Recently, more and more potential clients and friends have been asking about how to get back into the marketing programs they’ve been neglecting. Here is a short primer on how to dive back in.
1. Prepare for change. Self examination always gets a little tense, especially when there are varying perspectives weighing in. As you prepare for the change, have a communication plan and garner support from the inside out. Initiatives that lack internal support collapse quickly.
2. Establish the decision makers. In less marketing-driven organizations it’s particularly valuable to engage the various partners and stakeholders. But, it can be confusing and frustrating to those whose opinions aren’t executed. Before you begin an initiative, be clear about what you are asking, how you want to engage the audiences, and how final execution decisions will be made.
3. Identify the moments when your brand becomes more relevant and sought after. No one cares if you achieved a 30% cost savings on something they aren’t shopping for. By focusing only on the relevant and current situations your target audience perceives, your marketing will see better returns.
4. Chart out the sales cycle. No one tool is going to be the end-all solution. You will need different messaging and approaches along the way. Consider segmenting your typical customers in your database marketing so that you can speak to them more specifically. Avoid the temptation of diluting your message by generalizing for everyone.
5. Vet your ideas. Consider whether your idea is uniquely yours. Would it work just as well under your competitors’ name? Find a way to raise a differentiation that is valid to the target audience. In commodity products, perhaps this is price or durability, or how they find what they need - alleviating a stressor in the shopping process. In less tangible service offerings, it may be the expertise of the associates. In that case of human interactions find a way to highlight the differentiator with emotion and impact. Not only is it memorable, but it reinforces how people buy (from people).
2. Establish the decision makers. In less marketing-driven organizations it’s particularly valuable to engage the various partners and stakeholders. But, it can be confusing and frustrating to those whose opinions aren’t executed. Before you begin an initiative, be clear about what you are asking, how you want to engage the audiences, and how final execution decisions will be made.
3. Identify the moments when your brand becomes more relevant and sought after. No one cares if you achieved a 30% cost savings on something they aren’t shopping for. By focusing only on the relevant and current situations your target audience perceives, your marketing will see better returns.
4. Chart out the sales cycle. No one tool is going to be the end-all solution. You will need different messaging and approaches along the way. Consider segmenting your typical customers in your database marketing so that you can speak to them more specifically. Avoid the temptation of diluting your message by generalizing for everyone.
5. Vet your ideas. Consider whether your idea is uniquely yours. Would it work just as well under your competitors’ name? Find a way to raise a differentiation that is valid to the target audience. In commodity products, perhaps this is price or durability, or how they find what they need - alleviating a stressor in the shopping process. In less tangible service offerings, it may be the expertise of the associates. In that case of human interactions find a way to highlight the differentiator with emotion and impact. Not only is it memorable, but it reinforces how people buy (from people).
