This is a slightly complex post. This is because it is about Campaign Management for Marketing.

As well as helping you out a bit, one of the things you'll realise is that marketing is one of the most difficult fields in which to become an expert - the breadth of skills to run an effective campaign is considerable. This is just one approach.

1. Target Market

This is not a finger pointing exercise demanding, "I want more of them!"

• Does this market exist in the numbers you need/want in the local community?

• How many do you already have in your membership?

Skills needed:

• Statistics (mean, median, mode, comparative/historical, correlation, predictive, etc.)

• Graphical representation in Excel or similar

• Research ability on macro-economic forces (political, technology, socio-economic, etc.)

• Writing down research findings into usable data.

2. The Compelling Offer

Now you know all about your target market because you've done the research above, you'll be able to pick a number of compelling offers to entice this group. Now match that with your vision and values. Look! You've had a realisation of a compelling offer that is... REMARKABLE. UNIQUE. COMPELLING.

Skills needed:

• Vision and creativity

• Risk management / risk taking - not the zone for ultra-safety types!

3. Defining Success

Remember those cassette tapes that encouraged you to 'visualise success'? This is better, because you actually have to write it down.

A campaign costs something and, at some point, it starts to return your money. Detail where the break even point is and the point of 'success'. Success may be a ROI%, increase in membership numbers, improvement in satisfaction ratings... any number of things!

Skills needed:

• Basic accounting and micro-economic maths

• Simple ratios (and more complex for larger campaigns)

• Graphical representation and writing things down.

4. Implement!

This is what marketing types are renowned for - our love of pictures, colours, word-porn, getting on the microphone, our big hair...

But the important one here is PROJECT MANAGEMENT. How to get the message to the right market in a number of different ways at the same time! And remember to tell the staff.

5. Monitor

Here is where the sales / tickets / income / likes / etc. are keenly watched. We have already defined success so we have a handy comparison chart to see if our campaign is on track... or not. If it isn't, it's time to push communication here or change details of the campaign there. If the ground work is solid, then it may just need a tweak. Better to do it in week 3 rather than wait until week 8 when it's all over.

Skills needed:

• A strong temperament!

• Analysis (see skills for 1. Select your Target Market)

• Basic accounting (see skills for 3. Define Success).

6. Measure and Report

The promotion has been run. The results are in. If monitored correctly, then this shouldn't be too much of a surprise. If the campaign has worked, then you're a genius, because even with the best ground work there are so many causal factors in play to manage along the way (e.g. the weather, equipment failure, etc.). If it hasn't worked as well as you wanted, then go back and learn something which will help next time.

Skills needed:

• Basic accounting and micro-economic maths

• Qualitative results e.g. observations, change in traffic, photographs

• Quantitative results e.g. survey of members, increased sales in other areas

• Simple ratios (and more complex for larger campaigns)

• Graphical representation

• Presenting in PowerPoint or similar

• Writing things down in a formal report.

#marketing #campaignmanagement