4 ways to link marketing to organisational objectives

By Kathy-Ann Fletcher

‘All press is good press’. This is a saying that I have heard over and over meaning that whatever publicity you get is good as people know about your company or products/services. However, this is a misguided view of marketing activities. If your marketing activities (press and publicity etc) do not lead to sales and increase profit, then it was not ‘good press’. It may build awareness of your company and its offerings but not among those who need these products/services or who can influence others to buy your product or service and not in a way that would motivate them to purchase.

Your marketing should be directly linked to your businesses objectives, that way you can measure if it is working the way you planned. If it is not working according to your plan, you may need to change your marketing strategy or maybe even adjust your objectives and activities. There are ways that one can match your marketing activities to your objectives. Below are a few of these methods:

1.       Have your business objectives and goals centred on solving a problem in the market. Tailor your company to solve these issues and market to your target market how your products and services are the solution to their problem.

2.       Be clear about who you are to the market and define these in your goals, for example, your goal may state: We aim to be the first choice construction company providing building materials to domestic customers in the Caribbean – This helps your communications be targeted to the customers by location and type and be clear as to the value that you offer them.

3.       Developing clear objectives help you create your brand. Your brand helps the market relate to you. Aligning your marketing activities with your brand will help your communications address the needs of your customers and encourage them to purchase.

4.       Link your business objectives to sales – Determine how much sales you want to achieve and therefore, channel your business including marketing to achieving that sales goal in a consistent and somewhat aggressive manner.

If your marketing is not sales-driven and does not produce more sales and profits then it has failed. Therefore, you need to more strategic and targeted with your communications and rely less on random press. Because not all press is good press.