Effective Marketing - How to Find Examples of Marketing Strategies

Effective marketing strategies are much easier to find and duplicate than to create. Marketing is largely a matter of trial and error, so while original thinking and thought leadership are great attributes, it's probably more profitable for most marketers to find existing, proven methods, and apply their own twist to it, than to try to be completely original all the time. Let other people do the trial and error, while you focus on results with proven strategies. Sounds lazy, I know, but for most businesses and entrepreneurs it's the most effective and profitable strategy.

That being said, the market responds to speed, so you when you come across a great strategy, you have to implement it quickly.

Here are seven great ways to find the best strategies in your niche:

1. Identify your top competitors and subscribe to their e-mail list. Sounds easy, I know, but many businesses don't do it. Through their list you'll get first hand intel on their every move. You can analyze their pitches, landing pages, call to action, marketing voice, branding, etc.

2. Subscribe to at least one marketing periodical. If there's one that's specific to your niche, get it. If not, find a general marketing newsletter or magazine that resonates with you, and read it cover to cover every month.

3. Create a physical "Swipe File." Every time you see a great marketing piece in a magazine or newspaper, cut it out! Somebody else paid good money just for the copy writing, why not collect as many of these as possible, and review them before you create your own marketing pieces?

4. Identify the marketing thought leaders in your niche, and follow them. Read their stuff, watch their videos... however they publish their intel, follow it like a hawk. If you can't identify an industry insider, find a general marketing genius you like and follow them. Some of these gurus have paid memberships etc. These membership sites can easily be worth many times the cost of admission.

5. Test and track. Just because something sounds good, or works for somebody else, doesn't mean it will work for you. Make sure and test every strategy. But be careful to give it a fair shot before abandoning it though, many good strategies take time before they generate worthwhile results.

6. Be "Trendy." Marketing strategies all go through trends, make sure you're not caught on the downhill side of the slope. One company I worked with stayed committed to direct mail years after it's effectiveness plummeted. While their competitors moved online and developed outstanding SEO, PPC, and Social Marketing strategies, they continued pumping out expensive direct mail, right up until the day they died.

7. Join online marketing forums. While there may be a lot of "noise" in online marketing forums, there's also some great nuggets. Get good at both asking great questions, and searching out the nuggets. Just a few minutes a week can uncover strategies that could make a significant difference in your business.