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Well conceived marketing messages,
consistency and
follow through
I am really
enjoying the presidential race, really. For the first time I am
interested in politics. Don’t worry; this article is NOT dedicated to
Bush Vs Kerry. Instead, I will remain true to my goal of providing
discussion that makes us think and become better marketers. This article
will discuss a common thread between business and politics. That being,
the critical need to develop messaging that resonates with target
audiences and how consistency and follow through affect those audiences.
Back to the
election just for a moment – I ran into an individual at a party this
month who does not share my opinion about the election. (For the record,
I chose not to debate. Instead, I like to listen and commiserate on the
weighty issues hanging in the balance of this election.) This individual
said that he “Wished those people protesting on Congress Street would
just give it a rest.” I was amazed. This complaint came from a
successful businessperson. Someone who, through years of practice,
should have learned the importance of remaining true to ones beliefs and
the importance of following through, once you have started something.
To expound on
the topic of marketing message planning and execution, I’ve invited a
fellow marketer,
Chris Kast,
to share some expertise. Chris is well known for his long-standing
creative partnership, Crank, as well as other past and present creative
endeavors:
Q: What are some leading considerations businesses must keep in mind
as they develop targeted messaging?
KAST:
The real value in developing a marketing message for a product, service
or even a political candidate comes down to one major consideration:
understanding that ONE thing that sets you apart from the competition.
This is one of those “easier said than done” propositions. Understanding that
single thing is something one can’t make up or fake simply because it
seems like a good way to position ones self against the competition. It
has to be an intrinsic quality – a core value – that can be owned and
believed by the audience to which you are communicating. People are too
smart … we have become a society of jaded culture vultures who process
all messages through a cynical lens. If one goes to market with a
message that is anything but authentic it will be tossed aside like
moldy bread.
Whenever I
talk to clients about the message it comes down to (warning: over-used
buzz-word about to be dropped) defining the brand. Many marketers throw
this term around but not many know how to get to the core brand message.
A brand is not a logo or a catchy tag line… it is a definition of what
is believable and ownable. It is the answer to three very simple
questions that can cause great debate in an organization.
1.
Who are we
(am I)?
2.
What do we
(I) stand for?
3.
How does what
we (I) do make life better for my audience?
The answers
to those three questions will put you on the road to smart message
development.
Q: You’ve
developed your marketing message, now what do you do with it?
KAST:
Write it down on a piece of paper and burn it as an offering to the
gods. In all seriousness marketing messages need to be examined and
understood. It must – by all measures – be something that is real and
believable not only to the members of the organization, but to the group
to whom you are targeting it. The message must be used as a basis for
the development of the communication strategy and tactical plan… how do
we get the message out there and what is the best way to do it? Does
public relations makes sense? Is this an advertising play (what media)?
Are we a web-based communicator? Should we do event marketing? Is it a
combination of many tactics?
Oh, and how
much money do we have to get the job done and what are our measurement
criteria? How will we know that we are successful in our message
deployment? What will determine successful return on investment?
Yes, I know I
answered the question with a bunch of questions, but this is a business
of process… it is about questioning and adjusting to keep up with the
market environment. It is fluid. What is not fluid however is the
message… or the core proposition.
Q: The GOP is hounding its opponent on his “flip flops.”
Mahatma Gandhi explained a flip-flop or change of heart, by saying he
had grown wiser with the passage of time. Can’t this same rationale be
used to safely re-direct messaging?
KAST:
Of course it
can… notice how you used the phrase “re-direct messaging.” This is not
about change for the sake of change; it is about growth and
understanding of the self and the audience. It is about keeping up with
what is happening externally so that the internal can evolve to keep
pace. I find it very interesting that “flip-flopping” has become such an
issue on the political arena. Let’s look at a brand like Nike for
example… their advertising today does not come close to resembling the
advertising of last year… or from the day they went into business. They
have changed and evolved but they still represent inner power through
action… through “just doing it.” Their changes are not flip-flopping
because their core message is real… it is true.
As long as
truth is at the core of everything you do… the rest of it is just window
dressing. When truth remains the constant… you will win every time.
Reach Chris
Kast at chris@crankcreative.com
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