Changing one small thing

We all know what can happen when you change just one thing – whether it be the paint colour in a room – the room seems brighter, bigger, more exclusive or modern and the different clothes you wear can make you look professional, scruffy, casual, fat or thin and these are just two examples.

Well this was really brought home to me when chatting to a very dear friend and work colleague. She had been sent a link on YouTube of some guys dancing at a music festival. I’m sure they looked really cool when dancing to the original dance music, but when replaced with the Benny Hill theme tune and well, you just have to laugh.

This got me thinking, how changing one element can alter the whole message and how true this is in marketing. Your image, tone of voice, perceived customer, or placement of marketing material are just a few of the points key to a successful campaign. With just one item out of place, incorrectly researched, or not understood and it can all go horribly wrong.

The key to a good marketing campaign is understanding who your customers are and why they come to you. How is your product understood and perceived by them. Do you really know them, or do you just think you know who they are or who you would like them to be, or should be. Before you start, find out!

Once you have identified your audience and set realistic goals for your budget, you can take a look at the many different options available to reach your audience. Promote one clear idea and remember that different messages and tones of voice will appeal to different demographics. Research shows that you have about 3 seconds to grab the attention of your customer, so your message needs to be concise and cleverly targeted.

I always like to test my ideas on someone not directly involved in the project, to see if they stand up. I also like to see all new creative without having a conceptual explanation from the creative team first. This allows me to see it ‘blind’, without knowing the creative thinking behind it. An explanation should not be necessary and will not be there when your customer sees the advert. It may also sway your objective evaluation of the concept and not allow you to see it as a customer would.

Finally, you need to measure the results, work out your return on investment and look at what you achieved.

So, log in to YouTube, type in ‘music festival Benny Hill’ and see what can happen when one contributing factor is changed. If you would then like some help or advice to avoid the many pitfalls associated with creating a marketing strategy and campaign, give JoyStars a call on 01403 790146 or email heather@joystars.co.uk.

With over 25 years’ experience in profile-raising Marketing, Event and Public Relations Experience, JoyStars provide a friendly, highly professional and rigorously fair service, optimising creative, strategic and cost effective marketing to achieve your goals, meet your deadlines and strengthen your company brand.