Marketing Communications. Sounds big. So do you need a dedicated marketing communications department with several marketing degrees between them to handle it? Nope. You just need YOU. That’s because YOU are actually the most qualified person to work on your business’ marketing communications.
Why? Because YOU know your business in greater detail than anyone else. Plus, if you have been integral in developing the business plan, and marketing plan and know your niche market intimately, YOU can create winning communications that actually generate response and sales, even without a marketing team around you. So, get ready to advertise your business to the public.
The right way to target customers
To get you started, remember that all forms of marketing communications or marketing channels (be it print advertising, Facebook ads, newsletters, editorials, radio ads, direct mail or any others) should utilise the following principles to gain response:
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AIDA – In this order, your marketing communications must grab ATTENTION, generate INTEREST, build DESIRE and then call someone to take ACTION. Test whether your next marketing communication/campaign does this. If it doesn’t, can you tweak it so that it does? You will get a better response if you do.
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PAIN-POINT – Speak to a known frustration of your audience, or speak in a way that relates to them. For example, if your audience puts up with ‘wet shoes’ in the rain when all they need to do is purchase your ‘shoe protectors’ to stay dry, your strategy for generating a great response might be to highlight what the problems are when you have wet shoes and need to get on with your day. Don’t shy away from what your audience will really relate to and respond to.
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WIIFM – Address this important question from the perspective of the audience, “What’s in it for me?” Put yourself in their shoes, even if that means role-playing with other colleagues to determine the communication that gets the best response. If your audience knows how their life will be better as a result of dealing with you, there’s a high likelihood that they’ll contact you.
Once you have been through these steps, the media that your communications need will become self-evident. If you need to tell a certain story, make a point or demonstrate your product to generate a big response, then choose the channel (web, radio, print etc.) that does this best.
Also, remember that a proper marketing plan and research are a must when it comes to choosing the ways to reach your target market. Not every single person is your ideal customer and marketing communication tools should work in your favour to make things happen.
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