Guarantee a Standing Ovation

Posted 17 May 2011 by Stefanie Lightman

I was recently asked to develop a course module for the Online Marketing Institute. My session will address Integrated Strategy & Planning as the first section in a course developed to address the fundamentals of online marketing. As I sat and recorded my session, which was all about the importance of an integrated plan, it got me thinking.

The challenge we face as marketers is often not the ability to create a well structured plan but the ability to stay on course once we begin executing. In my opinion, this effort has become a greater challenge in the last years as the opportunities online continue to grow.

Marketing in 2001

Offline direct mail was often a large item in the mix
Email marketing was part but not nearly as sophisticated and targeted as we are today
Forward thinking organizations were caring for SEO but many of us were still learning
Organizations controlled the online message, what we sent out to the market was for the most part what our prospects and customers heard

Marketing Today

Offline direct mail rarely exists (especially in the B2B space)
Email marketing is one of many channels we can use to get our message across
SEO plays an important role and finding the right mix to drive demand
Building thought leadership in your industry becoming a trusted source instead of just a “vendor” is a key element of success
The web is driving the conversations, the messages we send can have impact but the power of the community wins out

What I am trying to point out is this… Back in 2001 we developed our message, sent it out and waited for response. Today while this may still apply in some context, responses come faster, the amount of channels are greater, and we are not in total control of our ability to impact.

So why was this top of mind when the topic I was covering was about building a plan? Planning is the simpler part, sticking to your message and building the continuous momentum is the bigger challenge.

Take the necessary time and think it through
Let’s face it – with some extra effort, I can build a new campaign and begin executing almost overnight. But just because the execution time can be faster, we should not cheat ourselves on the time needed to develop a well thought-out message. Who are you targeting? What are customers already saying? What will they respond to and why? Think through your message, don’t just throw it against a wall and see what sticks.

Reinvent along the way
How long should you wait to see if we have right message for your market? I would argue this takes time. If you don’t see the results you are expecting in the time frame you’ve planned, think about adjusting your message instead of abandoning it. Marketing is a metric driven practice. Coordinate your reporting from demand to sales and use the information to help determine how to build your message to be successful.

Don’t allow flexibility to bring chaos
There are many factors driving us; budget restrictions, sales requirements, corporate branding, just to name a few. All these factors influence our message and our ability to stay on path. Changing course is much easier and there is tremendous value in this flexibility. But don’t let this ability to adjust cause chaos. Quick wins are never better than long-term success. Establish your message and stick to it . How long you stay on course is up to you. Factor in your sales cycle and make sure that your message stays around long enough to impact deals.

So, while I applaud those that build a solid integrated plan, I give a standing ovation to those of you who take the time the build your plan around a well articulated message and stay on course long enough to drive real impact.

Guarantee a Standing Ovation

Posted 17 May 2011 by Stefanie Lightman

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