We always start our 'homework' at the end, your goals and objectives. What are your targets? What do you want to achieve? We both need to clearly understand this so the strategy can be focused and results measurable.
We need to understand it's character and above all, what are it's unique or key selling points. Often, a clients idea of what its USP's are can be very different to how its core market sees it. At every step of this 'homework' process, we need to challenge everything.
Understanding you is a key element to a successful campaign. Your profile, positioning, how the market perceives you, your corporate tone of voice and how brave you are! Sometimes a company’s USP is stronger than the product or service's USP so this could lead the campaign strategy in a very different direction.
What is happening in the world we live in and how does the product or service relate to these issues? Local and global influences can be negative or positive depending on how we 'associate' the campaign strategy to them...
Who are they, what do they do, how do they do it, what is their tone of voice, what do they do well and badly – essential research that could lead to finding niche gaps in the market for exploitation.
Demographic time! Who they are, where they are, what they read, how they live – we need to create a buying profile. We need to get inside their heads and find out what really makes them tick. Commissioning a research project can add immeasurably to the market understanding and can also be used for pre-release public reaction.
After all that work, we are back at the start! This is the best bit – but it only works if you have gone through the research process thoroughly – its ‘concept’ time… Ideas, words, pictures, doodles. No idea is a bad idea and with a whole team throwing everything, and we really mean everything, into the pot, a host of ideas will come out.
Creating the visuals based on the research and our understanding of the product and market. Commercial realism is essential – it’s got to deliver the required goals. We always try to have a spread of ideas to go through with you and then work together to fine tune the campaign's final theme.
Communicating the message. TV, paper, radio, PR, direct mail, ambient, exhibitions, viral, e-marketing, stunt, social networking, sponsorships, competition… the list of available marketing communications is endless – we just need to ensure the methods used are the most relevant and deliver the highest responses.
Sometimes this is the hardest part of all, but it is vital. Ongoing response management enables changes to be made during the campaign to maximise response levels. Post campaign analysis helps to fine tune future campaigns.
This is what we call ‘homework’. It’s the way we work with all our clients. It’s strategic marketing meets business development, and it’s absolutely vital to successful marketing.
Our ‘homework’ process is our unique way of working with you, and YOU are a vital part of it.