For most people, the fun part of marketing is designing the creative – finding just the right imagery, colors, and tagline.
But for your creative to truly make the impact you’re looking for, it’s best to start with a foundation in research. That’s how you increase your chances of having the WOW! Factor in your creative.
1) RESEARCH
Get a feel for your product/service – what “problem” are you solving for your prospects?
Competitors – what are they missing that you can do? What can you do that is unique *and* valuable to your audience?
Audience – who are they? Where are they? What do they like to do? Who influences their decisions? How are other industries reaching them? What’s important to them? What do they need that you can provide?
Media – Which communication tools can reach that audience reliably and consistently?
Profit – How much do we make off of sales?
2) PLAN
What’s the overall goal?
And can you determine a measurable objective? (ex: Increase sales of purple widgets by 23% within 6 months of launching campaign)
Now that you know your audience, what type of theme or messaging is going to resonate with them? Which colors and imagery are sure to get their attention and reinforce your message?
Budget – how much should be invested based on what we make?
Timeline – are there better times of the day/wk/yr? Can we tie into a national holiday or special month? Any key events?
3) DELIVER
Identify your strategies and the tactics to carry them out.
To increase the chances of your message getting through, try to time it so all of your communication methods are reaching your audience around the same time.
4) EVALUATE
Did we achieve our objective?
Budget and timeline – were both on track?
What should we do differently next time?
© 2016 Jessica Walter, MS, APR
All content provided here is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of any organization with which the author is involved. Although the author makes an extensive effort to provide a complete representation of facts, there may additional helpful information provided by other sources. Whenever researching your own situation or devising a strategy, it is recommended to gather information from many sources. The author sincerely hopes that you find this information helpful and urges you to be inspired, to inspire others, and to be gentle with yourself as you continue on your path.
About the Author
Jessica Walter is a Communications Strategist with a passion for inspiring companies to live into their full potential. She’s found that the essential equation for long-term success includes Marketing, Culture, and Leader Development.
Jessica has been a marketing executive for a regional bank, a communications director for a health system, a public affairs officer for a Dept. of Defense command, and the assignment editor for a TV newsroom.
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