There is No Magic Marketing Bullet

However there are tools and strategies, that when combined, help you hit the target.

5 Tips For Planning an Effective Marketing Campaign

Tip #1: Set Measurable Goals

The worst thing you can do when planning a marketing campaign is to not set measurable goals. Obviously, some of your goals will have a longer last effect and thus harder to measure in a timely manner. At a minimum, decide what numbers you are going to keep track of and which ones are most important to your and your stakeholders

Tip #2: Define Your Audience

Sorry, a marketing campaign shouldn't focus on who YOU are. It should focus on the best way to reach your GOALS and who is going to help you reach those goals; more customers, bigger deals, better quality leads. etc.

Make sure you know what channels your audience "lives" in and make sure your marketing campaign addresses those channels FIRST!

Tip #3: Diversify Your Marketing Channels

Not everyone spends time on Facebook (however a lot do). Not everyone looks for business advice and potential jobs on LinkedIn (it's a great tool though). Email open rates vary from 2-10%. So not everyone you send a digital message to will see it. Consider opening up the scope of your marketing channels and actively look for new (to you) channels where your customers/leads spend time. Think of a collage instead of a single framed picture. Think of a spiderweb instead of a tow-rope. Consider a net rather than a rod-and-reel.

Tip #4: Plan To Succeed

Make sure you know what goals will be met to identify the success of a campaign. Next, make sure you actually document a plan an follow it. Some of the best marketing plans fall apart because key tactics were forgotten or stalled out due to red-tape or indecisiveness.

Tip 5: Maximize The Plan's Failures

Marketing initiatives don't always work. That is a given. It doesn't mean you did the wrong thing or set the wrong goals. Although taking ownership of a failure can help to motivate you to find the gaps and fill them, make sure you document the failures and squeeze as much as you can out of them.

Remember!

If you're missing one or more of these items, it's NEVER too late to pivot and shore up your marketing initiatives.

Please feel free to add to this list!