5 Rules for Creating Your First Marketing Strategy

If you're new to marketing, creating an entire campaign from scratch can be intimidating, but these rules should help guide you to success.

The fastest way to build visibility for your company is through a marketing campaign, but if you aren't sure what you're doing, you might find yourself overwhelmed as you navigate the options. If you make a bad or inefficient investment, it could end up costing you more money than you make.

That's why it's important to follow these fundamental rules:

1. Know your options. There are dozens of different marketing channels and platforms to choose from. Don't settle on the first thing you find; explore, and figure out what strategy will be best for your business.

2. Do your research. Before investing a penny, understand what ROI you can expect from each strategy, and know how your demographics might react to each channel. The better you know your target market, the better.

3. Start small. It's a bad idea to invest in anything too heavily at the start. Begin with a modest investment, and scale up as you learn more about each respective channel.

4. Measure everything. The only way you'll know if your strategy is effective is if you measure your results. Analyze everything, and try to understand what's causing each fluctuation.

5. Be flexible. Things probably won't go the way you think they well. Be prepared to adapt as things change and you learn more information.

If you follow these rules, your first marketing strategy should be profitable and effective. It may not be perfect, but it will serve as a strong foundation.