Marketing is what makes any business succeed and stay ahead of the competition. As Milan Kundera said, “Business has only two functions: marketing and innovation.” The idea behind this is that when a business stops strategic marketing and innovation, even its best products begin to fade into obscurity. 

What if I break the news to you that these five marketing moves are ones every successful business owner relies on to 10x their growth. In this post, we’ll uncover the tried-and-true strategies that fuel business expansion and how you can start using them to 10x your growth.

Before we go further

One of the biggest barriers to achieving 10x growth is starting with the wrong business idea. Validating your business idea early on helps gain traction and ensures that your efforts will pay off. We’ve got a post that covers Business Idea Validation to Prevent First-Year Failures.

5 Proven Marketing Moves: 

1. Reach: Connect with Your Ideal Audience

As Beth Comstock’s insightful quote: Whether B2B or B2C, I believe passionately that good marketing essentials are the same. We all are emotional beings looking for relevance, context, and connection. – Beth Comstock

One thing you should know about businesses that do well is that they always want to be “the first option” in their customers’ minds. This connection is not just about visibility; it’s about speaking directly to their needs and desires. For instance, when most people think of a pet drink, Coca-Cola often comes to mind first. That’s the power of strategic reach.

Coca-Cola was founded in 1892 and has been a leading brand for over 130 years, even with many competitors. Pepsi, established just six years later, has become Coca-Cola’s main rival. This long-lasting competition teaches an important lesson: aspire for your brand to be the best. 

Here are some quick ways to increase your reach:

• Be where your audience is: use email, social media, and digital marketing effectively.
• Target key customers daily: promote your brand to at least five strategic customers each day.
• Build a list of current and potential customers, including their emails, phone numbers, or physical addresses.
• Create a realistic plan for reaching out to your customers and potential ones using different methods, such as social media, magazines, billboards, ads, YouTube, emails, newsletters, DMs and so on.

Related: 

• How to craft the perfect Marketing Messages 
• Know Your Why by “Simon Sinek” 
• How to Identify Your Target Audience 

2. Resonate: Be Memorable

There are currently 8.1 Billion people in the world” which means that the world of business is becoming a profitable venture that will last as long as humanity exists on this planet. 

Resonating with customers means building an emotional connection and making them feel the authentic, human side of your brand while trying to make them see your products/services.

For instance, I recall seeing an advertisement for a toilet cleaner that effectively conveyed the frustration of using less effective products. The next time I was in a store, I instinctively reached for that specific cleaning product, which has since become my go-to choice. That advertisement was skilfully crafted; it resonated with my experiences and created a lasting connection that influenced my purchasing behaviour.

To build memorable connections, try this trick:

• Always ask yourself this question: “Will this spark the interest of the customers to comment on the content, reply to my mail/DM’s, make them enquire about our services, refer to us, or even make a purchase?”. 

3. Pricing Strategy: Get Your Pricing Right: 

Shoprite product lists

Getting your pricing strategy right can significantly impact your business. It’s not merely about putting a price on your products; it involves understanding what your customers want and how to fulfil their needs while keeping your brand attractive and not compromising either your quality or profits.

Consider the brands you love. What makes you choose them over others? Often, it’s not just the quality of their products but also their pricing strategies. Let’s take a look at how successful companies like Amazon, Shoprite, and Shopify have successfully navigated this crucial aspect of business.

Here’s how they approach pricing:

• Amazon: This company knows its customers well. It studies their buying habits and adjusts prices, offering great deals that bring customers back. Competitive prices and frequent discounts make shopping at Amazon attractive.
• Shoprite: Shoprite keeps prices low every day, making it a favourite choice for shoppers. The store uses promotions and loyalty programs to draw in customers. For example, “buy one, get one free” deals help build loyalty and move products off the shelves.
• Shopify: Shopify provides value instead of just competing on price. Its pricing plans have different options to meet various business needs, helping entrepreneurs see that their investment in tools and support is worthwhile.

Successful brands don’t stop there. They use techniques like:

• Psychological Pricing: Have you noticed that many prices end in .99? This tactic tricks us into thinking products cost less. Amazon uses this strategy effectively, which influences our buying choices without us even realising it.
• Dynamic Pricing: Companies like Uber change prices based on ride requests. When more people need rides, prices go up. This approach helps the company earn more and ensures rides are available when needed.
• Try and Adapt: Successful brands test their pricing strategies. Netflix experimented with different subscription models until it found the best fit for viewers. It offers flexible plans to match various preferences.

In short, a smart pricing strategy involves more than numbers. It’s about understanding your customers and competitors, adding value, and remaining flexible. 

As you consider your own pricing, ask yourself if you are simply setting prices or if you are creating a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.

4. Measure: Track What Matters

Monitoring your marketing success is one of the marketing moves and it shouldn’t be seen as a chore; rather, it should be a regular part of your business routine, whether that’s daily, weekly, or monthly. Think of it as a health check-up for your business. Just as you wouldn’t ignore the signs of a cold, you shouldn’t overlook the indicators of your business’s performance. 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are your best friends in this process. Familiarise yourself with important metrics that reflect your brand’s success. This includes tracking revenues, profits, market share, net profit, monthly revenue, leads, referrals, return on investment (ROI), customer enquiries, satisfaction levels, testimonials, and social media growth.

For example, tools like Google Analytics can give you insights into your website traffic and user behaviour, allowing you to understand which marketing channels are bringing in the most visitors. Social media analytics tools can help you measure engagement levels and track follower growth, providing valuable feedback on how your content resonates with your audience.

Always remember to celebrate every small win and learn from any shortcomings.

5. Adapt: Stay Agile and Evolve

The world of marketing is constantly changing, making adaptability very key. Business adaptability is the ability to accept genuine feedback, adjust accordingly, and think innovatively to improve operations.

If you want to succeed, you need to open your mind to one of these marketing moves because what worked yesterday might not work today. 

Take Blockbuster, for example. They used to be the go-to spot for renting movies. But while they stuck to their old ways, Netflix was busy figuring out how to stream movies online. Blockbuster didn’t adapt, and we all know how that ended—they filed for bankruptcy in 2010. Meanwhile, Netflix embraced change, and now it’s a leader in streaming.

This proactive approach helps your business stay ahead of competitors and market trends.

How to Stay Flexible:

• Continuously learn about new marketing trends and tools.
• Use customer feedback to make improvements to your products and messaging.
• Keep an open mind for new approaches and be ready to shift gears when necessary.

In conclusion, these 5 proven marketing moves will help you 10x your growth. I’d love to know which you plan to implement in your business. If possible, go ahead and add your own extra tips in the comments. Let’s learn together.