Utilizing the “Swiss Cheese Model” in Your Marketing 

“But, how do I know if what I’m doing is going to work?” 

I usually start these blogs with a common question that we’re asked here at our full-service agency of digital marketing. 

Of course, there’s Google Analytics, and any number of other ways that you can track your efforts. 

However, there’s something real in that question. 

After all, you can’t be 1000000% sure that any one thing is going to “work.” You can’t know with the utmost certainty if your web design is going to grow your business, that your social media marketing will reach more people, that your video marketing will expand your reach, and so forth. 

What you can do is utilize the “Swiss Cheese Model.” 

Like far too much, it’s something I’ve come to understand through preparing for the pandemic. Using the “Swiss Cheese Model” the right way can help your business now as well as in the future. 

The “Swiss Cheese Model” Explained 

There’s a lengthy explanation of it, but, basically, the idea is that any tactic or idea is going to have “holes.” In this context, “holes” means “a vulnerability,” “some failing,” etc. Something may go wrong with your video marketing, making folks not want to click on it. A social media post goes ignored by your potential customers, etc. 

However, the idea of the “Swiss Cheese Model” is, more or less, if you use enough pieces of cheese, all of the holes will be covered. 

Hold up one piece of Swiss Cheese. Now, lay a second one over that. As they won’t have the same holes in the same places, you’ll be protected. Put another piece of Swiss Cheese over that, and you’ll have fewer holes, still. 

While there are many applications for this with your business, you can absolutely apply it to your digital marketing. 

Of course, a major part of that is realizing you don’t have unlimited pieces of cheese. The “Swiss Cheese Model” doesn’t work if you only have a piece of cheese or two, metaphorically speaking. 

This is a major reason why we work so much with our clients on targeting their efforts. When you can target your marketing exactly where you want it to go, it requires far, far less “cheese” to reach who you want. 

A Learn from Real Estate 

One way to target customers that much easier: localization. 

That’s important for just about any business, but especially real estate. 

Coming across that article today, it reinforced so much of what we tell our clients. 

Obviously, you have to “claim and optimize all of your local pages.” 

What I thought was especially important was: “97% of consumers use local search when looking for an apartment.” 

That number is going to be lower for many other items, of course: food, a plumber, air conditioning, and so forth. But, it’s not going to be appreciably lower in most cases. 

By making sure your web design, SEO, social media, video marketing, and more are all at their best, you give yourself the best chance to have a truly effective “Swiss Cheese Model.” 

For ways our full-service agency of digital marketing can help, with that “cheese” or anything else related to your growth, call (888) 477-9540.