Whether your communities handle digital marketing internally or you are working with an agency, it’s important to consistently gauge the performance and success of your efforts by monitoring the metrics. Doing so will enable you to see a more complete picture of your marketing presence, allowing you to reallocate spend into the areas that are successful and improve or eliminate those that aren’t working.

With your vision clearly articulated and shared, revisit your SWOT analysis with a particular focus on opportunities. Those you serve have different needs now, and the best way to uncover those new needs is with programmatic surveys. From survey data, you see clearly the opportunities your organization has (and does not have) for meeting those needs.

A compass is arguably the most important tool an explorer can have. Its dependable magnetic alignment reveals the right path even if astronomical indicators like the North Star are obscured by weather. Just as it guides the plight of the adventurer, a dependable directional cue is also invaluable in business. These “True North metrics” can help an organization determine where they are and how to get where they’d like to be.

Marketing is always a worthwhile investment provided that it’s done correctly. However, many elements can be overlooked due to impatience, frugality or a simple lack of experience – and when marketing goes wrong, nobody wins. Take a look at these 7 tips to take right action in marketing so you can do more than just keep stakeholders happy, you can leave them impressed!

It can be difficult to focus when you’re in the midst of the Q4 chaos. Budget constraints, deadlines, staffing challenges and the upcoming holidays, among other things, are likely occupying the bulk of your mental real estate. Other facets of your business might get put on the back burner as you race to tie up loose ends, but one element you absolutely shouldn’t let fall to the wayside: marketing.

Strategizing is one of the most important first steps in constructing an effective marketing plan, and the consequences of not doing so can be catastrophic. But avoiding disaster shouldn’t be the only reason you place a focus on strategy. There are a great deal of ways that being proactive can benefit your organization.

Stock market investments can seem like a risky endeavor, and in many cases they are. However, with the proper preparation and foresight, investing can be a smart, safe and consistent way to accumulate assets. In many ways, investing in a stock is similar to investing in marketing.

A solid strategy helps the entire team get on the same page by detailing the plan that everyone must follow to achieve a particular goal. Unifying the team in this fashion can lead to a seamless and cohesive approach regardless of the task at hand.

When creating a strategic marketing plan, it can be difficult to know where to start. Do you begin by reviewing past performance? Or do you first figure out what’s in the budget? While both areas are important in finalizing a marketing plan, they are not where you should begin.