We here at JumpStart have been a part of hundreds of marketing campaigns. Some are big, others are small; some are frugal, while others are expansive. But regardless of the size, the path to campaign success only requires three simple steps.
Keep these three factors in mind and you’ll be well on your way to campaign success.
1. Manageability
With any campaign, you need to be able to effectively manage the entire campaign for the length of the campaign. First, you have to think of the who. Who is doing the work? Is it you? Do you have the time for it? Every single day, or week, or month?
If it is not you – or you realize it will take more than just you – do you have a team you can fall back on? All managers need to be aware of the broader goals that you are trying to achieve, along with the technical know-how to implement the campaign successfully.
Finally, the campaign must be measured. Peter Drucker was right: what gets measured gets managed. How are we going to gauge success? What metrics will we rely on? How long will it take to determine if a campaign is a success? Here at JumpStart, we recommend running the campaign for six months before considering making any changes.
2. Affordability
Another important factor is affordability – can you actually afford the campaign you’re planning? Many people start a campaign with little-to-no thought about the financial resources needed to reach the target audience. Contrary to popular thought, content isn’t free.
Can you afford to create, post, and advertise your content? What about creating, posting, and advertising it over and over? And what if the costs expand? Do you have the ability to expand with it?
Also, you’ll need to consider the opportunity cost – what else could have been done with this money instead? If we want a campaign to be successful, have we considered every option that is available and affordable?
“Affordable” means different things to different organizations, but all campaign owners need to be aware of the cost of the campaign.
3. Sustainability
Finally, the campaign needs to be sustainable. This is especially important for long-term campaigns. Sustainability includes having the ability to maintain interest in your campaign over time and continuing to reach your target audience effectively.
Do you have a deep well of ideas to pull from for your content? Is the subject broad enough to keep your audience engaged? What about your campaign team – do they have the stamina to keep going? And what happens when people take a day off or go on vacation?
While we often think of internet phenomenons as one-hit-wonders, the surest path to campaign success is consistency. When customers see a campaign repetitively, the impact grows.
Manageability, affordability, and sustainability are the keys to campaign success. We approach our campaigns this way and would love to help you with yours. Send us a note with your ideas, and we’ll get you started on the path to a successful campaign!
