Deadhead for prolific marketing campaigns
Some of you are already thinking, “What the hell does the Grateful Dead have to do with my business?” That’s not exactly the kind of “Dead Head” I was referring to. Actually, the analogy referred to the practice of cutting off the spent blooms of some flowers to get new ones: also known as deadheading. It occurred to me that smaller companies rarely focus their marketing, so they produce more. They tend to send out a campaign and then drop it. If you do that with your roses or geraniums you will have many leaves and few flowers. If you want your good marketing strategies to be great, we need to borrow techniques from successful gardeners.
Just cut what’s dead Often, we take the entire campaign and launch it with the feeling that it wasn’t working well enough. Look at it objectively. The graphics may be good, but the copy is bad. Or, you are using it for the wrong purpose and audience. For example, if you leave stacks of brochures, consider who will be there and why. Your cover is the most important part. If it’s one of those about how good my business is, they’re probably gathering dust. Just change the cover, don’t get rid of the brochure.
Replenishment for optimal sun exposure – Using the brochure example, perhaps you are not placing it in a place with enough traffic. If you’ve been reading my previous posts and have done even the slightest amount of tracking/testing, you should know which places convert best. If they find you on Facebook, maybe it’s time to move your brochure online where prospects are already finding you. Don’t let the medium scare you. If the flyer is well printed, just pull up a copy in a Facebook note or on your website and voila – instant online flyer.
Fertilize for vigorous growth – When your campaign converts well, the way to make it great is for those conversions to convert into new customers. Those new customers need to be pampered and refined to get more business. Like our flowering plants, some are prolific and others could use the right care. This pampering can be in the form of thanks, special offers, referrals for your business. Plan ahead for a successful engagement.
Take care of plants when they are dormant – When a growing season ends, you need to protect that plant so it will come back strong the next season. Clients are no different. I often hear, “Once I’m done with that job, I have to go out and find more.” Well yes, you always have to be prospecting. But if you have a long-term plan for your past clients, you should look for referrals and new engagements.
A campaign can produce tons of fruit if you care for it carefully. Approaching your marketing campaigns in this way is respectful and gives you a great opportunity to create amazing customer experiences, the kind people tell others about. Plan a successful campaign.
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