“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:4, KJV).
In today’s fast-paced world, it is tempting to seek quick fixes for sales problems. As a Marketing Strategist, I’ve sat in meetings with entrepreneurs across multiple industries, looked at sales numbers, evaluated their marketing, pinpointed problems, and drafted solutions. What common denominator exists across these industries? 90 days. The 90 Days principle is this: Today’s marketing will have more impact in 90 days than it does next week.
“The 90 Days principle is this: Today’s marketing will have more impact in 90 days than it does next week.”
Marketing is often viewed as a magic wand–one that instantly boosts sales and revenue. But it is better understood as a long-term commitment to your strategic plan–one that requires patience, consistency, and a deep understanding of your target audience. While working to build sales, you must build awareness of the products or services you offer, trust in your brand, and relationships with your target market. Let’s dive deeper into this type of a marketing plan.
Building Brand Trust and Reputation
Building trust and a positive reputation for your brand doesn’t happen overnight. Over time, consistent messaging, delivery on promises, and providing value to your customers contributes to building trust. Customers are more likely to choose a brand they trust. This trust leads to long-term loyalty and sustainable sales growth. Why do people consistently shop at the same grocery store or buy the same brand of dishwasher detergent? It’s brand loyalty because the individual consistently received desired results from that store or brand.
Developing Relationships
Marketing is more than sales transactions. It includes nurturing relationships with your customers. Building meaningful connections takes time and effort. Effective marketing strategies use social media engagement, email marketing, and other activities to stay top-of-mind with your audience and develop relationships through meaningful conversations. Are you a realtor? A graphic designer? A boutique owner? To be top-of-mind when someone needs your product or service, you must have an ongoing, consistent relationship. This may include emails, social media posts, direct mail, or in-person events and networking. These activities develop a relationship between you and the customer.
Understanding Your Target Market
Successful marketing requires a comprehensive understanding of your target market’s needs, preferences, and frustrations. Ask questions. Observe behaviors. Analyze data. Conduct market research. Fine-tune your messaging based on customer feedback. These actions take time. You may need to experiment with and tweak your messaging to create tailored marketing campaigns that resonate with potential customers on a deep level. Do you know your customers’ wants as the holidays approach? What fears do they have? What excites them? Which of your products are they searching for and purchasing?
These three foundational ideas should be in your strategic marketing plan. Beyond these, there are three keys to establishing your position in the marketplace and seeing your business grow. Developing your brand authority, being agile enough to adapt to market changes, and measuring the effectiveness of your efforts can take your business to the next level.
Developing Brand Authority
Becoming an industry authority or thought leader is a goal for many businesses. This positions your brand as a trusted source of information, an expert in your niche. This process takes time. Consistently producing high-quality content, participating in industry discussions, and demonstrating your knowledge over an extended period builds confidence for your brand in the marketplace.
Brand authority is established by more than selling x number of widgets to the public. I was intrigued and experienced a wake-up call during the 2023 Entrepreneurs Forum as speaker Ashley T’Neil Walea presented a session on Artificial Intelligence. She explained how AI is fed by published work. Ashley noted there is a significant lack of professionally published and recognized work by Apostolic believers regarding crucial business and cultural topics. Apostolic perspectives on these important topics must be heard! We need Apostolic voices and biblical conversations in traditional avenues such as:
- Apostolic works published in leading magazines.
- Apostolic participation in research projects and writing white papers.
- Apostolic involvement within our professional organizations.
Adapting to Market Changes
Every day brings new business challenges and shifts in consumer preferences. Some shifts are gradual. But many are precipitated by a world event, a sudden rise in popularity of a product, service, or personality, or an unexpected cultural event. It is vital to have a long-term marketing plan focused on monitoring the market and its shifts in consumer needs and desires. This allows you to be agile and learn to shift your marketing to meet those needs.
Krisann Durnford is an Apostolic Chamber of Commerce team member. She is also the Executive Director of her local Chamber of Commerce. Among her members is a gentleman whose business sells office furniture. During the 2020 pandemic and shutdown, businesses no longer needed office furniture. This man’s business might have disintegrated. Instead, it pivoted as he adjusted its marketing plan. He identified a new need: clear plastic shields. Then he began producing and marketing the Sneeze Shield. His business was one of the first local/regional go-to sources for the product. Since he was already a trusted member of the business community, his idea was readily accepted as he capitalized on the needs of his customer base. By adapting and offering a solution for the new need, he saw his business thrive during a time when others failed.
Measuring Success
Measuring the ROI (return on investment) of your marketing efforts is essential. Short-term strategies might yield immediate results, but they lack the sustainability and scalability that long-term marketing provides. Over time you can refine marketing campaigns based on data and analytics. These metrics make your marketing more effective at generating consistent, long-term revenue.
We started our Kids Business Academy accidentally. It emerged during a brainstorming session as we discussed a need found in the marketplace and our own families. My partner and I created a solution, drafted a marketing plan, and hosted a sold-out kids business camp. This process occurred in less than 12 weeks from concept to actual event. It was a phenomenal success! Then we faced a problem. Our idea was short-term, and we had nothing to offer the attendees after business camp. Although we had immediate success and a quick infusion of cash, we needed a longer, sustainable plan and marketing strategy for Kids Business Academy. We stepped back from our initial idea and built a plan to support the entire endeavor. Over the years since that event, we have created long-term products and built a long-term strategy. Now we have a long-term impact on youth entrepreneurship. We have measurable success on our income chart––one that reflect more than just mountaintop moments with large sales versus deep valleys of inactivity.
To review, a strategic marketing plan needs these three foundational ideas.
• Building Brand Trust and Reputation
• Developing Relationships
• Understanding Your Target Market
It also needs these three keys to success:
• Developing Brand Authority
• Adapting to Market Changes
• Measuring Success
When all six areas come together, you have a winning marketing strategy that takes 90 Days (and more). This process helps you develop your product or service, learn how to communicate those products or services to the marketplace, and build the business for long-term growth and sustainability. (Honestly, you should plan for more than 90 days because a good strategy captures possible setbacks and delays.)
As a Marketing Strategist, I help clients develop and implement successful marketing plans. During that process, I ask that they plan a minimum of 90 days before adjusting the plan. Marketing is a long game that takes time to produce results. It is never a quick fix for a sales problem. Such a plan is more than a 6-figure launch and 5-figure monthly sales. It is a strategic investment in the long-term success of your business. Long term growth for your business means sustainable plans for giving and growing the kingdom of God. Take the 90 Day challenge and set your business on a sustainable growth path!
By Jenn Warren, Marketing Director | Apostolic Chamber of Commerce and Marketing Coach at Kids Business Academy
