6 Tips for making efficient and effective marketing launch plans
Whether you are a well-established brand trying to steal marketing share or expand into an overseas market, or a new business launching for the first time, there are some basic learnings that can be applied to all marketing launch plans. There will be nuances in the budget size, what the primary goals are and what the exact right tactics are, but the overarching principles of strong marketing plans remain the same, regardless of the life cycle stage the brand is in (new, growing, or mature).
Having worked on all three of the above types of brands, within international and UK markets, I have had my fair share of experiences and learnings whilst developing marketing plans. So without further ado, here are my 6 tips based on my own successes and failures for making the most effective and efficient marketing plans and optimising every penny you have:
1. Whenever possible, link marketing tactics to a call-to-action (CTA)
You just got a sample for a new product while walking through the park, it tasted great! Then more likely than not, you move on with your day and completely forget about the brand. Marketers need to constantly be thinking, what do you want people to do/think/feel when they have an interaction with your brand. Without a clear CTA, marketing tactics can lack measurable results. Some examples of tactics with a clear CTA:
Social advertising that drives consumers to amazon to buy now
Product sampling that includes a flyer or coupon with explanation on where to purchase the product
Out-of-home ads that are located near a store and say something along the lines of "You can now find us at Sainsburys!"
2. Hang your brand creative on one central creative idea
Successful brands, irrespective of size, remain consistent to one overriding creative idea that communicates BOTH the emotional and functional benefits of the brand. Agency change and marketing team change tends to breed brand creative change, which undermines your brand-building efforts. Find a good creative agency, ask for a BIG idea, execute it distinctively and then stick with them.
3. Spend more money on maximising reach than developing the creative assets.
I've briefed many agencies on new campaigns or launches, and they've come back with the budget and have allocated more money towards developing overly complex creative assets than on actually reaching consumers. It's a common mistake to go overboard on creative costs that are not required to communicate with consumers. You wind up with lovely assets, but by the time the production is paid for, you don't have enough budget to reach many consumers. Challenge agencies to slim down on creative costs with smart, simple, and effective creatives in favour of maximising media reach.
4. Creative concepts should be simple, relevant and linked directly to the product
I've seen too many creative ideas that miss the mark because they either:
Are disconnected from the product/do not serve the purpose of promoting the brand
Take too long to understand
Are irrelevant to the consumers you are trying to target
Remember, you have very little time to capture people's attention. Don't forget that consumers are busy, impatient and move on quickly if you don't immediately pique their interest with a product that's relevant to their life.
5. No Money? No problem!
Budgets are often really tight, to the point where they feel prohibitive, particularly if you are a start-up company. There is enormous pressure to achieve high results with little budget. The key here is to prioritise. Start with the tactics that are most directly linked back to driving your rate of sale (things like in-store promotions, shopper marketing, point-of-sales displays, etc.), and work your way back from the store until your budget is fully allocated.
6. Small distribution? No mass advertising!
Don't waste your money on mass-market advertising (such as TV & out-of-home billboards, etc.) if you don't have mass distribution. Whilst you are still building your distribution, marketing needs to be highly targeted towards areas where your product can be purchased. Whether that is online, Ocado, D2C, certain retailers, your marketing should be as close to the product purchase point as possible.
Last but not least
The best way to improve marketing plans is to experiment and learn from your mistakes with a test & learn approach. If trying out new ideas, invest lightly, monitor heavily, and be ready to pivot quickly when something is not proving results.