triathlon in all 50 states.

10 Actions to Take When Your Small Business Marketing Isn't Working

10 Actions to Take When Your Small Business Marketing Isn't Working

Running a small business is challenging. One of the most daunting and critical tasks can be figuring out why your marketing isn’t delivering the results you expect. If your current marketing strategies are failing to attract ideal customers and drive sales, it’s time to do some strategic assessment.

1. Analyze Your Current Strategy

Before making changes, identify specific strategies that are not performing to your standards. Be as specific as possible. Are your social media ads underperforming? Is your website traffic dropping off? Use tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and customer surveys to gather data to target the weak points in your current marketing strategies.

2. Assess Your Target Audience

If your marketing isn’t bringing in the quality or quantity of customers you want, you may be targeting the wrong audience. Review your customer demographics, preferences, and behavior. Use social media listening tools, do market research, and analyze past customer data to refine your ideal customer profile.

3. Refine Your Marketing Messaging

Your messaging should be clear, compelling, and aligned with your customer needs. If your current content isn’t resonating, then it may be time to adjust your value proposition or brand voice. One strategy to do this is to test different headlines, ad copy, and social media posts to see what messaging resonates best with your ideal audience.

4. Optimize Your Website

Customers have little patience for a slow-loading or poorly designed website. Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and optimized for search engines (SEO). Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and SEMrush can help identify specific ways to optimize your website.

5. Experiment with New Marketing Channels

If your current platforms aren’t generating enough leads, explore other options. Consider email marketing, influencer collaborations, local SEO, or paid search advertising. Diversifying your marketing efforts can expand your reach to new customers.

6. Leverage Insights from Current Customers

Your existing customers are valuable sources of insight into your business. Conduct surveys, read reviews, and monitor social media comments to understand their needs and concerns. Addressing your current customers’ feedback can help you refine your marketing approach.

7. Improve Online Engagement

Simply posting content isn’t enough anymore-people like when businesses actively engage with their audience. Respond to comments, participate in conversations, and provide valuable insights. Consider using video content, live streams, and user-generated content to boost online engagement.

8. Adjust Your Budget and Strategy

If your marketing budget isn’t yielding results, redistribute your spending to higher-performing strategies. Allocate more funds to successful campaigns and cut costs in underperforming areas. A/B testing different strategies can help refine your allocations.

9. Monitor and Measure Results

Marketing success isn’t instant, nor is it "set and forget". It requires regular assessment and adjustments. Set key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, engagement metrics, and return on investment (ROI). Regularly reviewing key metrics will help you fine-tune your marketing strategy and adapt as trends change.

10. Seek Professional Help if Needed

If you’ve tried several adjustments and aren’t seeing the improvements you would like, consider hiring a marketing expert. A professional with fresh eyes on the situation can often identify gaps and create more effective strategies tailored to your industry and unique business goals.

Works Cited

https://www.hookedup.us/blogs/data-analytics/7-content-creation-life-hacks

https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/top-social-listening-tools

https://craftycopy.co.uk/blog/why-is-my-marketing-not-working

https://medium.com/small-business-marketing-strategy/why-your-marketing-isnt-working-and-what-to-do-about-it-e02181cc7c8b