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A famously successful college basketball coach (Bobby Knight) once said, “Everyone wants to win. But not everyone is willing to prepare to win.” Whether you like him or not, it’s true and that adage seems to fit today’s marketing environment particularly well.
High-level marketing folks across the spectrum are being tasked with generating, nurturing and qualifying new business leads and proving to management their contribution to the bottom line. They want to win and must, in fact, to keep their budgets and ultimately their jobs. But, are they preparing to win?
Because of the great marketing technologies at our disposal, there is a misperception in today’s marketing that it’s somehow easier now. But, like everything else, using technology (like marketing automation) takes preparation. And preparation is hard work. With the stunning array of marketing channels available, and the rapid speed at which they can be deployed, it’s often tempting to throw a lot of tactical execution against the wall and “see what sticks”. That, predictably, is a recipe for failure.
That’s why spending quality time on the front-end preparation is critical. Clearly identifying the business/marketing problem that is to be solved, doing competitive analysis, nailing down accurate audience personae and their needs, crafting appropriate messaging, choosing highest potential channels for conversion, setting-up testing within those channels and defining metrics that will be indicators of real success are the building blocks for a winning strategy.
At d.trio, we go through a marketing and planning process with a sharp focus on research and discovery at the beginning of every project. We want to adequately diagnose before we prescribe. Taking the time and effort to prepare to win along with a shared vision for the success of a campaign, puts our clients in the best position ultimately to succeed.
The will to prepare to win is equally, or possibly even more important than the will only to win. Keeping this thought in mind as you craft your upcoming campaigns will surely result in a higher winning percentage for you and your team – and we’re rooting for you.
About the Author: Fred Driver
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