Marketing is one of those professions that many people think they are good at it, but actually know very little about. This is perhaps why many sole proprietors or small businesses owners, rather than hiring a Toronto marketing consultant, decide to take a “do-it-yourself” approach to marketing and promoting their business.
While some companies will experience success creating marketing campaigns on their own, many companies needlessly waste their marketing budgets on promotions and campaigns that are doomed to fail from the beginning.
In an economy where every penny counts and where there is very little difference between most companies that are in similar industries, hiring a Toronto marketing consultant can be the main differentiating factor that helps to separate your company from the pack.
Toronto marketing consultants understand that marketing practices have changed drastically over the past decade. The internet has changed the way marketing is done. Consumers have become savvy to the marketing process and no longer buy into dated marketing schemes. Therefore, there is a direct need to not only understand current marketing best practices, but also continuously remain educated about the latest developments in the marketing world.
This is why hiring a professional Toronto marketing consultant is so important. They are abreast of the current industry trends and marketing strategies that can help your company take the next step and exposure your brand to customers in new and exciting ways. The investment you make in a high quality Toronto marketing consultant will more than pay off. How much return have you received in the amount of money you have invested in marketing initiatives this year? Or over the course of your business?
Failure to hire an experienced Toronto marketing consultant will result in companies continuously overspending and potentially using out-dated strategies that do not reach your intended market of customers and prospects.
Understanding marketing
Marketing has changed. It has evolved considerably from its root and is now about much more than just selling and advertising. This is one of the biggest mistakes that small businesses make when it comes to marketing. They reply heavily on dated marketing strategies that fail to take into account modern techniques.
While initiatives such as developing commercials, cold calling, and direct mail campaigns still have their place in the marketing world, Toronto marketing consultants understand they are only part of the greater scheme of things.
Toronto marketing consultants understand that marketing has evolved and become much more about satisfying your customers’ needs rather than selling. People have become more socially responsible and are concerned about ethics and doing things the right way now more than ever.
Therefore, there is a need to take a new approach to marketing, something many companies who take a DIY approach fail to realize. Add new technologies and the emergence of social media, and it is not very shocking to see why many companies are struggling to succeed with their marketing ventures.
Marketing in 2010 and beyond
There are two main factors in recent years that have had a significant impact on the marketing industry:
1. The economic recession
There is no doubt that the economic recession had a major impact on marketing. Companies are now faced with smaller marketing budgets, while also facing increased competition. Therefore, every marketing dollar must be carefully accounted for. Expensive and elaborate marketing campaigns are few and far between these days, especially for smaller companies. With fewer resources to work with, companies have to be more creative and attentive to their marketing plans. Hiring a Toronto marketing consultant can help companies spend their limited budgets as efficiently as possible. They will work with companies to develop a plan that will fit with their budget while helping them constantly re-evaluate their marketing plan and look for new methods to reach customers to ensure they are getting targeted results.
2. New forms of technology
New technologies have significantly changed the way companies approach marketing. Professional Toronto marketing consultants understand how these new technologies can factor into the way a company’s products or services are utilized in a marketing campaign.
The most sought after Toronto marketing consultants not only know how to effectively utilize the best forms of social media that are best suited for your company, they can also integrate this technology into a plan that will also integrate highly successful traditional forms of marketing to ensure your company gets the most out of your marketing campaign.
Understanding the role of a Small Business Marketing Consultants?
Many companies do not fully understand the role of a Toronto marketing consultant. The main problem with most companies is that they think they know what they are doing simply because they have a basic understanding of marketing principles and have had some success with previous campaigns.
Having successful marketing initiatives does not mean a company cannot benefit from the services of a Toronto marketing consultant. Rather, adding a Toronto marketing consultant to an already successful campaign can help companies break through new barriers and get to the next level.
There is only so much you can do as a business owner, and working collaboratively with a Toronto marketing consultant will only benefit your company now and into the future as you build a relationship.
So, what does a Toronto marketing consultant actually do?
They work hand in hand with companies on a consulting basis to develop and implement a successful marketing strategy that is catered to the specific needs, goals, and objectives of their clients.
An effective Toronto marketing consultant will go beyond providing companies a general marketing plan to follow and help them focus in on the main elements of their business that they want to center their campaign around, such as a new product or service.
Effective Toronto marketing consultants will help companies:
- Develop a detailed marketing plan that takes into account their companies target market, the behavior of that market, and how to position the company’s products and/or services in a way that will peak the interest of customers.
- Develop the main marketing message for the campaign
- Select the most effective marketing platforms for the campaign
- Implement the marketing strategy
- Monitor the results of the campaign
- Adjust the campaign as needed for maximum effectiveness
The best Toronto marketing consultants not only have the ability to devise a creative marketing plan, they also know how to manage it effectively. Once a plan has been set into action, the real work begins. Marketing and promotional campaigns must be consistently monitored to check for its effectiveness. Without analysis, there is no way to determine the success or failure of a campaign.
Specializations
Many professional Toronto marketing consultants offer specialized services that cater to either a specific industry or service. Some of most common forms of specialized marketing consulting include:
- Print marketing
- Online marketing
- Social media
- Search engine optimization
- Advertising
- Multimedia advertising
- Customer service development
- Positioning
- Branding
- Prospecting and sales leads
- Trade shows and events
- Market research and analysis
- Marketing strategy plan development
With so many specialization options, companies need to take the time to understand what they need and the type of marketing expertise that would best benefit their organizations.
Services offered by a Toronto marketing consultant
When most business owners think of a Toronto marketing consultant, they think of a professional that is going to educate them about the 4 P’s (Product, Price, Promotion, Place) However, today’s business landscape has changed marketing practices.
A top Toronto marketing consultant, not only offers traditional marketing services, however, they also offer a number of other related services that are a vital part of a successful marketing campaign. These services include:
- Web design: Your company website is a very important part of your marketing campaign. It must be consistent with your marketing message and serve as marketing tool itself. Therefore, top Toronto marketing consultants will help you overhaul your website, give it a new look, and adjust your website content to meet the objectives of your marketing goals.
- Search engine optimization: SEO is a major component of any company’s online marketing strategy. Top Toronto marketing consultants will work with you to create an online marketing campaign that integrates both organic and paid SEO strategies and help your website increase its rankings in Google and other relevant search engines.
- Social media integration: Social media has become a very important aspect of any marketing campaign. A professional Toronto marketing consultant can not only help you select the right social media platforms to use for your campaign, they can also help you set up the accounts, and develop an effective strategy that you can carry out to engage your customers and build your brand online across a number of platforms.
- Video production: Video production has become a very popular mode of communication in light of the success of YouTube and other video sites. It is amazing the value a one to two minute video can bring to your marketing campaign. A professional Toronto marketing consultant can help you with the production of the video and help you post it on your website, YouTube channel and other relevant mediums.
Why companies fail at marketing
The truth is that more companies fail at marketing than succeed. And, there is a good reason for this. Too many companies are in a hurry to get their marketing campaign going that they often skip or overlook important aspects of their campaigns that would be addressed if they hired a Toronto marketing consultant to handle their campaign.
Here are some of the most common reasons why small businesses fail with their marketing initiatives:
- They do not measure: If you don’t measure, then there is no way of determining if your campaign is a success. Top Toronto marketing consultants know the numbers don’t lie and using them to make decisions about the direction of your campaign can have a major impact on it success or failure.
- They have mixed messages: Too many companies do not take the time to refine their marketing message. Rather, they just send out messages as they see fit without considering the impact it may have on previous messages.
- They cut corners: Toronto marketing consultants know too many companies cut corners when it comes to marketing initiatives. Rather than taking all the necessary steps over the course of planning and developing a marketing campaign, many companies will cut corners to speed up the process in an attempt to achieve results quicker.
- They make assumptions: A Toronto marketing consultant knows every decision must be backed up by fact. Too many companies make assumptions about their customers, industry and the current nature of the market they are competing in.
- They don’t do their research: High quality Toronto marketing consultants know that research is a very important part of marketing. Taking the time to research current trends, opinion, and market actions will have a major impact on the direction of any marketing campaign. For companies to have successful campaigns, they must first understand their customers’ needs and current market conditions before they can begin to plan a successful venture.
- They lack focus: Many companies often make the mistake of trying to market to everyone in an attempt to increase business. However, a Toronto marketing consultant knows a more focused campaign that is catered to a specific demographic or market segment will be more successful. Avoid trying to have a “catch all” approach and narrow your niche within your industry.
- They use the wrong platforms: A Toronto marketing consultant knows you have you engage your customers on the platforms they use or you are just wasting your time and money. This is why it is so important to understand your customer base. No matter how good your campaign may be, if your customers are not there to see it, then it will fail. And, since every industry and region is different, you cannot make assumptions about which platforms to use.
- They don’t understand their target market: This is often a case of companies thinking they know what is best for their customers rather than actually finding out. In this situation companies focus more on telling customers what they need or should like rather than giving them what they want.
- They are using out of date strategies: A Toronto marketing consultant knows a successful campaign is relevant to the times. Customers are now more intelligent and in tune with their needs than ever before. Therefore, strategies that have worked in the past will not be as effective today. For example, while many companies are now engaging their customers through social media, their campaigns fail because they try to “hard sell” when engagement, interaction and dialogue are more effective.
- They don’t know what they want to achieve: Every top Toronto marketing consultant knows that every campaign must have a specific set of goals and objectives. Without them it becomes very difficult to measure the success or failure of marketing campaign. Is your company seeking to make more sales? Promote a service? Get more customers? Defining a specific purpose will help you achieve your end goals for your campaign.
- Impatience: A Toronto marketing consultant knows too many companies are impatient and do not allow for enough time for their campaign to grow. Not every marketing campaign will yield amazing results over night. Some will take some time to gain stream and have an impact on your company’s bottom line. Be patient and let things unfold according to the plans original timeline.
Each one of these common mistakes can be avoided by hiring a professional Toronto marketing consultant to handle your marketing initiatives.
The benefits of hiring a professional Toronto marketing consultant
A Toronto marketing consultant can have a major impact on the successful of your companies marketing initiatives. The following are some of major benefits you will experience:
- A refined and focused marketing campaign
- A better understanding of your customer base and market conditions
- A resource that business owners can use if they have questions or concerns
- An understanding of what you will need to know prior to developing a marketing plan
- An education about current marketing best practices
- A new source of creativity and a different perspective on your business
- A focused marketing message that is specific to the goals and objectives of your marketing plan
- A detailed understanding of the marketing platforms that are best suited for your company and industry
- An understanding of previous mistakes that were being made and where efficiencies can be found
- Better management of your marketing and promotions budget
- Help with developing effective advertisements for print, radio, television and the internet
- Help improving your website so it is aligned with your marketing campaign
- Help uncovering new streams of revenue and sales
- Provide you with a fresh set of eyes that can identify new opportunities
- Help utilizing social media as part of your campaign
- Help uncovering new customers while finding new ways of targeting existing ones
With so many benefits, there is no denying the value of a high quality Toronto marketing consultant. Why spend your marketing budget on an average plan that you developed from resources you found online. Enlist the services of a professional Toronto market company that will maximize the value you get out of your marketing campaign and budget. It is well worth the investment!