Why your marketing plan isn’t working in 2023

1. Wrong messaging to the right people

In 2023, customers expect a personalised experience when it comes to marketing. 

With the abundance of data available with tools like Google Analytics, businesses have the opportunity to tailor their marketing efforts to specific customers' needs and preferences. This allows for more personalised messaging, which can ultimately lead to better engagement, increased customer loyalty and higher conversion rates.

Did you know that personalised messaging is key to keeping your customers happy? It’s true! When businesses use generic messaging, it can create a disconnect between them and their customers. But if you take the time to understand and address your customers’ specific wants and needs, they’ll feel seen and appreciated. So don’t miss out on the opportunity to make your customers feel valued and keep them coming back for more.

2. Over-reliance on social media

There's no denying that having a social media strategy is a staple in the marketing world, especially as it allows businesses the opportunity to connect with customers in a more casual and interactive way. However, you have to use social media like a marketing tool with a clear strategy in place.

Relying too heavily on social media as your primary marketing channel can actually be detrimental to your business. As social media algorithms evolve in 2023, it is now increasingly difficult to reach your target market organically. Social media platforms are also becoming more crowded, making it difficult for businesses to stand out. Having a good content marketing strategy planned in advance is key to producing and distributing high quality, relevant content across your social media channels that attracts and engages your audience.

3. Not adapting to new technology

It's no secret that technology is constantly evolving. To stay ahead of the game, businesses need to be proactive in adopting new technologies and learning how to use them to their advantage. 

Technologies gaining traction in 2023 include artificial intelligence (AI), voice search, personalised video marketing and augmented reality.

If businesses stay on top of the latest tech trends, they can provide customers with an even better experience and set themselves apart from the competition. But, if they don't keep up, they might become irrelevant. So, don't get left behind - embrace new technology and adapt your digital marketing strategy accordingly to stay competitive and keep your business ahead of the game.

4. Ignoring the importance of SEO

You all already know how important it is to nail your search engine optimisation game in 2023 right? Let’s face it, pretty much everyone and their grandma is using Google to search for stuff these days, whether it be products or services. And if your business isn't upping its SEO strategy, you’re basically waving goodbye to a bunch of potential customers. Don’t be that guy.

Additionally, if you want to draw in the locals, you have to do more than just regular SEO. You also need to focus on your local SEO to draw in customers from your area. This includes things like claiming your Google Business listing and getting your website listed in local directories. ‘Cause if you ain’t showing up on the map, you’re potentially missing out on a whole bunch of sales!

5. Undervaluing organic content

Customers in 2023 want the whole package, and they want companies to go above and beyond. Think educational content, personalised recommendations and killer customer service. If you are not providing that extra value, you're basically giving your customers a free pass to shop elsewhere. By going above and beyond to provide value, businesses can build long-term relationships with their customers.

6. Not measuring results

If you are not tracking your marketing results in 2023, you’re basically flying blind. And let's be real, nobody has the time or money to waste on ineffective tactics. By measuring your results, you can make smart, data-driven decisions and tweak your strategy as needed. In the long run, this will lead to more effective marketing campaigns and a sweet return on your investment.

Create a better marketing plan for 2023 in 7 steps

It's worthwhile taking a step back and reevaluating your current marketing plan in 2023. Trust us, it'll help you spot the areas where you need to up your game and come up with a better strategy. So, where next? Here are some steps to get you started on your new and improved marketing plan for your business:

1. Define your target audience and personalise your messaging to them

Before you start investing in your marketing strategy, you need to know who you are trying to reach. That means figuring out your ideal customer, what makes them tick and what kind of problems they need solved. Once you have a handle on that, you can tailor your marketing to resonate strongly with them, and ultimately motivate them to make a purchase or enquiry. 

If you have noticed your target audience has changed or grown, it might be time to re-evaluate and tweak your messaging for maximum impact.

2. Develop a customer journey map

Making a customer journey map is super important when it comes to marketing. It's basically a picture of what it's like for a customer to interact with your brand, from the first time they hear about you all the way to after they buy something. There are a few good reasons why you should make a customer journey map:

• So you can make sure your customers have the best experience possible
• To tailor content types to customers depending on where they are on their journey
• To find ways to make things more personal for your customers
• To keep your customers coming back for more
• To work better with your team and get everyone on the same page.

Developing a customer journey map will help you personalise your brand messaging to the right people, and create a clearer picture of how to write organic content for each stage of a customer's buying journey. It’s an important tool to have for your marketing plan so download our FREE Customer Journey Map Template here, and try it for your new marketing plan this year!

3. Do a SWOT analysis on your current marketing strategy

If a business wants to find ways to do things better, they need to take a good look at how they are doing things right now when it comes to their marketing strategy. This could mean checking out how many people are coming to their website, how many people are liking their social media posts, and if anyone is opening their emails. By taking a good link into all of these things, you can pinpoint what's working, and what isn't, and figure out a plan to do even better going forward.

To do a SWOT analysis on your digital marketing strategy, you need to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to your strategy. This involves looking at things like your website design, social media presence, email marketing, and competitors. Once you've identified these factors, you can use them to create a plan for improving your strategy and staying ahead of the competition.

4. Set clear goals and objectives that are measurable

If a business wants to up their marketing game, a key starting point is to set some clear goals and objectives. This means figuring out what they want to achieve - maybe more visitors coming to their website, more leads or getting return customers coming back for more.

By having these goals in mind, a business can stay focused and know what to measure to see if their marketing efforts are paying off. They could track things like website traffic, how much people are engaging with them on social media, if people are opening their emails, and so on.

When a business has this data, it enables them to make changes to their strategy if they need to. This way, they can improve their marketing strategy and get closer to their goals.

5. Prioritise an organic content strategy

As we previously touched on, personalisation and offering value are critical components of a successful marketing plan in 2023. One way to do this is by creating an organic content strategy. This means tailoring your messaging to your target audience and providing them with things like educational content, personalised recommendations, and great customer service. 

Organic content is all about creating content that provides value to your audience, rather than just promoting your product or service. Think of it as a way to build a relationship with your customers and keep them coming back for more.

Some examples of organic content could be writing blog posts on topics your audience cares about, creating social media posts that are entertaining or helpful, making videos or podcasts that educate or entertain your audience, or creating infographics that convey complex information in a simple and engaging way.

Basically, the idea is to provide your audience with content that they find interesting, useful or entertaining. By doing this, you'll build a connection with them and keep them engaged with your brand over time.

Want to stand out in 2023? Your content strategy is everything

Content really is king, and more so now than ever in 2023. However there are challenges due to the fact that the internet has become far more content-saturated due to the likes of AI writing tools such as ChatGPT. But the real difference maker is creating high-quality content that speaks to your audience, resonates with their needs and interests, and keeps them coming back for more. This is the type of content that gets the clicks, the impressions, and makes you money. 

Your content is also a major reflection of your brand voice, which is why it's so important to craft a strategy that really nails it. This means taking the time to think about your tone, buyer personas, and the types of content that will best reach your target audience. With some careful competitive analysis, planning, and strategising, your content can really help set you apart in a crowded online world.

6. Embrace new technology

If you want to stay ahead of the game in 2023, you need to stay up to date with the latest tech. We’re talking cool stuff like artificial intelligence, voice search, and augmented reality.

By getting on board with these technologies and figuring out the best ways to make them work for your needs, businesses can give their customers an even better experience, and really stand out from the crowd. Plus, it's a surefire way to get ahead of the competition!

7. Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy

Based on the insights gained from evaluating their current marketing efforts, businesses should develop a comprehensive marketing strategy. This could include a mix of tactics such as social media marketing, search engine optimisation, content marketing, email marketing, and paid advertising. The key is to create a cohesive strategy that is tailored to your target audience and aligned with your goals and objectives.