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Aug 23
2007
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Whether you are launching a new marketing campaign, implementing a new product rollout or repositioning an existing brand, have you thought the entire process through?
To truly stand out in today's marketplace, you need to succeed in every aspect of your marketing efforts. You have to be able to tell your story effectively, quickly and passionately. You need to inspire emotion in your audience and encourage a response. You must be sure to create a memorable impression and certainly have a clear and brilliant up-front image.
Is your budget not where it needs to be to accomplish this? Is your deadline too soon? Sound like a daunting task to achieve everything? Not necessarily. As with everything else, using the right process, and focusing your resources properly will help guarantee success. Keep in mind, creativity is the number one asset you have in your ability to distinguish your product or brand from the rest of the pack. Try to take more of a right-brained approach to your strategy and you may be surprised with your results.
First off, do you have a clear and defined picture of where you need to be? Are your goals realistic? Can you communicate them clearly to your team? If so, you've already gotten past the single most difficult aspect of the process. Once you have your goals clearly defined and mapped out, your team, whether they are internal or outsourced, can leverage their existing expertise and creativity to help you get there.
By taking everyone's contributions into consideration, whether they be your marketing team's or your accountant's, you are ensuring the most diverse and creative solutions to any problem. Although too many people going different directions can often be counter-productive, if you manage the project effectively, you can gradually focus your group and produce truly unique and exciting approaches to any campaign.
Consider any and all channels to communicate your message - online, print, radio, television, etc. Beyond that, broaden your efforts within each channel. Spreading your message in today's day and age requires you to think outside of traditional methods, or even methods that were successful just 5 years ago. For instance, with the surge of Web 2.0 and social networking, the effectiveness of a corporate web page alone has dramatically decreased in online presence. You must also consider turning some attention to sites like facebook.com or myspace.com. Beyond that, you must enhance your content more than ever before to organically grow your search results. The list goes on and on in all media channels. Think outside the box, and you will realize much greater benefits. Don't forget to remain consistent in presenting your message across all channels. Your brand's integrity and memorability depend on it.
Whatever you do, don't get stuck on one idea, just because you fall in love with it. Listen to your team. Listen to the input of everyone around you. Not all customers think the same way as you, and certainly none are as attached to your product or brand. You can't throw away endless money and/or will an idea to work because you think it's cool or brilliant. How you are perceived by your audience will often be drastically different than you perceive yourself. Be ready to adapt and move quickly in response.
Most importantly, make sure when you launch your new campaign, that you and your entire team is behind it. Talk to everyone. Is each person sending the same message? Maintain consistency and support your message from within. Don't lose sight of those goals, or the strategy you've all worked so hard to produce.
And remember, it's the original idea that counts the most, not the marketing behind it.
R.J. Frasca
President & CEO
3 Guesses Media, Inc.