Digital Marketing that Works

Jill Kurtz, Owner, Kurtz Digital StrategyEffective digital marketing takes a deliberate approach to research, planning, managing and measuring. Marketers that take the time to get through all these steps will be rewarded with measurable success.There are many channels, tactics and tools for marketers to choose from. A plan will increase the chances that you use the right mix for the right reasons. You can have the desired impact with a relatively small budget.If you fail to plan, you leave everything to chance. Your chances of success are like a roll of the dice. You may score big, you may get nothing.

Key Steps to Your Digital Marketing Campaign

Set your campaign goals.

Define what you want to achieve. Be as specific as possible. You will know you are specific enough when it is clear how you will determine if you have gotten there. Now you have both a goal and measurement.

Understand your audience.

Hint: Your audience is something more specific than everyone. I’m exaggerating here to make a point: take time to really understand who you are marketing to. The more specific your understanding, the more targeted your plan will be.Define your audience beyond basic demographics – what do they like? dislike? what are their perceptions about you? Dig into every detail.

Define your message.

What’s your message? Take time to define the master message, both text and visuals. All of your campaign messaging and materials should be directly related to the master message.A laser focus on consistent messaging and visuals will allow all the elements of your campaign to build on one another.

Create a plan.

Really. Write out the day by day, week by week plan to implement your campaign. What will be done? Who will do it?Break down your strategy into the individual tasks that will add up to your success. Follow the plan to make sure you are accomplishing all the elements.I’ve seen great ideas with huge budgets behind them with no plan. The effort quickly gets off the rails. With no plan there is no chance for quick correction. You have to back up and figure it all out, again.

Measure as you go.

At every step, assess if you are moving in the right direction toward your ultimate goal. Make course corrections as needed.A great idea may prove worthless in reaching your goal. Drop it.A new idea may emerge that is successful. Do more.Your plan should be a living document that adjusts as it rolls out. Write it down, but don’t set it in stone. Nothing is as important as moving toward your goal.