You know how fantastic your products are, so now is the time to get the word out there! There are some frequent errors that people make when planning a marketing campaign. We have put together some key considerations to make sure that you maximize your spend and get the best results possible, each and every time:
Keep it Authentic and In Line with Brand Strategy
Although a marketing campaign is a short-term tactic to promote a product or service, it is essential to stay true to your brand. Having a strong brand will assist you to build your customer base and maintain a loyal following in the longer term. It not only gives your business a cohesive, polished image but reflects the values that you represent. If you are just starting out or need some help to clarify your brand strategy, speak to a professional brand design agency to get some advice. A good brand can make or break a business’s success in today’s competitive business environment.
Explore and Consider Your Marketing Platform Options
If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten. Each marketing campaign is an opportunity to reset and improve on past results. Look at what worked well from your company with previous projects. Check out what your competitors have been up to, and research new platforms and whether your target demographics are engaging with them. There is a wealth of options available to you nowadays so make sure you consider your options carefully. One of the great benefits of digital media platforms is that they generally give you more bang for your buck. However, traditional media are still valid depending on the campaign. Most successful large-scale marketing campaigns are delivered through a variety of media to reach the target audience and then reinforce the message.
Set Your Objectives, Check Your Baseline, and Measure Your Progress
To know whether your campaign is successful, you need to know what your objectives are. Too frequently, companies run promotions that aim to “increase sales.” Ask yourself what product or service you are focusing on, which customer group you are targeting, the length of the promotion and the target sales increase. “I want to increase my number of social media clients on a monthly retainer in the banking industry by 5% within the next three months” is a far better defined target than “I want more sales”. Also aim to provide a good brand experience to customers. Thinking about what will benefit them will definitely generate more sales in the long run.
Review, Revise and Optimize
The old method of “set and forget” has been replaced by a more agile and mindful approach to marketing campaigns. Digital platforms have enabled businesses to check their progress throughout the promotion and adjust as required. This stops you from pouring good money after bad if your online ads are not resonating with your audience, or the messaging isn’t clear. Whether you are managing the campaign yourself or outsourcing to an agency, make sure that the campaign will be reviewed and revised throughout.
Keep Records of Each Marketing Campaign You Run
It is surprisingly common that businesses will run a marketing campaign and invest big bucks without tracking the success against their objectives. It is also remarkable that the goals, methods, and results of the campaigns are not recorded in a central location, to make it easy to access and refer back to the following year, or when there is staff turnover. If you are going to invest money in marketing, being thorough in your record keeping helps you to keep growing, learning, and improving over time.
Now you are all set to put together a stellar marketing campaign!