A layered strategy is taking multiple strategies and putting them together to work harmoniously. Yes, some pieces will fall off, but the layered strategy approach allows you to “win” more often and more predictably.
Why Layered Strategies are needed:
Most internet marketers and small business owners get “Shiny Object Syndrome”. This is the phenomenon of seeing the newest thing and saying “this is the future” then hopping right in. They hop from one thing to the other because it is the “new thing”.
Take for example, Chat Bots. At one point everyone was talking about how ChatBots would be the new email. Everyone would use them and we were going to be responding to dynamic automated replies in a matter of years.
I hate to break it to you, but chatbots are here, they serve a purpose, but many people do not utilize them because they do not “work” the same as email.
We have clients that have chatbots that function, serve their purpose, and work excellent. Chat Bots are not the email renaissance marketers were envisioning in late 2017.
How Layered Strategies Work.
When using a layered strategy approach, you first see if you can add a strategy to your workload. Just like adding another layer to a cake!
For example, you are a direct response company that operates on advertising bringing in new sales daily. But, you went to a conference and a Google Guru spoke about paid email subscriptions. So you want to try it out.
Instead of moving any resources from your current strategies you want to do the following.
How to implement your Layered Strategy.
To begin you need to know that good data is a must. You need to know if it is working and what you are expecting to happen. If you do not have good data Contact Us 😉
1. Identify the new strategy.
Take a pen and paper to write down exactly what the new strategy is and why you think it would work. Also, write down what you expect your return to be. Try to be as in-depth as possible.
Example
We are going to start making Pinterest pins for our business. To do this we will create 3 posts per each blog post (2 Blogs/ Week), a total of 6 Pins per week. We will then publish those pins using tailwind on average of 20x/day. Our goal is that we will be able to pin about 30 new images every day in 4 months.
2. What is “success” for this stand-alone strategy.
Again, be as specific as possible, what is your minimum result to keep doing this strategy in what time frame.
We will achieve X in Y month that will make Z impact.
Example:
Doing this will allow us to gain 20,000 pageviews in 9 months which will convert at 1% to our email list.
3. What will it cost you
There will always be a cost to any new structure or campaign. Outline either in people hours or in dollars what you believe the cost to be for education, testing, failures and execution.
Example
We will hire a Pinterest agency to develop post and monitor pins for $3,200/month
Or
Susan in Marketing will now manage Pinterest and we expect her to spend 10 hours per week on managing this new platform.
Beginning to execute:
This is the most important piece of this framework.
DO NOT LET YOUR OTHER STRATEGIES DROP OFF!
You are layering this new strategy on top of your other strategies. Not replacing a different strategy with an untested channel/concept.
You are risking resources in this newfound strategy, not current revenues or funnels.
To Recap
- Identify your current strategies and note their effectiveness
- Solidify what you will do that is different from your current day-to-day.
- Project what results you will get.
- Frame what success looks like
- DO NOT STOP DOING WHAT IS WORKING.
If you can follow these steps and maintain your current model, you will be able to layer strategies together.
JUST BE SURE YOU KNOW YOUR NUMBERS SO IF SOMETHING BREAKS, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
