In our recent Path to Relevancy post, we talk about the opportunity tocreate brand ambassadors by presenting tailored content to your online communities. And in the following Core Linkup – Inbound Marketing article, we link to an article that shares the key to unlocking your digital sales potential through understanding visitor interests and trends.

Relevancy hinges on having the right content and the right content can only be concluded by fan, follower and visitor reaction to what we produce. The challenge is that relevancy is a dynamic creature, driven by human interaction and response.

Below is a short checklist of questions to help ensure your marketing stays relevant and effective in the coming year.

♦ Are your company’s marketing goals still valid based on the continued evolution of your company?

What value does yourcompany seek to deliver to its customers? Does your messaging and branding address those goals and tell a story that connects customers to you on a deeper level?

♦ What do your customers need today?

Business is evolving every day and customers are on the hunt for companies that can stay ahead of the curve and deliver cutting edge solutions. Does your marketing position you to be in the running when customers are looking?

♦ Is your marketing integrated?

When you consider all of your marketing touch points, have you ensured that they connect and complement one another? Think bigger than the tactical elements (which can be overwhelming) and consider that your integration foundation is where your content and design meets measurement.

♦ How effective are your competitive forces, whether direct or indirect?

Maybe a better question would be – have you determined lately who your biggest competition is? With the playing field changing so rapidly, you may be surprised to see who is working hard to stand in the forefront of customers’ minds. Are you keeping up with them?

♦ Who are you talking to?
Today, our audiences have moved well beyond traditional retail and foodservice B to B buying groups to a wide ranging consumer audience that has very specific interests and hot buttons. Don’t become overwhelmed by the diversity found in consumer interests, but rather, hone in on the shopper segments that make the most sense for connecting with what your business has to offer.

♦ Are you measuring success?

New POs are essential, but tracking the “who, how, when and why” is even more relevant today. This goes back to understanding customers’ needs. What brought them to you in the first place? What service did they not know you offered and now can’t get enough of? The answers to these questions will help you fine tune your marketing messages going forward and more effectively attract more sales.

Strategy can only take us so far in this dynamic digital marketing environment. You must define and act on a strategy, connect, validate, look around, refine and connect deeper. Again and again. Relevancy must happen again and again.