Digital marketing makes it real

In the classic movie, Field of Dreams (1989) the main character Ray, walks through a vast cornfield and hears a voice say, “If you build it, they will come.” This fleeting scene inspires the audience to dream big. A big vision for success often starts exactly like Ray’s -listening to that small voice luring you out of the dark forest and into a wide-open field.
 
This is what StraightFire has witnessed over the years. Excited, wide-eyed, dreamy entrepreneurs who are ready to move into big opportunities. We love them! Full of confidence from previous successes, they look to us to rebuild their website, brand, and vision. We want to see them succeed in reaching higher goals as much as they do, and we’re more than willing to hit it out of the ballpark to make it happen.
 
The ‘catch’ is that we sometimes see the big vision stop when the hard work starts. Many companies want us to create a website design and brand without proper strategy or research of their market because for them it’s all about passion, momentum, and the idealistic vision of success. In addition, many established businesses’ growth stalls because they lack strategic digital marketing efforts.
 
For those who are really ready to succeed, the momentum they are experiencing is simply channeled into rising above the competition.
 
Research + assessment = solid foundation
Research and assessment are not the exciting “build it” words that some may want to hear, and for many there even a bit intimidating. But they’re essential to success.
 
Whether it’s a new brand, a rebrand, or a new website, the first step is to take a fearless inventory of your growth goals for the future and the reality of where it is in the present. Where you have been, where you are at now, and where you want to be.
 
Often we see people with new, inventive ideas for original products or services. They imagine a well-crafted logo and website design is all they need for success. On the other side of the spectrum, there are well-established companies whose growth has taken a dive and they simply can’t keep up with the ever-changing digital marketing pace.
 
One thing these clients both have in common is that they don’t know where their company stands in relationship to their goals, or their market. They are either ignoring their current state, or do not realize the importance of this step to move forward with staying competitive.
 
Once a client honestly assesses a vision statement, goals for a desired work culture, confirms the current market need for their product or service, looks at customer reviews, and social media/website/marketing engagement success, they are ready to go deeper. Some might call this a business plan, but it doesn’t have to be that formal to be effective.
 
Research is sexy if you pair it with originality
Digital marketing demonstrates a type of wild-west, guerrilla war-fare style of selling. From pop-up shops, click bait, and sales landing-pages to long-standing evergreen companies, online marketing is a smorgasbord of strategy and marketing techniques that both inexperienced and seasoned businesses can spend wasted time and money chasing after.
 
To cut corners, many compete for space in the online world by merely copying the success of their competition on a superficial level while sacrificing their company’s unique story.
 
This is business laziness.
 
In other words, they kill originality in hopes to fit in on the block and attain success. They fail themselves because they didn’t do the research required to know who they are, who their competition is, and how they are superior. Successful people are not afraid to stand out in their field of dreams and beat a uniquely better drum.
 
Research is a powerful tool worth the time and effort it takes. The biggest and best dedicate entire departments and spend millions on research for a reason. It takes you below the surface of buyer activity and provides proof in numbers that the algorithms and patterns of buyer choices are either working or not working.
 
Knowing exactly what your market wants or needs, and meeting it, is successful marketing. Once you know your customer intimately, the process is much easier and far more successful.
 
Come out wherever you are
Are you walking through the field of digital marketing with a machete in your hand hoping to magically whack out the competition? Having a strategic plan in place will clear cut you to the top. At StraightFire we will help you cultivate your field to become a long-standing evergreen with a unique brand from the get-go. We will get your roots down deep so you can stand longer, taller, and prouder.