In a perfect world, marketing projects would proceed in a smooth, clearly marked path from their beginnings – where the business objective is defined – past a series of landmarks – the marketing tactics – to the lovely endpoint of increased business revenue.
In a perfect world, this endpoint would be clearly measured in terms of revenue that neatly soars in a way that is directly attributable to the marketing spend.
In practice, the correlation between sales and marketing activities is often complex and difficult to define. The final decision to buy might sometimes be triggered by the PR, the advertising, or the two in tandem. It might even be triggered by a word of mouth recommendation six weeks later.
Frequently, customers – even when asked directly – cannot identify a single trigger for their decision to purchase.
What this means, of course, is that marketers are under real pressure to demonstrate that a great strategy always (or at least regularly) achieves great results. Yet too often, good strategies are undermined by poor implementation.
Here are six of the most common pitfalls that hinder the journey from business objectives to impressive results:
1.Database dangers
When was your database last contacted? Is it accurate? If your database is out of date, you are not reaching the intended audience – or even worse, having your messages fall on no ears at all – no matter how great your strategy is.
2.Talk, talk, talk
How often are your target markets hearing your voice – Customers? Staff? Prospects? Media? We’d like to remind you that each of these groups (with the possible exception of staff!) will quickly forget your existence if they’re not hearing from you regularly. It can be just as effective to communicate frequently in a low-key way with target groups, rather than having one ad on the US Superbowl
3.Great expectations
Can you clarify your organisations expected ROI of a project? Check your expectations against the expectations of others and clarify the definition of success among project stakeholders.
4.Act SMART
Too often objectives are broad, vague and impressive-sounding, making them unmeasurable. It is essential to set quantifiable objectives (or SMART goals that is, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely) against which you can measure the project’s outcomes.
5.Stay tuned
Be accountable. Keep up-to-date with all aspects of the project so that you get a feel for its trajectory and correspond appropriately should new opportunities arise.
6.Analyse and feedback to project participants so that you all gain wisdom of the project elements that did and didn’t work.
At the end of the day, if your tools are sharp your results will be too.
