Keep Your Marketing Message Simple
Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of activities, distribution channels, potential promotional opportunities and new trends or rules for social media? For many marketing communications and public relations professionals, business owners and community groups, there's the common issue of a large number of tasks that must be accomplished with limited time and resources.
So where do we start? When in doubt, just keep it simple. Go back to your organization's mission, vision and goals to ensure that strategic initiatives support priorities. It's always better to do fewer, more strategic initiatives well than to scatter your focus and resources. As you review and adjust, keep in mind these four trends while you create the most mutually beneficial partnerships, promotions, and publicity:
Word of mouth is always the number one reason people act, buy or support an organization. The key is giving target customers the tools they need to engage and share their enthusiasm with their networks. Mobile marketing is here to stay. Think about a scenario in which one person in a group texts his or her contacts about plans for later in the day or over the weekend. Before you know it, options are researched, and shared. Plans are made, and money is spent based on the information gathered from mobile searches, communication and coordination.
In the end, it's about the content, and how to distribute key messages in meaningful ways so that it's easy and fun to engage a wider target audience. The trends show that photos and videos continue to be the most effective ways to engage audiences through contests and promotions on Facebook, as well as other sites such as Instagram. One of our collective challenges will continue to be efficiently integrating content posted to Twitter, blogs, corporate websites, Tumbler, Google Plus, sites such as Facebook and Instagram, and the ever-expanding list of important applications and social media platforms.
We all want relevant, real-time information that's specific to our immediate needs and interests. As we at The Hanover Theatre continue to promote our message, “Experience the New Worcester,” we're careful to evaluate partnerships and promotions based on their relevance to our branding, strategic goals, and our key messages that align with our mission and vision.
It's worth the investment in training and technology to take advantage of the trends and keep current. Remember that people care about people, and the human interest angle will almost always generate the highest engagement. As you develop your overall marketing and media plans for the year ahead, include specific ways each team member can own appropriate components. Their commitment and enthusiasm for sharing content is key to your success with future promotions, partnerships and publicity. Plus, it's a lot of fun, I promise!
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Lisa Condit is director of marketing and public relations at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Worcester. She also hosts “Behind the Scenes at The Hanover Theatre,” a Sunday morning radio show on WCRN AM. Contact her at lisa@thehanovertheatre.org or through LinkedIn.
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