What will deliver the goods for you in 2011 in terms of advertising ROI? The options available are captured in the following marketing drivers: Advertising, Public Relations, Direct Mail, Sponsorships and Events, Digital (online and mobile) and Word of Mouth. Of course these don’t include the trade activity that is an available option for brand mangers’ investments.
Here are some of the things to consider:
- What’s your brand positioning? Premium brands should be seen less. Mainstream brands should be seen more. And what does seen more mean? Figure it out for your brand. Seen more might be an investment in the absolute best billboard in the country or it could mean a viral campaign
- What’s your market position? Leaders should own share of voice. Third place brands and lower should do nothing that the first 2 placed brands are doing. They just don’t have the scale. Find another route into your customers’ minds
- What’s your budget? Go ahead and tell your agency the whole truth and nothing but the truth. They will be in a better position to help you invest it effectively when they have the whole story
- This may sound strange, but please keep some of your budget for your internal customer, aka your staff, the people who leave their homes every day to come to their other home. This is a grossly under utilized opportunity for evangelizing your brand
- Don’t just jump on the digital wagon because it’s the flavor of the month; engage don’t broadcast and if you are not prepared to engage then forget digital
- Use traditional media if it still works in reaching and influencing your customers. I know online is taking share of mind, however, T&T still only has 40% Internet penetration and some folks can’t even plug in a computer
