BUSINESS EDU How to Create a Money-Making Marketing Strategy – by Cathryn Castle Garcia, Owner, ClearStoryCoach.com, The Azores Cathryn is a writer, business strategist, & co-owner of C2G2Productions.com, a multimedia production company.
I’m excited to be a DEMA-featured speaker in Orlando, FL, November 11- 14. In addition to my DEMA-spon- sored sessions (available to attendees who opt for the Educational Package), I’m happy to be collaborating with SDI (Scuba Diving International) and Deep Blue Adventures to offer additional
Step 1. Get clear. Know what your business is, what it does, and how to communicate it clearly and effectively to your ideal customer. Start by defining your mission, vision, and value proposition. Before you can make the map, you must be able to explain three things: why your business exists, what its vi- sion for the future is, and what sets your business apart from others. Use these three elements to frame every decision you make next. (If you need help on this, refer to my July article, “Vision, Values, Mission: Making Statements That Benefit Your Business.”) Step 2. Identify “X.” In marketing speak, this is your target market, your ideal customer, the one who wants what you offer and will pay you money for it. Drill down on demo- graphics so you know your target, their pain points, their as- pirations, and motivations. When we meet in person at DEMA for the session, I’ll introduce an exercise that will help “bullseye” your target audience. Step 3. Set goals. To succeed, your business needs to set goals, then outline specific marketing objectives that will help you meet those goals. I suggest using the goal-setting acronym and tactics you will use to deliver your message to customers, including email marketing, social media, events, etc. Use the information you gathered in Step 2 to outline your marketing mix and choose your channels. For instance, if your target au- dience is split between 20-somethings and over-50s, you’ll likely want to use Insta and TikTok for the younger crowd and Facebook for the older ones. Step 5. Allocate a budget. Think of your budget as a re- source rather than a restriction. Instead of adopting a scarcity mindset that says, “We only have this amount to spend,” use your budget as a challenge that says, “Let’s see how we can best allocate this amount.” You needn’t set your budget in stone. Pay attention to your spending and adjust, as needed, if one method starts gaining traction. A clear, realistic budget is a valuable tool that helps you focus and prioritize your in- vestment so you can get the best return. Step 6. Create a timeline. Now that you’ve gotten this far SMART, meaning goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. (To learn more about this, refer to my article from the April “Getting SMART About Success.”) Step 4. Choose your tools. List off the types of marketing tools
branding and marketing sessions throughout the event. In this issue, I’m overviewing one of my sessions, hosted by Deep Blue Adventures, titled The Money Map: How to Create a Money-Making Marketing Strategy . Participants in this interac- tive session will complete exercises aimed at mapping out a marketing strategy that attracts your ideal customer, who reg- ularly enrolls in courses, buys equipment, and books travel with your dive business. This article provides a peek at what we’ll cover when we meet in person at DEMA. Mark your event calendar and let’s meet on Tuesday, November 11 at 1 pm in Room W303C to create your marketing map. What is a Marketing Map? In simple terms, a map helps
you navigate from one place to an- other. If your mind’s eye sees a map with an “X” marking where to find treasure, you’re not wrong. You’ll just need more than a shovel to find it. The marketing map (aka the money map) is the tool we will create so your business can attract
and retain customers who regularly spend money with you. The marketing map combines your brand’s mission state- ment, value proposition, and specific marketing objectives into an actionable framework. We’re talking everything from content marketing and email campaigns to social media and public relations, to print and digital advertising. A well-built map allows you to prioritize your marketing tactics, allocate your marketing budget, and connect with prospective cus- tomers using the right channels. It also helps you stay focused on achieving long-term growth. The great thing about the marketing map is that it’s not sin- gle use. There’s not one treasure. In fact, there’s treasure every- where. This mapmaking framework will help you find it. Mapmaking Basics: Let’s say the goal is to make more money. And let’s say “X” is the money (business growth). Our mapmaking goal is to work backward from “X” to outline seven steps we’ll take to make more money.
PAGE TWENTY-FOUR | SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker