I’m one of those people who have to do exercise often and regularly to see any results whatsoever.  I used to see this as very bad, but have started to see it in a different light (must be an age thing).  Perhaps if I plan it, with realistic targets and lead times, it might just fit in with the time I have available and produce results (crisps and the ‘couple of’ glasses of red notwithstanding!).

Marketing is a lot like that.  If you don’t have a plan, realistic objectives and lead times, you are not going to see the results you want.  It works most effectively when you do the following:

–          Plan

–          Integrate

–          Deliver

At Appletree we create effective marketing campaigns for our clients because we follow these simple rules.

Planning

We always do this when we start working with a new client, and also when we run projects for existing clients.  What do you want to get out of the marketing?  Are these objectives realistic?  Who are you trying to reach?  What message do you want them to hear?  What time is available to achieve this?  Once these elements are agreed, the marketing activity is driven accordingly.  There are many channels and messages you can use to get your message across.  We help by tailoring campaigns using a combination of channels and messages – all tailored to your objectives.  It’s crucial to review the plan as you go along, tweaking and re-focusing to ensure all elements are still achievable.

Integration

It’s very rare that one marketing activity alone achieves the results you want.  These days there are numerous activities available.   It’s a marketers dream – there have never been such freely available, wide-reaching marketing tools, courtesy of the internet.  However, you need to choose your weapons with care.  Social media is a great platform for sending your message out, but your planning should dictate exactly which sites and messages you use.  It becomes more effective when you integrate your messages across many platforms – social media, websites, promotions, pricing.

Deliver

Once you’ve planned your activity, and ensured it is integrated across all your communication channels, you need to deliver it.  This is not a one-off activity.  Updating LinkedIn and Twitter for a week is not going to get the results you want.  Think little and often.  Send your message out regularly and consistently, and you will reap the rewards in the long-run.

If you’d like a meeting to discuss how you can use marketing effectively, give us a call on 01635 578500.