Getting Started with Reliable Digital Marketing Services

Sometimes, when it comes to digital marketing, companies get the cart ahead of the horse. They say, “I want to do SEO” because someone told them it “works” or because it seems like everyone else is doing it.

However, the power of digital marketing is in the data. Data can tell us which tactics we should employ —and which ones we should avoid.

Reliable Acorn has a specific and strategic process for determining the best tactics to promote a business, and we use data to inform our decisions.

Reliable Acorn specializes in internet marketing services and provides digital marketing consulting from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Start by measuring everything.

We often tell our clients, “We can do anything you want- but we will always measure it!”

While traditional marketing spends time, effort, and money, it can, at best, project how it’s working. Oftentimes, the reasoning goes like this: “We spent thousands- surely it must be doing something for us.”

However, digital marketing is inherently measurable. We know how much we spent and can see (exactly) what happened as a result. Now, there’s a lot of data that can be misleading (every platform shares data with you to make it appear as though it’s “working”). Don’t be satisfied with bit numbers that sound impressive. The best digital marketing consultants will be able to tell you how many customers (and even how much you’ve made) as a result of your efforts.

Before you spend a dime on marketing, ensure you can track the results! Reliable Acorn always starts a digital marketing campaign by measuring everything- by setting up web analytics for you.

Let us set up your Google Analytics for you- for free:

Next, understand your market.

Before we select your marketing tactics, let’s use data to determine the most effective way to reach your customers. Reliable Acorn has a proprietary process we call “go-to-market research” to help you understand how your customers might be searching for what you have to offer.

What our Go-to-Market Research will tell you:

• Is anyone looking for what you have to offer? The answer to this question informs how we will promote your services. For instance, if people are already looking for what you offer, search marketing (such as SEO or PPC) will be successful for you. If, however, you’re first to market, we need to drive demand for your services (using social media, display ads, or even email marketing).
• How do your customers speak about your services? Basic marketing tells us to talk to your customers in their own language. This research helps us avoid internal and specialized jargon when speaking to your customers.
• Which of your services are most competitive? Are you overlooking any opportunities?

The second step to a successful digital marketing campaign is thorough market research.

Let the data guide you in determining which tactics will work best:

Third, find your differentiator.

What makes your company different? Too often, the answer is, “We’re better than our competitors.” The problem is: your competitors say the same thing about you.

It’s crucial to identify what sets your services apart from your competitors. What is your unique selling proposition (USP)? What characterizes your brand?

Why does this matter?

• When you have a distinct brand, you’re no longer a commodity, competing on price with your competitors and driving down the price of your services.
• If you have a unique offering that effectively solves your customers’ problems, they will be willing to pay more for it than your competitors.
• Have a simple, concise way to describe your business that instantly makes it attractive to customers. This messaging helps everyone on your team- from the person answering the phone to the Head of Sales.

These are the reasons why the third step in any successful digital marketing campaign is finding your company’s differentiator. If you’re not familiar with it, let’s start today!

Finally, let’s begin your campaign.

Marketing any business is a long-term investment. Too often, companies view marketing as a one-time project or a cost of doing business.

Digital marketing isn’t something you set up once and walk away from. Digital marketing is constantly changing. If you don’t keep up with it, you will end up wasting your time (and money). Reliable Acorn requires clients to sign a 6-month digital marketing contract. Good marketing takes time to develop. Since you’ve started by setting up analytics, determining your market, and finding your USP, you’re already set up for success.

Digital marketing isn’t a cost of doing business- it’s an investment. You should always be making more from your marketing dollars than you’re spending. Since you started by setting up analytics and did the initial market research, you can be confident that this is true. If not, you know that you either need to improve your tactics or switch to a different one.

Does this seem expensive? How much does an ongoing digital marketing campaign cost? We offer our services at various price ranges, depending on your needs and the industry in which you operate. Most of our clients work on a monthly retainer, which typically starts at around $3,000 per month. Remember, your marketing spend is not a cost of doing business, but an investment in your business. When determining your marketing budget, always consider your Customers’ Lifetime Value (CLV).

So let’s begin your marketing campaign today- whether you start with analytics or want to combine all three steps into a complete campaign, you can start with a free initial consultation.