Marketing was simple back in the day - you’d pay off the town crier, throw up some signs and burn down your competitors warehouse every now and then. Today, even with all the developments in technology over the last two centuries which provided us with s̶e̶c̶u̶r̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶c̶a̶m̶e̶r̶a̶s print & digital media, it still is quite simple at its core.

We target, create, optimize, execute and watch the leads roll in, with some of those turning into customers. Then, we measure our campaign’s effectiveness or efficiency. The major equation remains easily understandable no matter the format - get the as many of the correct eyes on your brand as possible, and persuade them to spend on your goods & services.

I believe there are two things that make marketing in 2019 a little bit overwhelming.

1. Data

2. Options

Both the sheer amount of data we can collect, and the number of options we have when choosing our channel mix. To make it worse, each of these always seem to be increasing in number. Earlier on in the lifespan of the internet, you just had to choose to make a webpage. Now many businesses have to have Facebook, Instagram & other social media accounts, Google Adwords (and other SEM options), an always re-optimising website, and analytic tools to capture all the data you gain from them. And then you have to understand and use that data!

What options do we have to keep marketing easy and efficient?

1. Hire a digital marketing expert (outsource, or inhouse) - for training, campaign setup, evalutations, analysis or ongoing support. These experts can be especially useful for tools that require spending to faciliate, such as Google Adwords - because you don’t want to waste time AND money.

2. Do some learning, or get some training. Do it yourself or get outside help, and learn each of the tools you want to focus on as part of your channel mix. Can be very time consuming - especially if you’re just starting out.

3. Both 1 & 2. Learn about the easier, shorter term channels and let others manage the more costly, time consuming channels - leaving you with less to stress about and hopefully more effective use of everyone’s time and money.

Then, you’ll be able to:

• Narrow down your channel mix to what works

• Optimize and automate the channels that are working through analysing data

• Understand how your money is working for you (no more fear you’re throwing money at a bottomless pit!)

Once that happens it wont take nearly as much thinking or time away from the rest of your business. You can put extra effort into that overly-polite email you’re sending to someone who hasn’t paid their invoice. Wouldn’t that be nice.