There is no time left to wait with your marketing. Yep, no time. Like Jack Bauer, from the television show 24, you need a short phrase explaining your marketing in no uncertain terms. Today’s audience doesn’t have time to wait for you to understand a content learning curve. Consider incorporating the following into your marketing plan. Get Marketing Done Now. NOW.
How do you get your CEO to make content a PRIORITY? Take the bull by the horns and know the strategic plan for your organization. Where does the CEO want growth? What are untapped areas? Where is the low-hanging fruit? Begin positioning campaigns and content to that arena. Be involved with and invested in the strategy for organizational growth. If you are swamped with tasks, ask yourself which tasks are the best use of your time, or are you doing something because you have always done it? If you need more work to do, check out this list of marketing to-do’s; I have simplified the list into the key objectives.
3 Critical Marketing Objectives
1. Pick and use FREE online tools–Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, You Tube or even a blog are some examples — in addition to your traditional marketing. Use the tool (and the measurement capabilities) consistently all year. This is not a resolution you can abandon or try for 90 days. This is assuming you are adding content to your website at the same time (blogs do this automatically). If you are on Linked In, join a group and participate. Get people talking about you. When a visitor comes to your site, it needs to be up to par–professional and current. It does not make sense to bring people to an empty store.
2. Show the personal/human side of your organization. Is there something fun you can showcase? Do it. What about culture? What about charities your organization sponsors? Get HR involved–Be fun (and maybe even a bit wacky). This promotional marketing organization does a great job of balancing the “fun” with industry relevant information and sales pitches on Facebook and Twitter. Maybe you are going to be at an industry tradeshow? Talk about what you are doing. Customer Service is a wealth of resources from “Typical Questions a Customer Asks” to “Success Stories”, these are the people that know the ins and outs of your customers’ issues and your organization, use them.
3. Stop being afraid of measurment. If you “can’t” measure something, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it. Give it a test, save ROI for a big campaign. Word of Mouth Marketing is not always measurable, but sometimes the strategy will be, but you will never know unless you try. What marketing projects are you trying this year?
Sarah,
I agree with your 3rd point. Measurement will stop some people – especially marketing and communication people who have staked their entire careers on being able to deliver ROI. In today’s world, where people connect, interact and influence in ways that are different, the traditional ROI matrix can no longer serve as the only measuring tool.
To quote a good friend … “take small steps and be willing to explore the possibilities”
Thanks for this post!
Marc,
Thank you for your comment. It is frustrating to see marketing get “hung up” on measurement; especially when time constraints are put on campaigns. I personally can think of ad’s from my childhood and even into my young adulthood that STILL influence my buying decisions more than 10 years later.
Marketing needs to cognizant of the numbers, however, and be willing to try and measure something; those small steps are vital. Using the phrase “Marketing isn’t Measureable” as an excuse will probably get someone fired quickly in today’s economic environment.
Ooh, thinking back to childhood ads is an interesting “stickiness” measurement, isn’t it. I wonder what ads our kids could recall right now. What about in 10-20 years? I think I’ll ask tonight and see what they say.
There are ads that I distinctly remember from childhood; a lot of the McDonald’s, Coke and certain toys, for example. I think the ads that targeted products for children are the ones that trigger the memories. And never underestimate the power of music and scent to trigger memories and convince children to want certain items.
You are right, this is a conversation for the dinner table.
I also agree with number #3…. but, when I cannot measure ROI, I try to measure ROO (Return on Objectives) so that I am measuring something…
That is a great way to try and measure “something”. Sometimes you just have to put forth the effort that you are trying to get a handle on all of the numbers. Thanks so much for your comment!