WHY AND HOW TO CREATE A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

The main objective of a marketing campaign is to raise awareness of the product or service, generate interest and reach a targeted audience. Ultimately, the aim is to increase sales and thus the company's revenue. But marketing campaigns also have other objectives, such as building customer loyalty, increasing brand recognition or attracting new customers.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN?

Although campaigns can be carried out at any time, it is common to take advantage of strategic moments such as the launch of a new product, an important event for the company (such as the anniversary of its foundation) or the addition of new products to the catalogue. These types of events offer a unique opportunity to capture the attention of both existing and potential customers.

For example, many fashion companies launch campaigns to coincide with the change of season. In these campaigns, they present their new collections, taking advantage of the occasion to offer exclusive discounts to their loyal customers.

DEFINING THE TARGET AUDIENCE AND BUYER PERSONA

The first step in any marketing campaign is to identify the target audience, i.e. the people we want to address. This audience must be well-defined, based on demographics, interests, buying behaviour, etc. A closely related concept is the Buyer Persona, which is a semi-fictional representation of the ideal customer based on market research and actual data from existing customers.

For example, a company that sells educational toys may define its Buyer Persona as parents between 30 and 45 years old, with a high level of education, concerned about their children's education and who value quality products. With this information, the company can design a campaign that resonates with these values and captures the attention of this particular audience.

SETTING CLEAR OBJECTIVES

A marketing campaign should be driven by clear and measurable objectives. These objectives can vary depending on the type of campaign and the needs of the company. They can range from generating traffic to the website, to increasing subscriptions to a newsletter, to increasing sales of a particular product.

For example, an online shop marketing campaign may aim to increase sales by 20 per cent during a sales period. To achieve this, it can use actions such as sending promotional emails, social media ads and special offers for loyal customers.

DEFINE A REALISTIC BUDGET

It is essential to define an appropriate budget for the campaign. Although many digital marketing tools offer free options, getting optimal results often requires a financial investment. This budget should take into account all costs associated with the campaign, including the creation of content, the hiring of advertising space and the time spent managing the campaign.

For example, a small business may decide to invest 300 euros in a Google Ads campaign. With this budget, you will be able to target your ads to reach a specific audience, increasing the likelihood of positive results.

SELECTING THE RIGHT COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

The next step is to study and define the most appropriate communication channels to reach your target audience. Traditional channels such as television, radio and print can be effective in some cases, but are often costly and may not be accessible to all companies. Digital channels, such as social media, email and online advertising, offer more cost-effective options with great targeting potential.

For example, a cosmetics company can use Instagram and YouTube to promote its products, taking advantage of the popularity of these channels among its target audience of mainly young women interested in fashion and beauty.

CREATING A CALENDAR OF ACTIONS

Once the channels have been defined, it is necessary to create a calendar of actions that includes the different activities of the campaign, such as the publication of advertisements, the sending of emails or the holding of events. This calendar allows you to plan actions in advance and ensure that they are carried out at the optimal time.

For example, a company can plan a series of social media posts to coincide with industry-relevant events, such as trade fairs or conferences, to maximise brand visibility. (We will help you create a social media calendar in another article).

CREATING ENGAGING CONTENT

Content is key to any marketing campaign. It must be creative and capture the attention of the target audience. In addition, the message should be consistent across all channels, but the format should be adapted according to the channel on which it is published.

For example, a company that wants to promote a new mobile application can create an explainer video for YouTube, graphic ads for Facebook and Twitter, and a newsletter for its subscribers.

CAMPAIGN TRACKING AND EVALUATION

One of the most important, and often forgotten, aspects is campaign tracking. Measuring the results allows you to identify what worked and what didn't, in order to improve future campaigns. It is important to take advantage of all the contacts generated during the campaign, transforming leads into sales and evaluating both the strengths and weaknesses of the campaign.

For example, if a marketing campaign succeeds in generating a lot of website visits but few conversions (email enquiries), the company can analyse whether the problem is the landing page and make the necessary adjustments.

Launching an effective marketing campaign requires planning, creativity and constant follow-up. By clearly defining the objectives, selecting the right channels and evaluating the results, any company can improve its market presence and increase its sales. Plan calmly, prepare with enthusiasm and, above all, don't forget to measure the results so that you can improve in the future. Good luck!

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