Good morning! Do you have one minute to read and one hour to do? If so, you can improve your small business’ marketing in a big way. Each week, we will provide new ideas. Grab your morning beverage and let’s get started:
This Week: Getting Ready for Magical Marketing Moments
Last Thursday night, Ford Motor Company revealed the redesigned F-150 it has been hyping for months. This is a magical marketing moment for this brand. They have been preparing for it for years and are poised to make the most of it with a complete array of marketing tactics.
Though you may not have the future of your company at stake, you, too, have magical marketing moments on a regular basis if you know what to watch for.
That’s because they involve a moment when you have everyone’s attention. You simply must get ahead of those moments with your planning and marketing so you can maximize their value. Because they are relatively rare, you can’t over-prepare for them.
Here are four examples of these moments to get you thinking:
STEP ONE
Do you have a product launch on the horizon?
Like the F-150 above, your company should regularly be launching new or improved products. Look to companies like Apple, Nike, and Disney for ideas that you could use to bring some interest to your launch.
STEP TWO
Are you planning a rebrand?
Every couple of years, you might be doing a complete or partial rebrand. Why? Your product offerings evolve. Current design and trends evolve. Occasionally you must sync your brand up with all of that.
STEP THREE
Are you ready for a positive news opportunity?
By effort or sometimes by just being in the right place at the right time, your company will find itself in the news. Be ready to handle that with a designated spokesperson who has a good knowledge of your company mission and messages. Then make the most of it by seeing that all your stakeholders know about this moment.
STEP FOUR
Are you ready for a crisis?
With the current climate in our country, we have seen numerous companies dealing with related issues or even negative publicity. Even without a crisis, negative stories happen to the best of companies.
Again, similar to positive news opportunities mentioned above, be ready to handle and make sure your stakeholders know exactly how you responded. When this is done right, some companies feel they emerge better off “post-crisis” than they were before.
Takeaway: As Zig Ziglar said, “Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation.” You can’t maximize these opportunities if you are simply reacting. You must be operating off of a plan. After your business and marketing plan, this is the next plan you should be creating. Tactics will involve your website, social media, email campaigns, press relations, strategic planning and more.
With all this accounted for, when the Magical Marketing Moment has passed, you can look back and say, “I made the most of that!”
What types of Magical Marketing Moments has your business experienced? Let us know how you responded.
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