Putting Together Your Digital Strategy

It is important to keep in mind that while we are talking about digital marketing, it does not exist in a vacuum. Traditional marketing concepts and channels still apply. In fact, you might even argue that an integrated marketing effort is stronger than digital alone.

What we mean by an “integrated” marketing strategy is developing a marketing strategy that contains both traditional and digital channels that work as an integrated whole. Regardless of whether we are talking traditional or digital marketing, they are both marketing and a foundational element of any marketing strategy is your brand.

Start With Your Branding and Positioning

As you work to develop your digital strategy the place to start is with a review of your branding and positioning strategy. Do you have one? Is it well done? Is it comprehensive?

If you have a well-defined branding and positioning strategy you likely will have a brand standards guide that documents what the strategy is along with how to utilize certain branding assets such as your logo and tag line. It will also address items such as your Vision and Mission, your brand personality and tone, etc.

What’s Your Brand Positioning Statement?

A brand positioning statement will define how your brand is positioned or is to be positioned against your competition. Are you the high price high-value alternative or the firm that competes on price? Are you more formal or casual? Are you the most technically astute or the easiest to work with?

What Your Brand Will Say

• Who you are
• What you stand for
• How you want people to think about your company

Every company has a brand, the question you will need to answer is, is your brand already well defined or not? If so do you think it is appropriate or does it need to be refined?

The Branding & Positioning Process

While every marketing executive or firm may follow a somewhat different process (most try to insist that there’s is unique and the best process) the basic process and deliverables are similar.

This is a list of the various items that typically go into developing branding and positioning.

• Interview individual members of your team to reveal what they feel your brand strengths and weaknesses are and how they would describe your brand.
• Interview customers and prospects to understand how they perceive your brand and why do they buy from you rather than the competition?
• Marketing Research to see how your competition is presenting themselves in the market and what you perceive to be their strengths and weaknesses.
• Evaluation of the specific types of people you sell to-what are their titles, industries, and challenges they face as well as what they value?