What is a marketing audit?
A marketing audit is a systematic review of a business’s marketing activities to determine what’s working and to ensure that the marketing plan aligns with the company’s goals. This detailed and methodical review of all aspects of the marketing plan, philosophy, and current conditions will create a strategy to increase performance, growth, and customer loyalty.
Why should I do a marketing audit?
Most business owners audit various processes and functions of their business, including payroll, accounting, and perhaps technology investments. A marketing audit is just as necessary to the health of the business. It should be performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the time, money, and other resources invested in the current marketing activities and plan.
Quite simply, a marketing audit is an exercise to uncover strengths, deficiencies, and weaknesses in your marketing plan. A successful marketing audit can:
- Uncover what is working and what isn’t, potentially resulting in changes to the investments for each marketing tactic utilized.
- Provide competitive information with regards to the approaches your competitors are taking to market their goods and services.
- Open your mind to new ideas. How about Google Ads? Maybe a drive time radio commercial or a billboard?
Don’t have a marketing plan or a marketing department? No problem! There are things you are doing now to grow your business such as social media activities, perhaps radio or TV advertising, or even working with the local Chamber of Commerce. These actions impact your ‘marketing presence’ in the community and on the internet and should be audited to determine value and effectiveness.
What are the stages of a marketing audit and how is it conducted?
Whether you are engaged with a marketing agency or you have an internal marketing department, there are activities and tools that make up your current marketing plan. Some of these may include:
- Social media activity and statistics
- Google analytics
- SEO Reports
- Budget plans
- Media buys
- Reviews of your current marketing collateral
Our marketing audits are customized, not a plug-n-play template, evaluating each business on its own merit. We spend the time with you to know your business and your goals. We review and deliver our findings, along with recommendations for improvement.
How do I implement the results of the marketing audit?
We create a marketing strategy based on the results of the audit. Success is measured by what the strategy did or did not do for you. Once the results are reviewed and discussed, then we determine how to proceed – together. No need to be intimidated or overwhelmed. See what our clients have to say.
Ok. Let’s do it!
Sounds interesting and yet you are not sure how or where to start? We place ourselves in your business. We take the pain out of the process for you and in return, give you the results you need to make sure your marketing is working for you.
At Cox Marketing Solutions we love the challenge of finding the perfect marketing strategy to work for every client. Let’s schedule some time to talk about your marketing audit and take the first steps to better manage your time, money, and effort to grow your business. It’s our passion and we are here to help.