Often, due to rigorous competition and changes in the marketplace, organizations need an objective view of their marketing strategy and current operations. The strategic marketing audit concentrates on analyzing the environments you operate within, the strategy driving the organization, the marketing organization and delivery systems, and the corporate image. Our team of consultants develops a useful guide to changing a marketing strategy or enhancing an existing one. Included are actionable items for brand positioning, strategies and recommended marketing activities that meet corporate goals and objectives.

Marketing Audit Uncovers Opportunities Using an auditing process, our Strategic Marketing Audit is made up of four audit areas. These are the Competitive Situation, the Corporate Strategy, the Marketing Organization, and the Brand Image.

The process includes reviewing data from membership surveys, MCIF or related datamining reports about the membership, products and services offered, and demographics available from the Credit Union. On-site visits are used to review the branch operations, call center and internal departments with interviews of staff and management. In addition, using a brand image audit tool, a review of past marketing efforts is conducted with the marketing department which is also a way to analyze the effectiveness of the marketing department structure. Added to this review are in-depth discussions about marketing strategy and goals with senior management. Finally, to round out the data collected, our consultants shop the area competition and do competitive research in the communities served by the credit union.

The end result is the presentation and supporting document that provides recommendations to improve marketing strategy, branding efforts, cross-selling and operations.

Strategic Marketing Plan Complementing the data found within the marketing audit, a strategic marketing plan is often requested as part of the assignment. Many times, a client is challenged to develop marketing strategies that provide an edge over the competition while faced with a lean staff and tight budgets. Click here for more information on plans.