Three Likely Reasons Why Your Last Marketing Campaign Bit The Dust

In the marketing industry, there is a tried-and-true formula: An effective marketing campaign is all about delivering the right message to the right people at the right time. That seems simple enough. But should any part of this formula slip out of balance, an entire campaign can fall flat. I’ve designed and executed thousands of campaigns, and if we ever stray from this mantra, our results leave something to be desired. 

To build a solid marketing plan, you must know your buyer, present a clear and differentiated message, and determine the right channel and timing for that message. If your marketing team draws a blank when you pose any of these three points as a question, it may explain why your last campaign bit the dust.

1. Know your buyer.

The single most important question you can ask yourself when beginning a marketing campaign is, “Who is my audience?” Some people call an “audience” the “economic buyer.” Others call it the “persona” or “customer.” Regardless of who this audience is, you will need to become intimately acquainted with them.

To understand your audience, I’d recommend building what is called “buyer personas.” This is professional jargon for a one-sheet that tells you who your audience is and what they care about. The buyer’s persona will often include pain points, buying behavior, metrics that their personas are measured against, hobbies and usually other typical demographics. Don’t forget that in today’s B2B marketplace, there are usually multiple buyers for a single product.

2. Differentiate your message.

There’s more to an effective message than merely saying everything you hope a customer wants to hear. Instead, your message must be consistent with your company’s brand and goals. Remember, you’ve developed your buyer persona(s), so you know your target. Your next task is to highlight your market differentiator. If you don’t know, here are some things you can do to explore what that differentiator is….[Read More]