If you run marketing campaigns for your business, you know what a challenge it can be to keep all your projects on target and on schedule.
But it’s not something you can just “wing it” on and expect to see results. Here are 12 tips that can help you plan and manage a successful campaign.
Here are 12 tips that can help you plan and manage a successful campaign.
How to Have More Successful Marketing Campaigns
1. Deciding to run a campaign takes more than a “Hey, why don’t we run a campaign?”
Start by developing your concept, which is a four-step process:
- Identify your business need.
- Set your objectives.
- Choose the best type of campaign.
- Brainstorm for concepts.
2. How do you know if your concept is a winner? Ask yourself if it could:
- Realistically be completed as conceived.
- Give a good return on investment.
- Achieve the desired outcome.
Before you write
3. Give a clear, concise call to action.
One of the most common mistakes in marketing is NOT to give a call to action. That may stem from a desire to avoid hype or pushiness. But the truth is, people don’t know what to do if you don’t tell them. Decide up-front what you want people to do after reading each message. Keep it simple. Each message should drive one and only one action.
4. Perform a benefits analysis of your product or service.
List features and benefits. Then “dimensionalize” them. To do that, picture how the benefits will make people’s life easier. Write this out and pull from it when you write your promotional copy.
5. Know who you’re targeting.
Create a three-dimensional profile of your ideal customer. What is their age, type of job, worries, fears, interests? The better you know your prospects, the easier it will be to create a message that resonates with them.
Developing your strategy
6. Make sure your customers see your message.
Advertise and promote where they hang out online. Do your prospects prefer written messages or video? Do they listen to podcasts? Are they on Facebook or LinkedIn? Do they belong to specific groups or forums? Use this information to guide the types of messages you include in your campaign.
7. Your campaign should have a single cohesive message.
The challenge, when you’re creating multiple touches across multiple channels, is not to stray from this message. To help, when developing your strategy, identify your overall message, sales approach, sales logic (or syllogism), and your offer. Make sure everyone who works on your campaign (especially copywriters and graphic artists) have this information so it will be incorporated into every message.
Once you have your core message, think strategically about how you can best communicate with your target audience, how many touches will be necessary, and the resources available to you. Brainstorm for all the touches that need to go out and in what order. Your goal is to lead the prospect to the buying decision as smoothly as possible.
Managing the tasks of your campaign
9. Create a timeline.
Once you know the communications you’ll need, create a timeline to make sure deliverables are ready on schedule. Begin with the campaign launch date and work backwards. Think of every action needed for every project, then give it a due date, who it’s assigned to, any action that precedes it, and additional notes, if necessary.
10. Create one task list for the entire campaign.
Don’t try to track projects as separate entities, especially if they’re part of one campaign. Create one task list for the entire campaign. In it, compile actions items from all projects, who they’re assigned to, and their due date.
11. Make sure everyone is on the same page internally.
When your call center and marketing aren’t on the same page, it can confuse and irritate people who call for personal assistance. To keep everyone happy (co-workers and customers), include internal communications among your projects. Let other departments know in advance when a promotion is going out and how it could affect them. Send them copies of all promotions, and, if necessary, develop scripts for them to use when talking to customers.
12. Create a team spirit and a “can do” attitude.
If your campaigns depend on teams of workers, it’s important that they work well together. Don’t try to operate on a strict, need-to-know basis. The more people understand about why and how the campaign is being done — how it benefits the company, their team, or themselves — and the more they feel included in getting it done, the more they’ll want to contribute to its success. Create a team spirit by empowering the people who contribute to your success.
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Whether you work as a solopreneur or part of a team, your ability to plan complex marketing campaigns will determine the success of your campaigns. Plan ahead for true success, mapping out your campaign from conception to completion.
These are the tips that stand out to me. What would you add?
