Does your E-Marketing Strategy look like this?
Blast! Every time I hear that word associated with an on-line marketing campaign I want to excuse myself, head to the men’s room and scream into the bowl. There’s no excuse in this day and age to bomb blindly into an audience that is not your intended target and worse, not expecting it.
This is a modern day mortar team. The guys dropping those rounds into the tube have no idea where that baby is going. That’s why they have that guy on the left working the co-ordinates, getting feedback and getting the team to keep making adjustments to zero in or “walk” the mortar or message, into the desired zone. It takes patience and a clearly defined target to accomplish your mission. Can’t tell some folks that though, “let’s get a list and blast the shit out of them, someone has to take the bait”!
An empty message and an itchy trigger finger will blow up in your face every time. If you do zero in on the proper audience and are able to hit your mark, you need to do damage assessment, meaning analyze how effective your delivery was and what type of ammunition you might need on the next assault. Don’t get trigger happy.
E-Marketing should be a coordinated strategy that should include everyone in the sales and marketing organization. It must be permission based with everyone in the huddle. You need sales to acquire the e-mail addresses and promise your customer it will not be abused. The content should be specific to every segment of your business that you’re trying to move.
Each time you reach out and interrupt your customer you better have something valuable and specific to them (not yourself). You are trying to build a dialogue, so don’t go beating your chest too early or they’ll drop off the hook. Once that bird has flown, it ain’t coming back.
The heavy lifting comes in the form of making sure you’re talking to the right people and delivering content that they will spread virally and grow your base. That’s why it’s important to to start with a smaller target. If your messaging is on target and more information based, they will share this valuable information and end up selling for you.
But creating compelling content, analyzing feedback and creating cheer leaders is not easy. It takes a wide view and a deliberate mindset to create communities that will welcome your messaging. But it’s hard to tell some companies that. Remember, you’re dating, you don’t walk into a bar and ask someone to marry you. Do you?
Find out their specific interests and play to those with information they will appreciate and share with their friends and associates. Don’t clobber them with the gift of you. They want to embrace you, not endure you.
If you have any questions or need advice, please feel free to reach out to me here.
Bob O’Hearn
508-517-6714
bob@doubleocreative.com
Please note: I welcome comments that are offensive, illogical or off-topic from readers in all states of consciousness.