Getting to Know You: The Discovery Phase in Marketing and Why it Matters

Looking to stand out amid tough competition? For brands today, a smartly designed and expertly implemented marketing strategy is of paramount importance. If you’re building from the ground up, putting all the pieces into place can seem like a heavy lift – but it doesn’t have to be an insurmountable task.

Like any big job, getting a top-flight marketing strategy off the ground is best broken into smaller, more manageable steps. And one key step is what we call the discovery phase of marketing. Typically the earliest phase in the process of taking on a new client, discovery is focused on building a sturdy foundation for success, through careful research and thoughtful analysis. In short, it’s all about getting to know you…

Getting to know YOUR BRAND
As we’ve said time and again, there’s no one-size-fits-all marketing strategy that’s a surefire hit for every brand – the key to success is understanding the client and their unique needs. So, before getting started in earnest, a marketing pro will make sure to have a complete view of your brand’s character, values, and tone, and your company’s mission, culture, and goals.

Getting to know YOUR CUSTOMERS
Developing what’s known as a “buyer persona” is a crucial step in putting together a truly customer-focused marketing strategy. Using market research and information about your existing customer base to build a profile of your ideal customer puts you in a better position to build brand equity and meet your long-term goals for growth.

Getting to know YOUR COMPETITION
To devise a winning strategy, market research and competitor analysis are vital. During discovery, an agency will look at industry trends and review your competitors’ marketing efforts – from branding, tone, and language, to the nuts and bolts of search ranking and website performance. What are your competitors doing right? And how could your business improve on their efforts to gain a critical edge?

With a deep understanding of your brand, your customers, and your competition, it’s time to take a hard look at your existing marketing assets and strategy, to identify strengths, weaknesses, and potential areas for improvement…

1. How does your content strategy stack up against the competition?
2. Are you using the most relevant keywords to boost your search ranking?
3. Are you meeting industry benchmarks for social shares and user engagement?
4. Is your website performing well on the back end? Or are your marketing efforts being sabotaged by slow site speed or incomplete metadata?

During the discovery phase, a marketing pro will tackle all of these questions and more. The goal? To keep your marketing focused, deliberate, and on point, and to determine which approaches are likely to pay dividends – and which are simply dead ends!

Want to learn more about how the award-winning team at Rosie’s Creative can boost your brand? Contact us today! From web design to social media, eye-catching graphic design, search-optimized copywriting, and more – we’re standing by and ready to help take your brand to the next level. And remember, with Rosie’s Creative, your first consultation is always free!