Knowing when to revisit your marketing isn’t about sticking to an arbitrary calendar. It’s about responding to shifts in your business performance and the broader market. As we move into a new cycle of consumer behaviour, a proactive approach to your strategy will be crucial for maintaining momentum and securing growth.
We recommend considering a significant marketing review when you observe key indicators changing. These aren’t necessarily dramatic events, but subtle signals that your current approach might be losing effectiveness. Here are a few critical moments to trigger a re-evaluation:
- Declining Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) efficiency: If the cost to acquire a new customer is rising while your revenue per customer remains stable, it’s a clear sign your marketing isn’t working as hard. Analyse which channels are becoming less efficient and why.
- Plateauing Lead Generation: A consistent drop in qualified leads, even with consistent marketing effort, suggests your messaging or targeting needs adjustment. Consider changes to your buyer personas or the platforms you’re using.
- Shifting Competitor Activity: Keep a close eye on what your competitors are doing. A new campaign, a different focus, or a change in their messaging could be impacting your market share. Don’t just copy, but understand *why* their approach is working.
- Changes in Channel Performance: Marketing channels aren’t static. What worked brilliantly last year might not deliver the same results. Regularly review performance data – website traffic sources, social media engagement, email open rates – to identify emerging trends and declining channels.
Beyond these triggers, we advise scheduling a comprehensive marketing audit at least every 18 months. This isn’t just about looking at numbers; it’s about reassessing your overall marketing objectives and ensuring they still align with your business goals. This audit should include a review of your brand positioning, messaging, and the customer journey.
Don’t fall into the trap of ‘set and forget’ marketing. A continuous cycle of planning, implementation, analysis, and refinement is the key to sustainable growth. If you’re unsure where to start, consider engaging an external marketing consultant to provide an objective assessment and recommendations. The outcome? A marketing strategy that’s not just current, but actively driving results.
