Three Common Mistakes in Marketing and Sales Strategies

How to Incorporate a Marketing Strategy into Your Business Plan

You’ve probably thought that implementing a marketing and sales strategy in your business is difficult or long-term, especially if you don’t have a specialized team or haven’t estimated the resources to invest in this task.

However, having a marketing strategy is essential in any business plan. Whether you're looking to increase sales or ensure the sustainability of your business, we encourage you to view marketing as an opportunity to strengthen your company, stand out in an increasingly competitive market, and attract more satisfied customers.

Don’t wait for a dedicated professional on the subject, your business needs it now. Seek information, define timelines and actions, and start doing it yourself. Here, we’ll share three major mistakes entrepreneurs make when executing their marketing strategy. Make sure you don’t repeat them!

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Mistake #1: Forgetting Customer Segmentation

Customers are the core of any business, and therefore, the first idea of every business is that all the inhabitants of the planet are potential customers. However, this is the biggest mistake if you’re looking for a successful marketing and sales strategy, as the goal is to impact those who truly need your product or service.

Defining a customer segment for your advertising campaigns will give you a clearer idea of the potential customers who will be interested in the information, product, or benefit you’re offering, thus increasing the chances of turning those efforts into sales.

Would you place a billboard promoting extreme sports equipment in a senior citizens' residence? Probably not. Why invest resources in a promotion sent to a customer who was already going to buy that product they love? Or do you think it will be effective to send information about a new exclusive service for men to your female customers?

According to studies, 70% of companies that run campaigns without considering their target audience achieve less than half of their sales goals. This is why it is essential to have a solid understanding of your customers, based on a consolidated database, and the necessary tools to carry out the customer segmentation you need.

Some ways to classify your customers can be based on demographics, such as age or gender; by their average purchase ticket or spending; by their level of satisfaction with your brand; or there are even specialized segmentation models like RFM, which classifies customers based on their historical purchase behavior with your business.

Customer segmentation is perhaps one of the most important aspects to consider when executing any marketing and sales strategy. Make sure not to waste resources and time on advertising campaigns that don’t yield visible results.

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Mistake #2: Neglecting Brand Positioning and Customer Loyalty

It’s important to know the characteristics of your product, but it’s even more important to identify what makes you special and different compared to other competitors. This unique feature should become your value proposition, and it is what you should communicate clearly and consistently so that your customers prefer you.

Brand recognition will be earned over time by your own consumers, which is why it’s so important to focus on improving customer relationships. This can be done through a good communication strategy, where you engage with them as directly as possible and with the right frequency.

Additionally, as you offer solutions and valuable contributions to your customers beyond what you sell. People are overwhelmed and already tired of the unlimited information and advertising from brands trying to sell something. Therefore, you need to ensure that your customers feel understood, appreciated, and always receive a response from you.

A loyalty program is the ideal ally for building the customer relationships your business needs, as it allows for direct, ongoing, and segmented communication with your buyers, as well as understanding their satisfaction with your products and services.

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Mistake #3: Not Having a Marketing Plan

Every business, whether large, small, or medium-sized, has established schedules, a vacation period, knows when to pay taxes, and when to purchase products; but unfortunately, few small and medium-sized businesses have a marketing plan to know which products or services to advertise and when to do so.

Knowing when and to whom it’s best to sell a product or service is essential for your marketing and sales strategy to be effective. You must also identify the media, messages, and resources to do this.

Without a marketing plan, we can make other mistakes, such as missing seasonal marketing opportunities or investing in advertising only when sales drop. In the latter case, the action may yield results, but it will likely bring only temporary benefits, and you will end up spending more money than you would have if you had budgeted for it in advance.

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What Can We Conclude?

A common myth is that strategies can only be developed with a large budget, but the most recurring mistakes are not related to financial resources, but rather to the lack of planning and knowledge.

In marketing, there is no better formula than consistency and clear objectives—something we know you are willing to work on to take your business to the next level. We hope that after reading this, you are convinced that a marketing strategy is essential for your business. What are you waiting for to get started?

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Get your first free consultation on how to implement your own customer loyalty program in your marketing strategy. Contact us!