How Can a Chicago Marketing Strategy Consultant Help You?

The Windy City is a haven for many fast-growing industries. How can you compete aggressively? Bring in a Chicago marketing strategy consultant.

This article lists five benefits of working with someone who specializes in consulting:

• Zero in on your actual target market.
• Prioritize the allocation or use of resources for maximum efficiency and revenues.
• Define or strengthen your brand for consistent messaging.
• Develop and execute marketing strategies to reach goals.
• Help follow best practices and regulations.

Ready to take notes? Let’s go!

Watch this video to find out more about how Digital Authority Partners can create a great marketing strategy for you!

1. Zero in on Your Actual Target Market

You do not have a Chicago business unless you have customers, but you cannot also convert and grow your website’s visitors if you do not have the right audience.

Many owners and advertisers believe they already share leads because they have the same sales model as A and B. Even marketing objectives, budget, and location can make a major difference.

A marketing strategy consultant has many skills to help you determine or define your potential buyers. Here are three:

• Perform diverse customer research. These include focus groups, interviews, and updated geographic and demographic profiles.
• Create a specific lead persona. This is helpful for differentiation if you are selling similar-sounding products and services.
• Analyze your existing buyer data. Who is buying your products and services? If these are not your intended markets, what problems did you fail to address with the ideal one?

2. Prioritize the Allocation of Resources for Maximum Efficiency

Chicago is not likely to unseat San Francisco as one of the premier coffee destinations in America. However, the culture in Illinois’s largest city is catching up, with many independent roasters and novel coffee cafes.

So if you love sharing a cup of Joe and earning money while sharing doing so, Chicago’s a great place for you. 

But how can you compete with brands such as Starbucks or Peet’s Coffee? If you are a new player, how will you fare with those with hundreds of reviews and magazine features?

At the top of your concerns are budget and resources. If you are small or new, these are limited. A wrong decision could be costly.

A Chicago marketing strategy consultant considers many factors to help you. With numbers on hand and your input on business goals and forecasts, they can:

• Assess the best channels for maximum reach and returns.
• Determine low-cost techniques that minimize risk, such as buying ads on a trial basis or using tools with monthly subscription packages.
• Identify strategic partnerships to amplify your reach.
• Use automation, such as artificial intelligence, to optimize campaigns.
• Closely track your progress to fix issues before they worsen, discover missed opportunities, and execute a better strategy.
• Ensure you can easily respond and pivot during significant economic or online marketing changes.

3. Define or Strengthen Your Brand

Sometimes, when your returns are dismal or engagement does not translate to profits, it is easy to blame the problem on market saturation. You might also point fingers at cash flow, leadership, or a lack of business know-how.

These might only be partly true. Most likely, you do not see the desired results because of branding. For example:

• It sounds run-of-the-mill that you struggle to stand out in your niche.
• Customers cannot determine your product’s or service’s essence at a glance. Some might even mistake you for someone else.
• The user experience (UX) is inconsistent, especially when prospects shift from desktop to mobile.
• Your vision and mission lack direction and do not agree with your business objectives.

When you hire a Chicago marketing strategy consultant, one of their primary roles is to define your brand. They assist you in building a sound name based on these essential questions:

• Who are you? What is your origin story?
• What are the specific features and benefits that make your products and services unique? Is it 24/7 customer support, fair trade practices, etc.?
• What values do you want your brand to represent? How do you communicate them effectively to your audience?
• How do your customers perceive your company? How do you want them to?
• What are your brand’s strengths and weaknesses? How can you leverage them to create a competitive advantage?
• How can you create a consistent brand experience across all touchpoints?

4. Develop and Execute Marketing Strategies To Reach Goals

To be clear, executing your strategies usually falls to digital marketing agencies. But the most objective Chicago marketing strategy consultant works closely with the team to ensure that all approaches align with the larger vision.

Together, they:

• Examine competitors and the audience to identify any gaps or opportunities you have missed.
• Analyze best practices, tools, and tactics that fit your target market.
• Put together a plan based on solid research from data analysis, surveys, customer feedback, etc.
• Test and launch campaigns in stages to ensure cost-effectiveness and scalability.
• Adjust strategies as needed to maximize results and meet objectives.
• Conduct regular reviews and forecasts to ensure that all goals are on track.
• Choose the key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor.

5. Help You Follow Best Practices and Guidelines

Health services and education, trade and transportation, manufacturing – these were Chicago’s leading economic drivers in 2022, and they are likely to continue to be in the coming years.

You can still be a primary player in this industry or at least compete well. You also have a market that considers your products and services indispensable.

But you are also subject to stringent rules and regulations, many of which can affect or influence your online marketing techniques. Healthcare delivery companies, for example, must follow HIPAA guidelines.

Whether it is deliberate or not, non-compliance can hit your business hard. And you want people to know that you follow best practices.

A marketing strategy consultant can save your company potentially millions of dollars in legal fees and poor reputation and credibility through:

• Reviewing your processes and systems and ensuring they are within industry standards
• Keeping you up-to-date on the ever-evolving policies, regulations, and guidelines
• Investing in sound technology and innovations that help secure your data and operations
• Communicating with customers, partners, stakeholders, and authorities about your compliance efforts

Summing Up

Chicago is a city of progress and innovation – and it is a highly competitive market. Having a catchy brand name or a unique product or service is no longer enough.

You must create an action plan for your company that makes it stand out, backed by smart strategies and relevant expertise. Digital Authority Partners (DAP), a top-tier Chicago marketing strategy consultant, offers the perspective and resources you need to succeed online and offline. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you achieve your goals.