The unwelcome return of Covid-19 to our shores has seen New Zealand move back into lockdown, putting pressure on business owners and leaders as they struggle to maintain some semblance of business continuity.
Lockdowns cast light on the digital preparedness of organisations in terms of their ability to reach and interact with potential customers. While a handful of businesses deemed essential can continue to trade at Level 4, the majority rely solely on their online presence to make any degree of impact in the market during this time.
For most business owners and leaders, a main response to these restrictions is to take a hard look at their marketing strategy with a view to stimulating interest and raising their organisation’s online profile. However Growth Partners, specialists in digital transformation and business growth strategies, would advise extreme caution around this approach.
Mal Jack, co-founder of Growth Partners, explains why. ‘When Covid hit last year, Growth Partners were keen to contribute our expertise to help businesses find a way through the crisis. Over the course of six months, Growth Partners helped upwards of ninety organisations to find solutions to lockdowns and the so-called “new normal”. While the majority stated marketing as the number one issue they wanted assistance with, in reality not a single one had developed a compelling message worth taking to the marketplace.’
In fact, data gathered from these ninety business continuity programmes highlighted two critical mistakes that would have made any marketing initiatives an expensive and pointless exercise:
Not one business could clearly define what made them different from their competitors, resulting in marketing messaging full of meaningless generalisations.
None had a strong enough customer focus, causing a disconnect between them and the very people they were trying to attract Mal continues, ‘An inability of a business to differentiate is a serious problem. Marketing messaging must be unique, clear and compelling – and it must resonate with your target audience. If it doesn’t, at best you will waste your money. At worst, you risk driving your potential customers straight to the arms of your competitors.’
Introducing Growth Partners’ LeadFlo®
In response to the overwhelming lack of ability to differentiate and correctly target customers, Growth Partners have developed LeadFlo®, a proprietary technology designed to extend the capability of business owners in this area. LeadFlo® assists businesses to:
Create dynamic and impactful differentiators that give customers compelling reasons to engage with them
More accurately target customers who will be of most value
Gain vital knowledge around how to use the right differentiators with the right customers at the right time
Strengthen their ability to provide effective marketing communication briefs to copywriters and marketeers
More information about this 12-session programme can be found on the Growth Partners website where you can also book a free demonstration. Qualifying customers can apply for funding for this programme through Regional Business Partners.
About Growth Partners
Growth Partners is a digital transformation company that specialises in providing proven growth strategies for the SME market. With a strong emphasis on effective marketing that generates quality leads and that aligns with current search behaviour of customers, Growth Partners have become market leaders in business growth.
Media Release 2 September 2021.