By Holly Pritulsky with American Family Insurance
In today's competitive landscape, having a great product or service is only half the battle. Reaching the right customers with the right message is what truly sets a business up for success. That’s why I was thrilled to host the recent Marketing Foundations: Basics to Build Your Strategy with Confidence Workshop at The CATALYST in Gilbert, an interactive session designed to empower local business owners to move beyond guesswork and build their strategies with confidence.
The energy in the room was palpable as participants, ranging from solopreneurs to established small business owners, rolled up their sleeves. I was excited to lead the group through some facilitation, then they dove into group activities and lively discussions, transforming complex marketing concepts into practical, actionable steps.
Step 1: Discovering the “Who” with Customer Personas
The workshop kicked off with the most critical question in marketing: Who are you trying to reach?
Participants learned that a strong marketing plan starts with a deep understanding of the ideal customer. Using a detailed Customer Persona Worksheet, everyone began to sketch out their target audience. This wasn't about abstract demographics; it was about creating a relatable picture of a real person. Attendees answered questions about their customers' daily habits, primary goals, biggest challenges, and buying behaviors. By giving their ideal customer a name and a story, they could begin to tailor their messaging to resonate on a human level.
Step 2: Choosing the “Where” with the Right Channels
Once you know who your customer is, the next step is figuring out where to find them. To tackle this, attendees were given a comprehensive Marketing Channel Checklist.
The goal wasn't to be on every platform, but to be on the right platforms. The checklist broke down dozens of options—from digital channels like Google Ads and organic social media to local opportunities like event sponsorships and direct mail. This tool helped our members strategically evaluate which channels their specific customer personas were most likely to engage with, ensuring their marketing budget and efforts are spent effectively.
Step 3: Building the “How” with an Actionable Plan
With the "who" and "where" established, it was time to build the "how." The final part of the workshop focused on creating a simple, actionable marketing plan. Using a real-world example—a basic marketing plan for a local business called "Sweet Roots Bakery"—participants saw how all the pieces fit together.
They learned to outline:
- Clear Objectives: Setting measurable goals, like increasing foot traffic by 25%.
- A Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Defining what makes their business special.
- Concrete Strategies: Listing specific digital, local, and customer loyalty tactics.
- A Realistic Budget: Allocating funds to different marketing activities.
- Measurement for Success: Identifying how to track progress using analytics and sales data.
By the end of the 90-minute session, every participant left with the foundational tools to build their own customized marketing plan. They walked away not just with worksheets and templates, but with the confidence and clarity to market their business with purpose and direction.
We are incredibly proud to see our community members so engaged in growing their businesses. Stay tuned for more workshops and resources designed to help our local business community thrive at The CATALYST.