Our Services

Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Services

A Step-By-Step Roadmap To Success

One-Stop Marketing

In short, Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Services to Businesses is our passion. So, are you looking for affordable marketing solutions including strategic plans to websites, to logo design or multi-channel campaigns? There are so many facets to marketing from business research to event planning. And every marketing discipline in between. Take a look, our summary of services are below. In fact, we have performed them all and have a success record decades long doing them well.

Strategy & Planning

Strategic marketing planning starts much before the creation of your first ad or campaign. As a matter of fact, it should be rooted in the company’s mission and vision. Not to mention, it should extend into business and marketing objectives too. iPromo can jump in at the very beginning of the process or along any phase in the overall planning process. Your specific plan may not necessarily ‘fit’ into the categories described in this section; however, it’s more to illustrate our thought process.

aspiration

Does your company have a mission or vision? Has anyone in your organization extended the mission into the company’s core values your constituents (employees, customers, investors) care about? Call us.

Situation analysis

What are your industry trends? Who are your competitors? Who are your target markets? Have you segmented your markets or created buyer personas? What differentiates your brand, products/services from other alternatives? Let us help.

Objectives & Strategy

Have you outlined short- (6 mo. – 1yr.) or long-term (3-5 yr.) company goals or objectives (e.g., achieve $1M sales this year, increase market share by 5% thru xx)? Are there systems and processes in place to measure related key performance metrics (KPIs)?

Content & Channels

Content marketing can be anything from a billboard to a banner ad; or a brochure to multi-channel campaigns. Marketing mix includes all marketing communications, including but limited to: Print/Digital Advertising, PR/Social Media, Demand Generation, Event Marketing, and more.

Process & Technology

Small businesses typically don’t have the resources to invest in the latest online tools such as expensive CRM systems, marketing automation or other technology. We can help with tools you may already own, such as Excel or even FREE open source software programs (e.g., Google Docs, Apache OpenOffice). Remember, processes are more important than technology. Tech is only a tool to help structrured process and procedure.

Budget & RoMI

Just the word, budget, is “cringe-worthy.” iPromo can help create a modest marketing budget and show how to track Return on Marketing Investment (RoMI) to determine if your objectives are being met or not. The SBA recommends spending 6-7% of gross revenue, if annual sales revenue is $5M or less. $50M – $100M is usually 2-3% of annual gross revenue.

Mission & Vision Example
RFP Sample
RFP response based on strategic plan
Segmentation Sample
Addressable Markets based
on SWOT analysis
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Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Services. Strategy & Planning is the first step.

Web Development & Design

Keep in mind, a website project doesn’t start with coding and doesn’t end with the launch of your site. Gathering information and the planning process, in the end, will determine the success of your website, Meanwhile, during the project – productivity and schedule – will also be impacted by how well the project team adheres to early preparation phases.

Gather Info & Planning

In the first place, what purpose will the website serve? Determine goals for the site based on the target audience you’re trying to reach. Based on information gathered determine your sitemap (how will your audience navigate the site). Then determine technology (e.g., choosing a content management system [CMS]).

Design & content

What is more, the design phase determines visual imagery, information structure and page layout and functionality. This phase is an iterative process and will require some back and forth. Content writing and final assembly requires more time than most realize.   

Build, Launch & Maintain

To conclude, build and deploy the website includes SEO, coding for functionality and interactivity. Then testing, review and launch phase follows before ‘go live’ date. Finally, adding reporting systems, fixing bugs and last BUT NOT LEAST, the website must be kept up-to-date!

Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Service. Web Design, another critical component.

Content Marketing

To be frank, everyone has their own perspective, thoughts, and/or interpretation or definition of ‘Content Marketing.’ Even iPromo has their own view; however, its based on how the American Marketing Association defines it here. The concept can be implemented in all phases of traditional and digital marketing communications (marcom). It’s really an approach to marketing disciplines, such as traditional advertising and PR. Consumers, both B2C and B2B, are in control of how and what they consume and individuals are blasted by 1000s of ‘advertising’ messages a day. If you can consistently tell compelling stories over time, while providing value and relevant (laser-focused) information; then, ultimately driving audiences to profitable action is key to successful content marketing.

It’s the ‘icing’ not the ‘cake’ of marketing. You still need to engage in and ‘weave in’ valuable content in all other marketing activities.

Purpose & Audience

Initially, start by asking: What are your goals for and purpose in creating content? What value and benefits will it provide your target audiences?

Goals could be any of the following: raising brand awareness, build your email list, retain or convert customers, nurture prospects, or increase wallet share (up-sell, cross-sell)

Ideation & Stories

In short, you need an engine (team or dedicated resources) for the generation of sustainable ideas, then turn them into compelling stories that resonate with the markets you serve. It’s not about more leads at the top of the funnel, it’s more about creating loyal customers and increasing wallet share to be successful.

Process & Measure

As a final point, how will your structure and manage content, build your assets around specific topics and develop a full range of content types: definitive guides (long-form content), then break those down into ‘white papers,’ customer case stories, and blogs (mid-length). Then finally, into social posts and tweets (bite-size).

Content Marketing is one important element to current and the future of Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Services

Social Media

Many small businesses don’t have time for social media, or at least for it to be done right. Either way, it’s not about that Friday Flash Sale. Or 20% OFF your first purchase. Social media content is more about GIVING, not ASKING. Give your followers, prospective and existing customers, information they can use. Focus on best practices for a product category or service. Or highlight a customer success story. Give your perspective on an industry trend. Make it light, make it fun! Give your audience a reason to follow you.

Consistent

While you can certainly do social posts yourself. Please, don’t be the business that will make the following mistake: Many will post on Facebook in January, then again in April, even another in November. Big mistake! Be consistent, which means frequency is dependent on a good plan with a calendar.

Plan a Social Content Calendar.

Value

Providing value to your existing and prospective customers means you’re not selling on social media. It is NOT a sales pitch – it’s about giving your audience something THEY want, instead of asking them to buy something from you. Actually, the 80/20 rull applies here.

80% Give, 20% Ask.

Social

As a matter of fact, its called social media for a reason, so that your business can BE SOCIAL! Social platforms are a place for your company to interact with customers. Provide that value they’re looking for while also allowing them to reach out to you and for you to respond in kind. Establish a personal ‘voice’ for your brand.

What will your VOICE be?

Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Services. Social Media is one important element to Content Marketing. Back to top

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Many small businesses don’t know or have the right tools to perform SEO. The key is to have the best SEO program to get your website at the top of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) on a consistent and ongoing basis. Many consumers make the assumption that products or services at the top of search pages are “better” or “superior” to others not at the top of the page. In reality, this is not the case. This doesn’t stop searchers interpreting this as a type of brand endorsement.

Visibility

SEO is both ‘art and science.’ Largely, it’s about matching page title/URL, keyword phrase, meta description and much more. Other factors such as readability, content length, mix and placement of subheads contribute to SEO scoring of a webpage. It’s all about how to get noticed by visitors who may not already know you.     

Goal: Be visible at top of SERPs.

Traffic

Optimizing for search engines complements Paid Search (PPC). Both SEO and PPC work together to drive traffic to your website. Really, it’s about blending company goals with customers’ needs. Great SEO can deliver targeted, relevant traffic to your website. Improve your SERP results!

SERPs: Search Engine Result Pages.

RoMI

RoMI: Return on Marketing Investment. Search Engine Marketing starts with great SEO and ends with intelligent investments in PPC (Pay-per-Click). See the next session about Paid Search (PPC). SEO is relatively inexpensive (FREE in some cases). But you need to start with SEO before investing in Pay-Per-Click.

Is there a price to protect your brand?

Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Services. Search Engine Marketing is one important element to Digital Marketing. Back to top

Pay-per-Click (PPC)

By and large, when people talk about PPC, many think about Google AdWords. But the other 10% of search are on other search engines like Bing, Yahoo! or DuckDuckGo. Albeit, Google owns the majority of internet search. So, your Paid Search program should start with Google. Overtime, consideration should be given to other search engines, if appropriate. Any good PPC strategy is about optimizing the Google Quality Score, increasing impressions, CTR and ultimately conversions (visitors taking action).

BUILD & Plan

First, define PPC goals and budget along with key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success. Then, analyze competitive landscape: what keywords are already in use? what are they ranking for? Lasty, brainstorm and research keyword search terms using tools like Google Keyword Planner.

Execute

Planning continues here. Structure you campaigns and ad groups around specific keywords, products and services. Campaigns will have multiple ad groups. In turn, each ad group will have multiple text ads. Finally, each discreet call-to-action could potentially have its own campaign landing page.

Optimize

Optimization is ongoing. Which ads are performing well? Which keyword searches have high impressions, but low Click-Thru-Rate (CTR)? Consider making these ‘negative’ keywords. We know what steps to take, such as how spend less per click while getting the same (or better) results

Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Services. Pay-per-click complements SEO and SEM. Back to top

Graphic Design

Many lay people are looking at graphic design from a purely subjective perspective. Graphic designers are visual problem-solvers with the goal to create all types of communications in a visually pleasing, effective and hopefully efficient way. So, good design must not only ‘look good’ but it should also be functional for the customer. And work in various media from business cards to billboards and everything inbetween.

Collect Info & Research

At the start, what are the customer goals & objectives? Are there important market or industry trends to be aware of prior to initiating any concepts? Lastly, consider competitor positioning, color choices, textures or other design considerations before starting.

Planning & Concepts

Planning includes prioritizing and incorporating elements from the collection and research phase. Draft sketches, then progress several into more defined concepts. Evaluate and share choice include clients in your decisions. Finally, agree on final comprehensive layout & design.

Production & execution

Collaboration and reaching agreement is essential in this iterative process. For example, final execution may not be our favorite concept or design. In fact, the customers’ inputs take priority. To this end, diligence pays off and these efforts help ensure that we and are clients appreciate the final result. 

Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Services. Good Graphic Design always makes any Digital Marketing program better. Back to top

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing encompasses most all services already described above. Simply, its a comprehensive approach to all the marketing disciplines leveraging the internet with some type of electronic device. Whether its a PC, smartphone or tablet. Many businesses think they need to be on all digital channels which is simply not true. A comprehensive digital marketing approach will investigate and research where your current and prospective customers are spending time, then take advantage of whichever digital channels make the most sense for your situation.

There are no general steps or phases for digital marketing. The elements which make up a digital marketing strategy are described in the sections above for SEO, PPC, content marketing, websites and the like. To be clear, to stay competitive, bring awareness and grow sales revenue, business owners need to embrace some aspects of digital marketing.

Delivering Extraordinary Marketing Services. A comprehensive approach to Search Engines, Social Media, Websites, Email and more. Back to top

Business Research

I saved the best for last, no really, boring to most but most important to any business. Most, if not all, people I talk to either don’t understand or care much about business research. A marketing strategic plan cannot be completed without first gathering, organizing and  applying what has been learned from this critical first step. Why is it last? A flip answer, I didn’t want to scare people away. All kidding aside — the more data collection, organization and understanding — the stronger the marketing strategy. Usually, its not a ‘one and done’ task, instead this should be an ongoing process.

Markets & competition

Studying the markets and the general industry or business your company participates in is vital. Are you able to obtain market share data or industry size (total sales revenues) through trade associations/publications, online research or public library research in the business aisle? And finally, due diligence in necessary around direct and indirect competition.

SWOT & Target Audience

Competitive intelligence and information is an important part of performing SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunity, Threats) analysis to determine how to approach and meet the specific consumer needs. Your target audience should be segmented or grouped to define specific value propositions or messaging to prospective customers.

Implementation

Ultimately, all this work culminates in and provides for the ‘big picture’ view of your markets, the industry, competitive outlook along with the state of your business and the industry.  So what? Realize that all the data you collect will never be complete; however, it will greatly help in the decision-making process to avoid costly mistakes. Lastly, it helps with implementation of all business and marketing objectives, strategies and tactics discussed earlier.

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