I am a baseball fan. I know we are not in baseball season, but I’m thinking about baseball these days and how it is a metaphor for so many things in business. I have been thinking of a defensive strategy in baseball known as the shift. Typically the shift happens when a left-handed hitter is up to bat that typically hits to his power side – the right side of the field. Knowing this, the defense takes a risk and moves the third baseman over to where the shortstop normally plays; the shortstop shifts behind second base; the second baseman plays between first and second; and the first baseman plays his position. Likewise, the outfielders shift over. The shift leaves third base and left field completely uncovered. If the batter is disciplined enough to hit to the left side of the field, he is guaranteed to hit at least a double.

What, in the name of Sandy Koufax, does that have to do with marketing? I find that many businesses these days are taking a risk by shifting all of their marketing into one phase of marketing and hoping that the customer will buy from them, even if they are completely ignoring other phases of marketing. In every marketing campaign, there are three distinct phases through which your customer is passing in their decision making process. It is important that you understand where the customer is in their buying process. Successful marketing campaigns transition customers from one phase to the next.

Three phases of marketing

What are the three phases of marketing?

Awareness

Awareness marketing is sometimes called "brand awareness.” It is built upon the idea that no one will purchase from you until they have enough information about your product/service to form an opinion about your brand. A lot of marketing is made to build brand awareness so that a target market commonly understands the product/service by its brand name. You will find that a lot of social media marketing is awareness marketing. So are marketing giveaways, sponsorships, outdoor signage, charitable gifts, etc. They are there to promote your brand so you are recognizable to your target market.

First-time sales

As the name implies, first-time sales marketing is geared towards getting a customer to try a product/service for the first time. A lot of consumer advertising uses devices to move an aware customer on towards their first purchase, such as promoting a limited time sale where prices are reduced or offering a coupon to buy one and get one free. The difference between Awareness marketing and First-time Sales marketing is that there is an offer made to make a purchase in this second phase – something that would be frowned upon by your target market in the first phase (which is where a lot of people trip when they are using social media outside of brand awareness.)

Retention

Retention marketing is about making customers for life. It entices them to buy from you again and again. Retention marketing measures customer satisfaction in four key areas: pricing, quality, speed of service and customer service. If these four areas are good with your customers, they will do business with you again. If they are not, retention marketing helps you identify a problem and come up with a solution to keep your customers from buying from your competition.

Here is where business marketing gets lopsided. When you have spent your entire marketing budget in one phase of marketing (let’s say it is in Awareness), customers will feel neglected and leave you. Have you ever bought something from a company that spends all of their marketing dollars getting new customers in their doors, but totally ignores you once you have made a purchase? That typically has to do with poor marketing planning.

Using the Three Phases of Marketing will help you to keep a balance in your marketing campaigns. It will help you to market to all of your customers, not just prospects (Awareness Marketing), new customers (First-time Sales Marketing), or your current customers (Retention Marketing).

This will help you:

• Budget properly

• Execute a strategic marketing plan

• Measure your success and make adjustments as needed

Do you have all of your bases covered? What could be left uncovered? Take a good look at your marketing plans for the year, including where you are spending your marketing budget, and make a balanced approach.