The Essential Ingredients of Successful Marketing Campaigns John Grain NAVCA Conference, September 2008

What we will do…  Stay awake  Learn something  Have a bit of fun  Together, come up with the ingredients to make a compelling marketing proposition for your audience

Before we start  Draw one of these and  Take a pack of these

Our ingredients  Like baking a cake  The right ingredients combine to produce the perfect outcome  So, the better the ingredients the better the cake - each has its own important part to play

First - what kind of cake?  Have a clear objective  Know exactly what action/outcome you desire  For example do you want to: –Raise money? –Recruit new supporters? –Campaign on an issue? –Communicate a brand message? –Launch a new service? –Gain information? –Invite to an event?

The recipe In the middle of your mixing bowl write down what it is you want to achieve with your marketing campaign Make it just ONE simple sentence

Our eleven ingredients  Planning  Technique  Creative Concept  The Seven Questions of Proposition  Protagonists, Hooks, Interest, Conflict, Brevity, Emotion, Clarity  Execution & Delivery

Planning  Who are you talking to?  Know your audience  Demographics  What can they tell you that helps

Ingredient 1: Audience  On your post-it note write down: –A summary of who your audience is that you wish to communicate with –The approximate number of them –3 or more useful things you know about them

Technique  How will you reach them?  What is the most appropriate way of communicating with your audience

Ingredient 2: Method  On your post-it note write:  The method you will use to communicate with your audience  2 reasons why you have chosen this method

Creative Concept  What will it look like?  How can you best appeal to, and engage with, your audience using the method you have chosen?  Picture the finished article in your mind’s eye

Ingredient 3:  On your post-it note write down: –A summary of the main elements of your concept

Proposition  Why does it matter?  The most crucial element  Telling the story to prompt the action  Decision time - will you be “unputdownable” or “can’t get into it”?  7 key elements (in no particular order)  We all love a good story

Who’s the Protagonist?  A car needs a driver, so do stories  They drive the action  They tell the story  Make them honest  Make them personal

Ingredient 4: The Hero  On your post-it note write down:  The name of your protagonist  3 or more things that you know about them

What’s the Hook?  Like a good book you need to hook your audience from the start  Begin your story where the audience can  identify with the situation  Identify with the protagonist  Identify with the goal  Make it specific

Something happened today that really made me think. Something that I felt I had to share with you. Something that seems quite unbelievable in 21st century Britain.

Ingredient 5: The opening  On your post-it note write down: –Your opening 3 sentences. (Don’t worry about copywriting skills, just think about what the hook will be)

Keep it Interesting  Predictable is boring  Push your USP  Throw in some barriers & surprises  Statistics - handle with care  Numbers numb, jargon jars, and no-one marched on Westminster because of a pie-chart  Use humour if appropriate

Ingredient 6: Attention!  On your post-it note write down: –Details of 3 highlights that will keep your readers attention

Where’s the Conflict?  There is no drama without conflict  Heighten heroism when juxtaposed against villainy  Be good v bad  Or conquer heroic odds

Ingredient 7: Conflict  On your post-it note describe: –the enemy Is it an organisation? Is it a disease or disability? Is it other people? Is it poverty - if so what sort?

The Telling Details  Brevity is your God - worship at the altar of conciseness  Pick a few well-chosen details or highlights that bring your protagonist’s story to life  Vividly paint a picture of the world you are portraying

Ingredient 8: Ups & Downs  On your post-it note write down: –2 or 3 obstacles that your hero must overcome to succeed OR –2 or 3 barriers your organisation must overcome to succeed

What’s the Emotional Hook?  Your audience are giving you their time and attention…  …so do more than just recite the facts  Make it an emotional experience that makes their time worth while  Make them feel, empathise, understand, and care

Ingredient 9: Emotions  On your post-it note write down: –5 to 10 words to describe how you want your audience to feel when they receive your communication

The Call to Action  Don’t just give information  Give a story  Make the reader know what it means and how they fit in  Are they clear and convinced about what you want them to do  Urgency? Why do they need to do it now?

Ingredient 10: Their role  On your post-it note write down: –The single main action you want your audience to take after hearing your story –3 or more reasons why your story will make them do it

Delivery  Proofing and copy-checking  Printing and packing instructions  When do you contact them?  Seems simple, but for whatever medium you are using there are bad, good, and best times to contact your audience  So make sure you find out what they are

Ingredient 11: Calendar  On your post-it note write down: –The appropriate day, month, or event that your marketing communication will be timed to coincide with

The finished product  You should now have the plan for a marketing campaign where you know exactly: –What you want to achieve, who you are contacting, with what, in what format, with a unique and compelling story and a clear call to arms sent at exactly the right time

And finally  Questions?  Thank you Leave a card for a copy of the presentation