| You have a message you want to get out. That's | | | | have to strategize how you can reach that outcome. |
| great. However, you have a lot of competition for | | | | Let's take the restaurant campaign as our example. |
| the attention of your audience. Direct mail, TV and | | | | You want to reach local customers and increase your |
| radio advertising, newspaper and periodical advertising | | | | customer base and your ability to communicate to |
| and of course, internet advertising. And we have not | | | | your audience. The first thing you need is data. Data |
| even started talking about social media (for example, | | | | can come from many sources, but no matter what, |
| Twitter and Facebook). All of this competition for the | | | | data is king in this information age. You can use a list |
| attention of your audience could be bad news. The | | | | you have generated on your own or you can buy a |
| good news is that you have so many channels, or | | | | list. Either way, it is a first step toward more |
| tools, to get your message out. With a little | | | | effective communication. |
| knowledge and some well-planned strategy your | | | | You can also use a number of methods to reach |
| business can be one of the few that get the right | | | | your audience. Direct mail, email, internet advertising, |
| message to the right audience at the right time. Here | | | | text messaging, advertising, or combinations of all of |
| are three tools to make sure that your message | | | | them. As we are focusing on data, let's look at a |
| stands out. | | | | very basic, targeted customer acquisition campaign. |
| If you wanted to pound a nail into a wall, you would | | | | First, you need your list. For this example, let's say |
| not use a pair of pliers. Likewise, if you wanted to | | | | you have no data of your own so you need to buy |
| tighten a faucet, you would not use a hammer. In | | | | a list. There are more companies selling lists out there |
| other words, you need the right tool for the right | | | | than there are grains of sand on Cape Cod (hey, I'm |
| job. That means you need to know two critical | | | | a Boston guy; if it makes you feel better, you can |
| pieces of information: 1) what is your desired | | | | say the beaches of Long Island - the point is the |
| outcome and 2) what is the best tool to get you | | | | same). The key here is to make sure you use a |
| there. This is true in any endeavor, be it carpentry, | | | | reputable, list broker who keeps their list current and |
| plumbing or communicating. Here, of course, we are | | | | accurate. If your list is out of date, your campaign is |
| talking about communication, which is a good thing | | | | doomed from the start. |
| because I know nothing about either carpentry or | | | | TOOL TWO: CURRENT, ACCURATE DATA IS KING! |
| plumbing. | | | | Which strategy do you think will yield better results? |
| On the other hand, I do know about communicating | | | | 1. I will send out mailers to 100,000 people to get |
| a message. Effective marketing and communications | | | | more business. |
| require you to start with the end in mind. What is it | | | | 2. I will mail 10,000 personalized postcards every |
| you want to accomplish? Ask yourself, at the end of | | | | week for ten weeks. Each card will have a personal |
| this, what do I want to have happen? Without this | | | | URL so that the effectiveness of the message can |
| critical piece of knowledge, you can never | | | | be improved every week. |
| strategically get where you want to go. You could | | | | OK, that was a stupid question. Obviously, answer |
| end up there accidentally, but it would take you a lot | | | | number 2 will get you better results. My insane pet |
| more time and a lot more money. In this economy, | | | | dog even got that answer right (then he peed on |
| very few of us have extra time or money. I know I | | | | my rug). Yet despite the fact that answer number |
| sure as heck don't. | | | | one obviously results in a less effective |
| So what is the goal of your marketing campaign? | | | | communication strategy, I have seen more |
| Obtain more leads for your sales staff? Drive visitors | | | | companies engage in that type of marketing than I |
| to your website? Get people into a local restaurant? | | | | have seen engage in the second method. Sometimes |
| Have people buy their next car from your dealership? | | | | the obvious solution is not the easiest solution. |
| Create a robust online community? Whatever the | | | | The ability to accurately measure results is critical to |
| answer is, you need a clear picture of your desired | | | | success in communication. Who saw the message? |
| outcome before you can strategize how to get | | | | Who opened the email? Who read the post card? |
| there. You then need accurate information in the | | | | Who used the QR Code on their mobile phone? |
| form of accurate data and business intelligence so | | | | When did they read it? Who went to the web |
| you will know what is relevant to your audience. | | | | landing page and what did they do there? All of this |
| Finally, your offer has to be one that allows a win for | | | | information is easily ascertainable and it is extremely |
| you and your audience. | | | | valuable. |
| SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK INSIDE OUR STRATEGIC | | | | With this list you send out a direct mail piece with a |
| TOOLBOX: | | | | compelling call to action to visit a web landing page. In |
| - TOOL #1: KNOW YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME | | | | our restaurant hypothetical, you might offer a |
| BEFORE YOU START | | | | coupon for a free appetizer when you visit the web |
| - TOOL #2: CURRENT, ACCURATE DATA IS KING | | | | landing page and complete a brief survey and sign up |
| - TOOL #3: MAKE INTERACTIONS WIN-WIN | | | | for the restaurant's newsletter. By doing this, your |
| We will look at each of these in more detail in this | | | | customer is opting into future communications. The |
| week's three part series Three Tools to Build an | | | | survey might ask which pizza topping is the |
| Outstanding Communication Strategy. So make sure | | | | customer's favorite. This accomplishes a number of |
| you check back, or even better, subscribe to the | | | | things. One, you now have a list of warm leads who |
| feed. Don't miss out on a tool you could use to build | | | | you know are interested in your product. Two, you |
| your business. | | | | know their preferences from the survey. Three, you |
| TOOL ONE: KNOW YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME | | | | have their permission to send them subsequent, |
| BEFORE YOU START! | | | | targeted communications with specials and offers |
| Good communication is never random. Never left to | | | | (this includes sending text messages...but SMS texting |
| chance. There is a strategy behind the best, most | | | | is the subject of another post). The point is that for |
| effective communication campaigns. To come up with | | | | the cost of a postcard and appetizer, you now have |
| an effective strategy, you have to start at the end. | | | | even more customers and even more accurate data. |
| That's right, start at the end. By that, I mean you | | | | And as customers come in, you keep track of their |
| must determine what you are looking to accomplish | | | | orders, likes, dislikes and other relevant patterns. You |
| with the campaign. There are some examples in | | | | build a great database. |
| earlier sections (I assume you have read the earlier | | | | TOOL 3: MAKE INTERACTIONS WIN-WIN! |
| parts of the series. If not, shame on you! But | | | | Now that our pizza shop owner has all of this data, |
| because I am a nice guy, here is a link). | | | | what can be done with it to help generate revenue? |
| Quite simply, you cannot start any journey without | | | | After all, generating revenue is the point here. SO |
| knowing the destination. Lewis Carroll summed it up | | | | let's continue with our example. With the data |
| nicely when he said, "If you don't know where you | | | | collected data, our restaurant owner can send |
| are going, any road will get you there." Even Plato | | | | personalized email offers that match not only the |
| understood this, stating in The Republic that "[t]he | | | | customer's needs and desires, but the restaurant's as |
| beginning is the most important part of the work." A | | | | well. If you know you have a boatload of excess |
| clear outcome is where you start your work. | | | | pepperoni, you might offer a free pepperoni topping |
| What is the difference between a wish and a clearly | | | | with the purchase of a large pizza. You can target |
| defined outcome? | | | | that message in an email or text message to |
| A clear outcome is well defined with start dates, end | | | | customers you know buy pepperoni pizza (remember |
| dates and metrics by which you can measure your | | | | - you have been tracking customer buying patterns). |
| success. Your outcome should be objective. Instead | | | | So now you have a win-win outcome. You, the |
| of "I want more leads," you should be saying, "I | | | | restaurant owner, sells more pepperoni pizza when |
| want 5% of the recipients of this message to go to | | | | you need to, and your customers that love |
| the web-landing page and register for our monthly | | | | pepperoni get a price break on what they love. It is |
| newsletter." In the first example, one new lead would | | | | good for all, and that is marketing at its best. How |
| meet your goal. If you are selling nuclear submarines, | | | | can you leverage you company's data to create |
| that might actually be your goal, but most of us are | | | | win-win situations for customers and prospects? Do |
| not in the business of selling one-offs. The difference | | | | you need to start collecting data? Leave some |
| in the second example is that you have a | | | | feedback and share your experiences. |
| measurable, objective way to determine if your | | | | Now, if you will excuse me, I am suddenly hungry for |
| communication strategy is successful. | | | | a piece of pizza. |
| Once you have your outcome clearly defined, you | | | | |