Five Signs You Need a Marketing Makeover

Your business is rolling along and you think your brand strategy is working. But is it? Are your marketing messages and materials driving the results you need? If not, it might be time for a marketing makeover.

You'll know it's time to go back to the marketing drawing board if you can identify any one of the following red flags happening at your small business. The trick may be to rebrand, adjust your value proposition or simply modify your existing strategy before these danger signs turn into unavoidable catastrophes.

1. Nothing matches.
Strong brands consistently deliver on their promises to consumers in every brand interaction. Inconsistent messages and visual imagery can confuse consumers, forcing them to turn away from your brand in search of one that does continually meet their expectations. If your website, signage, ads and marketing materials look like they come from multiple companies, then you need to redesign them so you communicate a consistent brand at all times.

2. You don't know what you want.
If you haven't mapped out your one-year and five-year goals, then your marketing efforts might not be helping your business.

Take some time to determine your business objectives and then revamp your brand and marketing efforts to help you reach those goals.

3. You don't know how to connect with customers.
If you don’t know who you need to connect with and where to find them, then you could waste a lot of time building relationships with people and spending time in places that won’t drive the business results you need. Instead, define your target audience and determine what benefits and messages matter to them. Only then can you find where your target audience spends time (for example, watching television, listening to the radio, on

social media, reading blogs, and so on), so you can connect with them and deliver the kind of valuable information and conversations they want and need.