Why Marketing Audits Are Important For SMEs

Reasons to invest in a Marketing Audit for your business

A Marketing Audit For Your Business

When was the last time you typed your business name into a search engine? Are you aware of the search results that appear? Researching your own business isn’t necessarily something that you take the time to do, but it is definitely a worthwhile exercise, especially in this everchanging digital landscape. By performing a search on your own business, you’re aware of the information that shows up when potential clients, prospective suppliers and future staff members research your company. This task forms just one part of conducting a Marketing Audit on your business.

What is a Marketing Audit?

Simply put, a Marketing Audit is an investigation into all things Marketing in your business; the marketing channels, marketing activities, marketing processes and marketing procedures.

The purpose of a Marketing Audit is to understand your company’s current marketing position, identify all of the areas that can contribute or affect the successful marketing of your business, and to create a future plan.

 

When performing your Marketing Audit, don’t forget to look at your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) and PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) factors too.

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Examples of Marketing Audit Areas

 

  • Social Media Channels
  • Advertising Campaigns
  • Competitors
 

  • Email Marketing Effectiveness
  • Target Audience Identification
  • Marketing Messages
 

  • Company Website
  • Business Environment
  • Brand Image

5 Benefits of a Marketing Audit for SMEs

1. Saves You Time

The Marketing Audit will highlight which marketing activities, campaigns and social media channels are having the most impact on your business. This will help you to plan for where to focus your attention in the future.

2. Improves Your Awareness

A Marketing Audit will help you to become more in-tune with your industry. The research will make you more aware of your competitors, potential new suppliers, thought leaders within your sector and new business leads.

3. Highlights Your Target Market

By taking the time to invest in a Marketing Audit you’ll get a view of all of the stakeholders of your business, including your current and potential customers.

4. Saves You Money

The Marketing Audit will identify how much return on investment you are getting from your marketing spend. This will allow you to make sure that future spend is dedicated to the right channels and activities.

5. Helps With Future Planning

The results of the Marketing Audit will help you to adapt your Marketing Plan for the future. This will cover areas like budget, resource, training and being flexible to change.

 

Conducting Your Marketing Audit

The most advantageous part about getting an external marketing freelancer / marketing consultant to conduct your Marketing Audit is that they are free from bias and will research your business from a completely different viewpoint. This is a very worthwhile investment for SMEs who don’t always have the time, resource or budget to spend of trying different forms of marketing.

Previous Experience

A Freelance Marketing Consultant will use all of their previous Marketing Audit experience to ensure a quick, effective and efficient service.

Fresh Perspective

An independent marketing consultant will give the Marketing Audit a fresh perspective and provide marketing recommendations for the future.

Get The Job Done

By employing someone outside of your business, you can be confident that the Marketing Audit will be completed.

Interested in a ZAA Marketing Audit for your business?

Here at ZAA Marketing, we have got two Marketing Audit options available; a Mini Marketing Audit or a Full Marketing Audit.

This audit is an ideal way to assess the position of your business with regards to your marketing activities and business environment.

To find out more just click on the button below.

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