A Comprehensive Guide to Marketing Strategy Audits

If you're fumbling around in the dark with your marketing strategy, it's time for a bloody audit. Let's break down what a marketing strategy audit really involves, why you might choose to go professional over DIY, and how to use the insights you gain to not just keep up, but seriously compete.

The Key Elements Evaluated During an Audit

Think of a strategy audit as the most brutally honest mate you’ve ever had. When co&co dives into your marketing strategy, we scrutinise everything: the channels you use, the money you burn, and what you’re actually getting out of it. Are your efforts aligning with your business goals? How is your brand standing up to the world out there? We’re talking full exposure—no dark corners left unchecked.

We're not here to pat you on the back and say you're doing a great job unless you really are. If your strategy is sh*t, we'll be the first to tell you. But it’s not all doom and gloom—if something’s working great we’ll help you double down. Here’s how you can unlock the true potential of a marketing strategy audit:

Step 1: Defining the Scope and Objectives

Firstly, you need to determine what you're aiming to achieve with the audit. Are you looking to improve ROI, increase engagement, or enhance brand perception? Setting clear objectives will guide the entire audit process and help you focus on what's crucial.

Step 2: Analysing Marketing Channels

Evaluate each channel you're using—be it social media, email marketing, PPC, SEO, or traditional advertising. This involves:

• Reviewing the performance metrics for each channel.

• Assessing how these channels contribute to your overall goals.

• Identifying which channels are underperforming or overperforming.
  
  

Step 3: Examining Content and Campaign Effectiveness

This step involves a deep dive into the content and campaigns you've launched:

• Analyse the engagement and conversion rates of individual campaigns.

• Evaluate the messaging and its consistency across various platforms.

• Consider the creativity and relevance of the content being produced.
  
  

Step 4: Assessing Brand Perception and Positioning

Understanding how your brand is perceived in the market is key. This can be done through:

• Customer feedback and sentiment analysis.

• Competitive analysis to see how your brand stands against others in the industry.

• Review of your brand’s value proposition and its alignment with customer expectations.
  
  

Step 5: Evaluating Resource Allocation

Look at how resources are being allocated across projects and channels:

• Assess whether the budget is being spent on the most effective channels.

• Evaluate the use of human resources—are the right people doing the right tasks?

• Review technological resources to ensure they are up-to-date and effective.
  
  

Step 6: Measuring Alignment with Business Objectives

Ensure that every marketing effort is aligned with the broader business goals:

• Review strategic documents and performance data.

• Interview key stakeholders and marketing team members.

• Identify any discrepancies between your marketing activities and business objectives.
  
  

Step 7: Reporting Findings and Recommendations

Compile all findings into a comprehensive report that provides a clear overview of what’s working and what isn’t:

• Highlight successful strategies that should be continued or expanded.

• Point out areas of inefficiency or misalignment with business goals.

• Offer actionable recommendations for improvement based on data-driven insights.
  
  

Step 8: Creating an Action Plan

Based on the audit findings, develop an action plan:

• Prioritise the recommendations based on potential impact and feasibility.

• Set timelines and assign responsibilities to ensure implementation.

• Determine metrics for monitoring the progress of implemented changes.

DIY vs Professional Audits: Which is Better?

You can try to audit your own marketing strategy. It's doable. It offers control and can be cost-effective initially. But, let's liken that to cutting your own hair. You can do it, but should you? When you're fully immersed in the day-to-day operations, it’s hard to take a step back without tripping over your own bias.

Yes, DIY audits might save you a bit of cash upfront, but they can cost you a fortune in missed opportunities and slow-burning issues that you might not spot. Plus, you might find yourself coming back to co&co, asking us to fix what was missed. Professional audits, like the ones co&co smash out, are relentlessly objective. It’s about investing wisely—pay once, do it right, and avoid the cost of corrections later on. So, when it's about your business's success, do you really want to gamble? Or do you want to bet smart, get it right the first time, and keep smashing those targets?

Using Audit Findings to Fuel Your Marketing Efforts

Once the audit’s done, what next? Shelve the report and carry on as usual? Fu*k no. An audit isn’t worth sh*t if you don’t act on it. Here’s how you turn those audit findings into pure fuel for your fire.

First off, crack open that report and zero in on what’s working and what isn’t. What’s working? Do more of that. What’s bombing? Cut it out or fix it. It’s that simple. We’re not about keeping dead weight around. If something in your strategy isn’t pulling its weight, it’s time to say goodbye or give it a serious makeover.

Next, it’s about strategic pivots. Maybe you’ve been missing out on a mega channel that could increase your engagement, or perhaps you’re just not speaking the right language to your audience. Whatever it is, those audit insights are your roadmap to a revamp.

And let’s not forget about your team management. Nothing fires up the team like showing them clear, actionable points that can lead to wins. It’s one thing to tell your team to ‘do better’—it’s another to show them exactly where and how they can smash their targets. That’s the kind of leadership that turns a good team into a great one.

So, don’t just sit on those insights. Use them. Refine your strategy, make smarter decisions, and keep pushing until your marketing efforts are sharp. That’s why co&co don’t just drop a report on your lap and bounce. We dish out actionable recommendations and help you craft a sh*thot strategy moving forward. We're talking about transforming insights into action.

Why Trust co&co with Your Strategy Audit?

Why us? Because we’ve been around for over 20 years—both in-house and agency-side. We know what works and what’s just industry fluff. Our approach is all about getting sh*t done efficiently, effectively, and with zero bullsh*t:

🖤 No Fluff, Just Facts: We cut through the sh*t and focus on what really matters to your business.

🖤 Data-Driven Decisions: You won’t find us making decisions on a whim. It’s all about the hard facts.

🖤 ROI Obsessed: If it’s not making you money, it’s not worth doing.

And remember, marketing without measuring is like driving with your eyes closed. Stop gambling with your strategy. Let’s audit, refine, and smash those targets together. Ready to stop the guesswork and start marketing? Get in touch with co&co. We’re already rolling up our sleeves. Let’s work together.