With all of the advances that have occured in the Digital Age, there is hardly any branch of human activity which hasn’t benefited from it. The same applies to marketing and that is why smart IT solutions providers leverage digital marketing to boost sales and enhance marketing.
Nearly half (49 percent) of organizations are doing digital marketing without a concrete strategy, according to a recent survey by Smart Insights. The remaining respondents have either a separate document for digital marketing (17 percent) or have it integrated into their overall marketing plan (34 percent).
Image Source: Smart Insights
Despite the fact that creating a digital marketing plan is a critical part of any companies marketing strategy, a large percentage of companies still don’t have a concrete plan. Here are just a few of the same of the consequences of not having a clear digital marketing strategy.
1. Failing to Plan Is Planning to Fail
This is something which doesn’t only apply to marketing, but to various activities in everyday life, too. While improvisation and alternatives in some situations can create a good outcome, digital marketing is a precise and serious matter which can greatly affect your success rate. This is why a fixed plan and good organization skills are required.
2. Sales Pipeline Doesn’t Grow
In a nutshell, the sales pipeline of a company is the best visualization of the state your company is in. Without a concrete digital marketing plan, you’re missing out on inbound digital leads for your organization. Fewer leads equal fewer sales. Simple math.
3. Online Buyers Might Be Skeptical
Not even the buying process is how it used to be. Today, buyers are going to be more cautious, by searching for online information about your services and products. At the same time, buyers are more informed than ever due to the abundance of information that exists on the web. If you don’t have a crucial plan for addressing this, your buyers might question how reliable your services are. Understanding your online buyers is a must and using online feedback tools and polls can help you improve.
4. Your Competitors May Outperform You
If you lack a digital marketing plan, you’re really helping your competitors gain market share – especially if they have a strong plan for digital marketing. Their digital market share benefits, and your company doesn’t have the upper hand.
5. Lack of Clear Direction
Setting up clear goals and writing them down in a document can make a big difference. Without a digital marketing plan, a company doesn’t know how many online visitors it has on a daily basis and which percentages need to rise and which need to fall. By having concrete goals, a company can easily discover its weak spots and know what needs to be changed.
These are just a few of the many consequences and issues that can arise by not having a clear digital marketing strategy. As with everything else in life, not putting forth the effort to formulate a plan is in itself making a decision to not have a plan.
Need help getting started with your digital marketing strategy? Start with what your company’s marketing goals are. Let’s discuss ways we can work together to develop a strong plan for your digital marketing success.