Off to the races

Learning how to master a task involves the ability to reflect on mistakes, victories, and missed opportunities. It requires not only an examination of our actions but also an evaluation of the knowledge we thought we possessed and any new insights that might have altered our previous approaches. I sought to apply some of the new concepts I had learned to one of my favorite and most underrated companies in the firearms industry, Palmetto State Armory.

Marketing Fundamentals

Breaking down a company, identifying its weaknesses and strengths, is crucial for steering it in the right direction. Without a clear direction or target, finding a point of impact becomes challenging. Creating a marketing research paper helps establish the foundational direction. In the case of PSA, we delve into its mission statement, demographic target, a comprehensive SWAT analysis, and an industry and environmental analysis using the PESTEL method.

Competitor Website Analysis

The next step involves understanding what the competition is doing. Comparing PSA to three different companies—one considered a direct competitor and two with higher industry reputation—provides valuable insights. This comparison offers building blocks to identify functional aspects and areas where PSA falls short. Evaluating the user interface and user experience allows us to understand how the website flows and whether the experience is smooth and user-friendly. Analyzing how competitors optimize their SEO enables us to adjust trigger words or rebuild our SEO to target their market share effectively.

Retargeting

Despite the controversy surrounding retargeting, it is essential to comprehend its strategic value for a company. Balancing the retargeting strategy requires a thoughtful approach. Overloading consumers with ads can be counterproductive, leading to annoyance and pushing them away from the website. The goal is to plant seeds and gently remind consumers of your existence, encouraging them to return to your website. Setting aside personal beliefs about being tracked, retargeting proves to be a powerful tool for converting web traffic into consumer traffic.