Category Archives: marketing plans

It’s time to evaluate your marketing strategy for the second half of the year. With Q1 in the rearview mirror, and thick in the midst of Q2 now is the time to plan what comes next.

Failing to plan is planning to fail

My kids hear Benjamin Franklin’s quote about planning often. They are teenage boys and the simplicity of “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” strikes a chord. In October we talked about 2021 marketing planning – and it is absolutely crazy that the second half of 2021 is right around the corner. May is the perfect time to plus-delta your marketing plan to rock Q3 and Q4.  

We wax the marketing plan lyrical often, if you want some additional reading search Marketing Plan right here on Off Your Rocker, because it is a topic we keep coming back to because it is that important. Running through your activities, business, leisure or really anything without a plan to evaluate often leads to a failure.

Who could have planned for 2020!?!

For real. If you had pandemic marketing plan – ROCK ON! Many threw out the 2020 marketing plan and went into crisis or survival mode. Is it safe to say most everyone was scrambling in the unchartered time. Now that we are well into Q2, what lessons can we learn? Should we all write pandemic marketing plans? No! Should you have crisis plan? Maybe. Should you have a stop-gap strategy at-the-ready if everything falls apart? Yes.

Plan to evaluate a pivot

It was easier for teams to pivot from a plan versus starting from scratch in 2020. Existing plans guided and grounded activity for some, for others it gave a communication channel for policy and operation updates. We were reminded of the importance of staying positive in all marketing efforts and staying true to your brand. We celebrated the entrepreneurial spirit of our network and were honored to be a part of several brand launches in the back half of 2020.

Now is the time to look at the 2021 plan to evaluate what stays in, what stops and what needs to be added. Let’s get ready for the second half and move forward with purpose and intention to flourish the rest of the year.


The Clean Up 

Spring cleaning comes in many forms but have you extended it to your social media? Although this sounds like an odd notion, tidying up your social media ensures that your online platforms are building up daily engagement and generating leads. 

When you don’t pay attention to your social pages, your platforms become dated – something that should always be a priority to avoid. 

By focusing on these five points in your social media, you can make sure to revamp your social presence, renew your look, and refocus your brand strategy.

When it comes to spring cleaning, start out with the basics. Your logo! Are your colors dated? Should you go brighter? Bolder? Is your logo still considered modern? These are all questions you should ask yourself to make sure that your company is putting their best foot forward and aligning with today’s day and age. 

The Header 

The header is one of the first things that your viewers will see when they come to Facebook and LinkedIn! When you look at it, ask yourself if the picture is…

  1. High quality? 
  2. Modern or dated? 
  3. Reflecting the season your company is in? 
  4. Updated with the awards and certificates your company has gotten throughout the year? 
  5. Used across all platforms? 

Once these questions are answered, your social media strategy is that much closer to being polished.

The Bio

The bio for your company may be short and sweet or long and informative but is it as updated as possible? Are there new hashtags you want to include that are easily found? Are there any typos you may have missed the first time you wrote it? 

No matter how fantastic your bio may be, the smallest writing error can cast doubt about your capabilities to be detail-oriented. This is a mistake you never want to have reflected in your platforms.

The Feed

When it comes to your feed you want to make sure that it is an extension of your latest brand strategy. If your brand is bold then extend that message through bold colors, sharp photos, and succinct captions. If your brand is playful then extend your brand through bright colors, whimsical photos, and emojis. 

Now that you know what you want your feed to look like, look at it from a grander scale.

Do the last posts reflect a past brand strategy? Do you want that to be the first thing that viewers note? Or do you have a new brand strategy that you want to promote and want that to be the focal point? 

Whatever the case, you will want the most current brand strategy to be noticeable at first glance. Take the time to see your company from the eyes of your viewers.

The Website

When your customers look for your website, are they able to find it easily? If not, you may need to revamp and renew the list of keywords that is used for your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on each page.

By using the most up-to-date keywords, you’re able to make sure that your site is found in an easy manner. Decreasing the level of friction for customers to be able to locate your website and find the information they are looking for is important because it can be the difference of gaining or losing a lead. 

You’ll also want to make sure that all the tweaks that you make on your social media platforms are extended to your site. If you made the colors brighter on your logo, extend that color palette to your site. If you modernized your feed, make sure that your photos and messaging on your site reflect that change. For every action there will always be a reaction.

The Conclusion

No matter how big or small your spring cleaning is, always keep your brand at the forefront. Taking the time to be detail-oriented, using these focal points, and putting your brand first is sure to create a springtime glow for you and your company.


Woman Using Text Message Marketing

Using Text Messaging Marketing in your Marketing Plan

Is your brand using text messaging to connect with customers? Consumer preference to shop and connect with brands continues to increase steadily. Because of the pandemic, the mobile ecommerce growth that was expected to occur over the next 2 to 3 years, happened in mere months in 2020.

In addition to email marketing and social media marketing, text message marketing is an opportunity to speak with your customers in real-time. As a result, you can have real conversations with them throughout their customer journey. And, build brand loyalty. Use the space where they spend the most time – on their phone – to reach them.

Start with your business goals.

First, define your business goals before you incorporate a new marketing strategy. Next, select key performance indicators (KPIs) that will support those goals. These can be simple quantifiable measurements like subscriber growth or they can be revenue driven. Then with a clear plan for your text marketing program, you can set your company up for success.

Brands who text message can engage customers, increase loyalty and even drive revenue. Now more than ever, as consumers and brands are both feeling the effects of COVID-19, it’s important to be able to connect with your customer directly.

Last holiday season, 61% of all ecommerce sales were made on a smartphone. That represents a 27% increase from 2018. Mobile ecommerce will continue to hold a top spot as a customer preferred method of shopping. Capitalize on this shopping trend with text messaging.

Simple reasons to think about using text messaging.

Texting could be a helpful addition to your marketing mix depending on your type of business. With texting you can build the type of relationships with customers that they crave. There are many different ways to use SMS. So, here are a few ideas to get you started.

Welcome new customers
  • Create a welcome offer to new subscribers. Then, build a drip campaign (a series of texts) for these new subscribers. This welcomes them to the brand and give them a reason to stick around.
  • Offer your text message subscribers extra perks for being a subscriber. Make offers ones that aren’t given in your other digital venues. Share early access to shop new items, access to a member’s only special sale or VIP access to products.
Share new products or sales
  • Excite your customers about a new service. Send them a text with a link to your website. Then they can easily sign up for your company’s newest yoga class or hot stone massage.
  • Encourage quick action. Share limited-time deals in your shop, best-selling items running out of stock and Buy One Get One Free offers. Texting helps you highlight the time-sensitive nature of an offer.
Alert and remind
  • Keep your customers up-to-date about steps in a service process. Don’t make them guess or wait or have to track you down. Text them when their tax return is ready. Show them pictures of their new kitchen being built. Keep them aware of when your serviceman is coming to repair their refrigerator.
  • Remind your subscribers about their abandoned shopping carts with a link directly to their cart to finish their shopping journey. As a result, it’s easy for them to finish checking out. Thank them for their purchase. Reward them with a bounceback offer after the completion of their purchase.
  • Share important or timely information to your text message subscribers. If you’re a restaurant, share news like COVID-19 safety precautions, new menu items or dining options.

Your customers rely heavily on their smartphones to connect to the outside world right now. Reach out to them using text messaging. Having real-time conversation with your customers lets them know that you hear them, you understand their needs and you are ready to add value to their lives.


marketing plan

How is your 2020 marketing plan holding up?

If you’re like a lot of businesses this year, you threw out your 2020 marketing plan and have been in triage mode for six months. Q4 is the perfect time to re-evaluate your company’s marketing plan to include a good marketing planning outline and process, messaging, strategies and brand.

This year’s best laid marketing plans were most likely laid to waste in the second quarter. It’s now Q4 of a very weird year – speaking from, well, every point of view – and everyone is working under the guise of not knowing what is coming next or when. Some businesses are continuing to just execute 2020 marketing strategies with messaging that is not currently relevant to growing their top line or their bottom line. Stop reacting and get proactive with your brand.

Typically, clients reflect and plan ahead this time of year, and this Q4 should be no exception.

In fact, we recommend doubling down on the planning. This year though, planning may look a lot like pivoting for most businesses. There is very little business-as-usual going on, and your company’s business plan should reflect that fact.

We are working with clients that are facing different year end results – from more than 75% decline in sales, to flat, to having the best year ever. We have clients who’s marketing plan has them pivoting completely and launching new brands, born of the new normal or a long-held dream. But the one thing all of our clients have in common right now is that they are planning in order to be able to continue to pivot if need be. They are ensuring that their future strategies will be on-brand even if the content has to change.

Now is the perfect time to step back from your business plan and take an objective perspective on your company’s state of affairs.

Is your brand’s marketing plan going in the right direction? Do you need a more focused or broader message? Are your communication strategies getting you in front of the right customers on the right social media channel? Is your brand voice in tune with the state of the world? Know who you are, what you stand for and how to communicate that mission to your customers. What is your highest and best use? When you have a plan, this is how you can frame all of your future content – even if it keeps changing.

Plan ahead to pivot.

Planning a marketing infrastructure to put in place now and building on it through Q1 and Q2 of next year can help pivot your brand toward a new goal, refine your mission and elevate your relevancy. Have a plan in place to be able to address the unknown needs of your customers as they arise in 2021. You don’t necessarily need the answers now, but you need to have a plan to be able to answer the questions your customers will have. Your marketing plan for next year should include key messages, strategies, a budget, timeline and content calendar through Q2 of 2021 to carry your company into Q3. Spend your marketing time wisely this quarter to build the brand you’ve always wanted to become next quarter and beyond.


A popular phrase in the marketing world states, “always be one step ahead of your competition.” But, how do you accomplish that? Develop a competitive analysis.

Why are your competitors outranking you? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What are their marketing strategies? All of these questions are answered through a competitor analysis.

What is a competitive analysis?

A competitive analysis identifies and evaluates your competitors in comparison to your business. More specifically, your analysis should include the following:

  • Identifying your competitors and highlighting those that pose the biggest challenge
  • Researching information about your competitors
    • i.e. pricing, financials, marketing campaigns and social media, company history, their marketed demographic, and locations they cover
  • Evaluating their strategies
    • Determine their strengths and weaknesses to your brand’s

Why do competitive analysis?

Competitive research is crucial to your success as a business because it helps you create better marketing strategies. Moreover, it allows you to make educated decisions about your strategy and guarantees you can create competitive advantages. A competitive analysis gives you the ability to quickly identify industry trends and adapt to other marketing campaigns. As a result, all of these enable you to stay ahead of your competitors.

Conclusion

It cannot be a one-time thing. In short, frequently completing a competitor analysis gives your business the advantage to outsmart the competition. 


We once again find ourselves, think agility, at a new threshold as our state and country reemerge from quarantine and businesses are making decisions on their next step. The initial rush of the digital pivot is fading … the next opportunity is stamina and easing back into the new normal, whatever that may be.

Agility

However, before we start running that ball, let’s just pause and celebrate the WINS over the past five weeks.

With collaboration of the students, parents, administration and teachers, Faith Family Academy was able to continue to serve their student body food, technology and knowledge. They did not miss a beat. Faith Family Academy, you rock!

To Mister Sweeper, who continues to hire when so many are looking for employment AND keeping streets, parking lots and garages clean, an especially important job right now! Mister Sweeper, you rock!

Agility Rules!

To Corps Team Dallas, who continue to support clients in their hiring, pipeline and talent continuity plans, plus the virtual edition of “What We Love about Dallas,” was a go-to guide for entertainment this month! Corp Team Dallas, you rock!

Despite Big Al’s business being significantly hindered during shelter in place every week they have continue to give big with 100+ meal donations to first responders and the underserved community partners, like Family Gateway, Ronald McDonald House, Genesis Women’s Shelter and UTSW first responders. Big Al’s, you rock!

Essential workers that found a new way to safely do business, you rock!

Entrepreneurs who continue to forge ahead despite many unknowns with business and marketing plans, you rock!

Non-profits that are using creative means to serve their clients, you rock!

Therefore, Stay-at-home parents that are navigating new schedules and systems, you rock!

To the kids (especially seniors) that are mourning traditions missed, but are finding creative alternatives, you rock! 

Above all, all accomplishments, are worth cheering. Find reasons to celebrate and promote good news and good deeds. Recognize all the daily, tiny actions and choices that are keeping our community moving. If we did not catch you in this wrap up, know that we think you rock!


Brand identity book has pride of place on office desk.
Start with your brand

Background

If you are reading this, you are probably curious to learn more about branding! Before we dive deeper into branding, it is critical to understand how your brand represents your purpose. Brian Whipple, CEO of Accenture Interactive, says “Brands must genuinely commit to aligning their businesses with purpose to differentiate themselves.” Innovative companies such as Apple have done this, starting with the “Why?” mentality instead of “Who?” or “What?”  

When businesses focus on why they are doing things, they establish purpose and garner respect. It is important to actively take steps to support your cause, because it is the action instead of words that makes a difference, and people can see this. Customers want to see companies supporting the things they support, and when this happens, they are 63% more likely to purchase.

Why it’s important

To build equity in a customer’s mind, a brand must be: memorable, meaningful, aesthetically appealing, transferable, adaptable over time, and protected legally. It means differentiating yourself and finding ways to stand out among competitors. It matters because brands stick with people!  

How many times do you think you have asked for a Kleenex when in reality you meant a tissue? James R. Hupp states that people refer to tissues as Kleenex because of their well-known reputation and product quality. People become emotionally invested, and while some people will hunt around for the best deals others will stay loyal to the companies they trust.  

Why you should start with branding

Brands define you from the very beginning and act as a launching pad for your business. They are a “lens through which the words and actions of a company, its competitors, and the environment in general are converted to thoughts, feelings, images, beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes, etc., about a product (or family of products).” At Front Porch we place serious emphasis on branding because if you don’t define who you are/your purpose, how will you be credible? 

Is it okay to forget branding just to have something out there? 

In certain rare instances, it is okay to create something just to get it out there. This would be most acceptable for smaller projects or a company who has difficulty defining its brand. If a company is truly struggling , it may suffice to take a step back and begin generating content. Hopefully somewhere in the midst of creating content that company realizes its purpose and is able to establish its brand successfully. 

Key Takeaway:

Much of the value perceived by consumers is completely subjective. If you begin with branding, you will have a solid foundation that the rest of the company’s actions should follow, and you will always have something to circle back to should you stray from your brand image. We believe branding should be first always, and we would be delighted to show you how it’s done!  


Customer Experience
“It’s easier to love a brand when the brand loves you back.” – Seth Godin

Are you meeting customer expectations? We all know the importance of customer service when it comes to running a successful business. In this social media obsessed world we live in today and the age of instant feedback, excellent customer service can go a long way, but an excellent customer experience can go even further!

Until recently, the quality of product and service provided were the keys to winning customers and earning their business. But today, a new factor has come into play and that is providing the best customer experience.

A recent Walker study found that by the end of 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator. Customers will stay loyal based upon the experience and if you can’t keep up, they will move on (bye, bye).

Happy customers remain loyal customers.

Consider these statistics:

  • 1 in 3 customers will leave a brand they love after just one bad experience.
  • Research by American Express found that 86% of customers are willing to pay more for a better experience.
  • 49% of buyers have made impulse purchases after receiving a more personalized customer experience.
  • Customers that rate companies with a high customer experience score spend 140% more and remain loyal for up to 6 years.

Customer experience (aka CX) is the biggest opportunity businesses have to reduce customer churn and increase revenues. The problem is, most businesses think of customer experience and customer service as one in the same when in reality, customer service is only part of the many pieces of customer experience.

Simply put, customer service is a single touch point with a brand, while customer experience includes every touchpoint a customer has with a brand from the first time they hear about you until after completing a purchase – basically the perception the customer has of a brand. While you may think your customer experience is one thing, the customer may see it as something completely different and that is what the actual customer experience is.

Managing customer perception should be the top priority for every business and having a strategy for customer experience is the best way to make that happen.

Customer expectations are rising.

The expectation is that every single interaction with a brand be the best that it can be.

Below are several strategies for creating a great customer experience:

  1. Create a clear customer experience vision that is customer focused and can be communicated within your organization. This statement will act as the guiding principles and drives the behavior of your organization.
  2. Understand who your customers are and you can get to know their needs and wants.
  3. Connect emotionally with your customers.
  4. Collect customer feedback. It’s the only way to know if you are delivering on your promise. Try using live chat tools, conduct a focus group or send an email with a follow-up survey. Hey, even pick up the phone, for instance. In other words, get feedback, share it with the team and fix what is broken.
  5. Develop your team to the standards of your vision. Using the feedback collected from customers, identify the training needs for each member of your support team.
  6. Use employee feedback to improve the customer experience. Because, it’s your team who are interacting the most with your customers so give them an opportunity to share their ideas.
  7. Measure the results of your customer experience investment. There are several metrics available for tracking customer experience over time which include Customer Effort Score, Net Promoter Score, Customer Satisfaction Score and Time to Resolution. These tools allow you to track the success or failure of changes you implement that might affect your customers.

Customer expectations are at an all-time high and word spreads fast! The importance of the customer experience increases because the customer becomes even more empowered. Customer experience is an area that needs constant attention.

Because, a greater focus on customer experience strategy, businesses will see a reduction in customer churn and an increase in revenue growth.

Need help developing your customer experience strategy?


As a marketer AND a business owner, I want to start the year off right and lay a strong marketing foundation for the year.

For example, we completed our 2020 business plan. We crafted our marketing plan, budget, blog schedule and content calendar.

What other components should we deploy for our 2020 marketing foundation?

Lay Marketing Foundation

For some reason, I guide marketing strategy for our clients even in my sleep. Chief Rocker, therefore, should walk her talk when marketing her own business. I am determined to do just this consistently, authentically and with purpose in 2020. Cheers to the New Year!

Four Marketing Foundation Fundamentals

  1. Define and know your brand. A prospective client asked us recently if they needed new photography. As a result, our answer was we didn’t know. We didn’t know their brand. Communication coming from its content and leadership lacked clarity. Consequently, no connections were being made. The brand wasn’t defined. Define your brand and rock it.
  2. Team conviction. “Be the brand, Danny.” Can’t help but quote Caddyshack here. For instance, everyone within your team believes your brand’s importance. Your company stands for a specific and important promise. Therefore, the brand and your marketing must be championed internally.
  3. Consistency. Thirdly, deliver on your brand promise at every touch point. Inconsistency dilutes customer/client faith in the competency of the organization.
  4. Discipline. Fourthly, stick to the plan. Meet your marketing calendar deadlines. Likewise, follow your content and blog calendars to a tee.

In conclusion, may these marketing foundation fundamentals rock your brand and top line. Use them for the New Year. Make your brand come alive for everyone it touches.


And now for the second installment of our two-part series on The Great 8 of Marketing Success. Numbers 5-7 are distinctly digital in nature and deal with how you can communicate and meet your customers where they are. Our last recommendation caps off our series with a decidedly human touch.

Number 5: Website

Prospects – both clients and candidates – are going to your website to validate your company and expertise. Make sure you are communicating your point of differentiation and your brand personality.

Most service sites look the same, sound the same and make the same mistakes. Take a look at your website and see if you can take it to the next level:

  • Eliminate the word “we.” Replace it with “you”, “your”, “our clients”, or “our candidates.” It seems like a small distinction, but you might be surprised by how much more customer-centric your copy will sound once you replace one word.
  • Include links to your social networks. And if you already have links to your social networks – great! Are they up-to-date? Or do you still have a link to your Google+ account? ( Hint: you might want to delete that one.)
  • Sell results and testimonials. Third party endorsements go a long way and potential customers want to see the value you can bring to their company.
  • Use minimal stock photos. We get it – when you were getting your website off the ground, you used whatever you had on hand to get it done. But stock photos can reduce the credibility of your company and take from the authenticity of your brand. Make the investment and book a professional photographer.  
  • Optimize the site for mobile. No one likes to pinch and zoom on their phone when they are trying to view a website. And increasingly, Americans of all ages are likely to say that they mostly access the internet on their smartphone.
  • Make it easy for people to contact you with a form and make sure your phone number and email address are front and center.

Number 6: Social Media

Consumers are increasingly using social media to not only connect with friends and family, but also with brands. Social media is increasingly influencing consumers’ buying behavior:

  • When consumers follow a brand on social media, 67% of consumers are more likely to spend more with that brand.
  • Social media can drive retail foot traffic: 78% say they will visit that brand’s physical retail store.
  • These results become even more pronounced when you narrow in on millennials: 84% said they were more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social media.

But, don’t count out older folks – young people may have been early adopters of social media, but older adults using social media has increased as well.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by social media. That’s why we recommend narrowing your focus and pick two social networks to be active on daily. Most social networks are monetizing their platforms so organic social media, i.e. free, is becoming less effective, which is why you must be active consistently.

But which platforms should you choose? It depends. We recommend meeting your customers where they are. With almost a third of the world’s population using Facebook, the 500-lb. gorilla in the room might be a given. If you have an aspirational brand whose customers skew female and under the age of 49, Pinterest or Instagram may be a good fit. If you are more of a B2B company, look at joining YouTube, LinkedIn or Twitter.

Also, make sure you are connecting with the people you meet, whether you are introduced virtually or in person. Utilize both your personal timeline and create a company account if you don’t already have one.

Number 6.5: Social Media Content

As for content, have you ever been to a party and you were cornered by that one guy who talks about himself all night? Don’t be that guy.

Instead follow the rule of thirds: 1/3 of your content should be devoted to sharing content, 1/3 to engaging with others and 1/3 promoting yourself. Share open positions at your company, business successes and company news, just don’t let all your content be about you.

Number 7: Email Marketing

Email marketing doesn’t have to be crazy complicated or expensive. Email marketing is inexpensive and effective. If done correctly, you will be surprised at the results you see after every send.

Use a simple automated platform like MailChimp and send an email to your audiences once a month, or if you are just starting out, once every other month. Make sure you are updating your databases and are not sending the same content to both your clients and candidates.

Target your content to the reader and use your email marketing to establish yourself as a thought leader. Share information and expertise. This is especially true for B2B businesses; email marketing is most effective if you are sharing news people can use. At Front Porch, this is the direction we choose to take with our email newsletter. We offer marketing advice and highlight our clients.   

Similarly to social media, do not use email marketing to talk 100% about your company or you. It will not work.

Number 8: Networking

We are very fortunate to have several places to network in North Texas – industry associations, chambers of commerce, community organizations and the list goes on.

In deciding which group is right for you, consider these things:

  • Can I learn and grow?
  • Are this group’s values aligned with mine?
  • Can I contribute my knowledge and skills?
  • Do we have common interests?

When you are at these meetings or events, remember:

  • Give to get. Focus on what you can do for others, not what they can do for you.
  • Make sure you have business cards. (I know that sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised.)
  • Ask questions and listen.
  • Follow up. Sometimes this is the hardest thing to do because we are all wearing so many hats, but it is important to connect on LinkedIn with people you met, send them an email and if the situation calls for it, send a handwritten thank you note.

As business owners, we need to network. We need to work “on” our business as much as possible, not in our business.

Networking is a process. Remember that most business owners are looking for connections. Make time to network intentionally. Be bold and step forward into their world.

I urge you to not “go big or go home,” but as we tell our small to mid-sized clients, “Fewer. Deeper.” Do a couple of things well and knock it out of the park.

If you do your marketing well, then your target audience will come to trust your brand. Trusted relationships develop into emotional bonds that are hard to break. Consequently, loyalty to your brand means greater business success and reduced competitive threat.

Remember The Great 8. Engage your clients and candidates and turn them into customers and brand ambassadors.