Putting together a marketing campaign CAN be one of the most effective ways to build your brand. A marketing campaign is a coordinated strategy marketing a specific brand and/or product to a target audience across ideal mediums. Sounds simple, right? On paper, sure, but there are a hundred small ways your campaign can struggle to get off of paper and become effective in the real world. Let’s look at some common mistakes below…
Setting Expectations
How do you challenge your marketing team without making your goals unattainable?
- Define Roles and set deadlines, adjust these if you need to by scheduling regular team check-ins and tracking your projects task list through a project management tool like Asana.
- Know your limits – push yourself to achieve your goals, but make sure the time, effort, and budget you invest are realistic.
- Understand the channels and mediums you are using – just like you, there will be limits in what you can do through social media vs. email.
Setting Goals and Metrics
- Try SMART goals for clarity. Being Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound will make sure your team is operating from the same blue print right off the bat.
- Avoid using marketing jargon and communicate concrete goals and metrics.
- Find a baseline – do a little research on similar campaigns run by competitors or internally to help you identify goals that worked.
A Little Research Goes a Long Way
You can have all the right goals, set reasonable expectations, and perfectly crafted ads, but none of this matters if the people you are reaching have zero interest or need for your brand/product. Ask yourself the following questions to help identify your target audience:
- Who are your current clients?
- What need does your brand meet?
- What purchasing power do you appeal to?
- Are there geographical restrictions? Are you expanding or growing?
Along with research around your target audience and goal setting, understand what else is going on around your campaign. Timing is everything when running a marketing campaign – some of it comes down to luck, but do your research around the following to help inform your best possible timing:
- Politics – no need to become directly involved, but the political climate can effect people’s willingness to spend.
- Industry Trends – what is going on in your sector market that may affect your marketing campaign? Don’t forget to check out PR & Survey Data as well.
- Broader Economic Trends – will inflation, employment, and disposable income impact your appeal to consumers?
Lack of Visibility & Brand Confusion
Nothing kills a marketing campaign like the inability to be seen or heard by your target audience. If you have inconsistent branding, are missing the right channels to connect with your target audience, or simply, don’t know where to begin, consider taking the following steps:
- Work with experts, like Acquire Marketing. This is a double-win – you can reduce your marketing budget by outsourcing work AND the right firm will be able to help you identify and avoid the above-listed pitfalls.
- Engage and be present. Social medial algorithms note your activity. If you are not interacting with social media users, your posts will be buried beneath those who are active. Remember, this can also deepen your connection with your ideal clients and build your brand experience into something deeper.
