7 Questions to Ask Your Marketing Department

January 31, 2022

Are your team’s efforts working or falling flat?

Whether you’re the CEO of a multinational business or the owner of a small local company, it’s important to understand if your organization’s marketing strategy is hitting the mark. These seven questions can help start a critical conversation between executives and their marketing teams.

 

1. What is our marketing strategy?

Start with the basics. Has there been a real conversation about synergizing strategies between departments, or are employees assuming they know what the CEO wants? It’s important to document the strategy to ensure teammates are aligned — in fact, marketers who document their strategy are 538% more likely to report success than those who don’t. 

 

2. How do we stack up against competitors?

Competitor analysis is key to staying ahead of the curve. Where are competitors falling short, and how can your company fill in the gaps? But don’t forget to also look inward — where can your company step up its game to better compete? Analyze competitors’ website, social media presence, online reviews and search keywords.

 

3. Who is our target audience?

Executives might have a preconceived idea of their company’s target audience, but a good marketing team can either prove or disprove that theory through market and customer research. Target audiences may evolve seasonally, through the years or as products change, so it’s important to focus on the data. Successful marketers are 242% more likely to conduct audience research once per quarter, so push your team to examine target audiences regularly.

 

4. How are we appealing to current customers?

Brands sometimes think of marketing as a way to expand their customer base, but it’s just as important to keep current customers happy and engaged. Satisfied customers share their experiences and often encourage new buyers — one study found 83% of Americans are more interested in purchasing a product or service after receiving a recommendation from a friend or family member.

 

5. How are we tracking campaign results?

An untracked campaign is a waste of time, effort and money. Talk with your team about establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and determine how often they’ll be gauged. Measurable KPIs clearly indicate whether goals are being met and money is being well spent. Track overall campaign results and the performance of various tactics to inform future investment.

 

6. Where can we increase our efforts?

It’s easy to get into a routine, mechanically performing tasks on a checklist. By asking which efforts could be ramped up — what’s really working and resulting in the best return on investment (ROI) — teams can get a handle on strategies delivering results versus what’s consuming more time than necessary.

 

7. What is our success metric?

There are multiple metrics for success, and they may shift from campaign to campaign. Revenue is often the go-to success metric, but marketing teams might also measure qualified leads, engagement or new customer sign-ups. It’s possible to go into a campaign with one idea of success, only to switch gears halfway through — perhaps you wanted to focus on lead generation but discovered more brand awareness needs to occur first. Top marketers remain adaptable and open-minded.

Is your marketing team contributing to your company’s bottom line? If not, contact Candor to discuss a new strategy.

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