A great cake needs an exact balance of ingredients to create that delicious treat that keeps people coming back for more. Individually, these ingredients are nothing special. Together, they create something spectacular.
The same applies to your marketing.
For many businesses, it can feel like there is a secret ingredient to mastering marketing. But the secret doesn’t lie in a stand-alone element — it lies in the perfect mix of all ingredients.
Effective marketing is about the perfect combination of different elements rather than each ingredient in its own right. Balance, consistency and a little zest are all you need to achieve the results you crave for your business. And the real secret? The recipe.
Make or bake your business
At a cake sale, everyone’s got their go-to cake — whether it’s a simple Victoria sponge, a chocolate cupcake or a lemon drizzle. But it’s the extravagant three-tiered red velvet cake complete with frosting and handmade decorations that’s going to grab your attention first.
Yet, just imagine your disappointment when you discover that underneath all that delectable buttercream icing is a crumbly, tasteless sponge cake — or worse, a ‘soggy bottom’.
No one wants to be drawn in by a showstopping marketing campaign only to find the substance behind it is nothing short of boring, dry and stale. So, what’s the use in dedicating all your resources exclusively to creating flashy images and engaging content for social media if the links then take you to a bland website? It doesn’t take a genius to work out you’ll be losing leads before you’ve even had a chance to convert them!
The key to transforming your marketing isn’t labouring over every tiny detail of the decoration (while probably neglecting the bake). Instead, you need balance and consistency.
Go too heavy on the sugar and people might find your marketing sickly and unappealing. Forget to add enough eggs and you’ll have a dry base that no amount of icing will make exciting. One wrong ingredient could be enough to make your customers throw the cake straight in the bin and move along to the next stall.
Equally, in your marketing, no element is more important than another and each one is required to drive results. Social media is just as crucial as original written content. And design is far from trumped by search engine optimisation. It’s all about that happy balance.
By the (recipe) book
There’s often a lot of debate about whether baking is an art or a science. The truth is, it’s both — just like marketing.
Technically, there’s no “right” way to approach marketing, just as there isn’t a “correct” way to bake a cake. But some elements are fundamental to creating a tasty outcome that people will love.
It’s pretty important to use the right quantities, for example. After all, how can you expect to make a good cake if you double the number of eggs but don’t increase the quantity of flour? That being said, there’s no harm in putting your own spin on the recipe and getting a bit creative.
Nowadays, there are hundreds of different substitutes you can swap out traditional ingredients for. From gluten-free flour and vegan butter to Oreos, limoncello and chilli — with so many options it’s easy to adjust your recipe according to your customers’ tastes and requirements. In the same way, you can tailor your digital marketing to suit the needs of your target audience, using a range of different tactics to keep them interested.
What we’re trying to say is: sometimes it’s okay to experiment with your marketing recipe — just make sure you’ve nailed the basic ingredients first. So, try adding a little zest to your website with engaging imagery, get creative with hashtags on social media or explore new publications for press releases.
The proof is in the pudding
Digital marketing is essential to get people talking about your business and keep them coming back for more. A pinch of PR, a sprinkling of social media and a dash of design can boost your brand far above your competitors’.
A complete marketing package guarantees a consistent and reliable outcome every time as the best mix of ingredients come together to deliver the whole cake, baked to perfection.
Want to add some extra sprinkles to your business? At Hyped, we’ve got the secret recipe to make your marketing a piece of cake. Get in touch today on 01252 717373 or email hi@hypedmarketing.co.uk to find out how.
