How to Better Understand Your Marketing Efforts: 5 Questions to Ask

Doing a self-assessment of your marketing efforts will keep you on the right track and stop you if something is not working. Here are five questions a small business owner should ask themselves to get the most out of their marketing efforts.

1. Are your sales and marketing efforts working well together? Sales and marketing have to support each other within a unified strategy centered on your customers.

2. Do you really understand your clients and your target market? You may say “yes”, but in today’s constantly changing market, it is not always easy to keep up with your clients’ needs. We can break this question down to some relevant sub-questions that can assist you in better assessing your answer:

- How well do you know the needs of your clients?
- Do your employees share information about clients’ needs and use this data to modify your products or/and services?
- To what extent is your team proactive about building customer loyalty?
- How well do you anticipate the needs of your customers?
- Are you able to successfully impact their purchasing criteria?
- Do you take the time to think about how your company’s products or services create more value for your customers?

3. Do you know who your competitors are and what they offer? Constantly gather up-to-date information about your competitors’ products, marketing activities and even their company structure because this data helps you see where your market is going, what your customers really need, and which tactics used by your competitors have a positive impact.

4. How do you handle negative comments about your products or services? The negative feedback you receive can be a great marketing opportunity. Learn how to deal with negative feedback in a constructive customer-oriented fashion.

5. Are you using the latest marketing tools to promote your company? Evaluate if you are making the most out of the must-use marketing tools available. Social media, a great website and email marketing all provide excellent ways for small businesses to get their products or services noticed.