How to Develop a Marketing Campaign Strategy: Top Tips for Success in 2022

A strong marketing campaign strategy has the power to set your brand apart for decades to come. Think of Budweiser’s signature Clydesdales and dalmations, or the iconic “Got Milk?” campaign, which featured over 300 celebrities during a 20-year run. When a solid concept comes together with epic execution, there’s the potential for true business impact. 

But how do you get to that moment of greatness? What are the steps to conceiving and implementing a great marketing campaign strategy? 

What Is a Marketing Campaign Strategy and Why Do You Need One?

A marketing campaign strategy is a plan put in place to help guide, monitor, and evaluate the efficacy of specific marketing campaigns. The teams most suited for the campaign work together to compile a selection of strategies that you then combine into the ultimate Master Plan For World Domination (aka “Successful Campaign”).

Developing a marketing campaign strategy is an important step to take before actually executing your campaign. Without one, your marketing plans will be as ineffective as shooting in the dark. There’s no way you’re going to get anywhere near your target, let alone hit a bullseye.

What Is the Goal of a Marketing Campaign?

The main goal of a marketing campaign is simple: to increase visibility and brand awareness, as well as generate new leads and customers. You want to make yourself known to your target audience in a way that causes them to respond in a positive way. 

Within this grand ultimate goal, most campaigns have specific goals, such as:

• Announcing a new product
• Rebranding your company
• Increasing customer trust
• Boosting sales
• Establishing brand authority
• Generating new customers
• Increasing website traffic
• Promoting customer engagement

While it’s easy to get excited about all the possibilities, remember to keep your feet on the ground. Consider your budget, the teams and people able to join you, and your company’s available resources when putting together your plan. 

Different Kinds of Marketing Campaigns 

When it comes to developing your marketing campaign strategy, this is no “pick one flavor” moment. This is more like deciding on a new toothbrush—there are so many options to choose from (…in the case of toothbrushes, some would say TOO many options)!

While you can (and should!) have several campaigns running at once, there are times when a focused effort is put in a specific direction (like a commercial for a new product launch).

You can create marketing campaigns using channels such as:

• Email
• Direct mail
• Billboards
• Social media
• TV
• Radio
• Online Advertising
• Video
• Events

How To Create a Marketing Campaign Strategy

Let’s roll up our sleeves and get down to business. 

1. Establish Your Goals.

Each marketing campaign strategy begins with a clearly defined goal in mind. 

• What do you want to achieve with this specific campaign? 
• What is it going to take to get there? 
• What channels are you going to use? 
• What does “success” look like? 
• How will you measure your results?

Once you’ve nailed down the unique goals of the campaign, the next steps will come together much more naturally and smoothly. When there’s a solid foundation set from the start, your campaign is far less likely to topple over.

2. Build Your Marketing Campaign Strategy With Your Target Audience in Mind.

Marketing is meant to reach people. So it only makes sense to create a marketing campaign strategy that keeps its target audience front and center. 

Consider where your target audience is and meet them there. For most people these days (whether we like it or not), that’s in a virtual space. Social media, websites, blogs, and video content are a great way to meet people where they’re at in a way that’s organic and doesn’t feel “salesy.” 

Step into your potential customer’s shoes and imagine being on the receiving end of a marketing campaign. 

• What are the pain points? 
• What are they searching for? (A little keyword research can help you out with this one.) 
• What are their interests and desires? How does this play into marketing?
• What marketing channel would spark their interest the most?
• What is the general tone of your audience?
• How do they communicate with others? How can you best speak their language?

Consider the satisfied clients you already have. What worked with them? Are there similarities between your current customers and the ones you hope to convert? 

Taking the time to research your target audience and create a strategy around them enables you to market much more directly, improving the chances that your campaign will yield successful results.

3. Lay Down the “Sequence of Events.”

Knowing how long your campaign will run is an important part of planning a marketing campaign strategy. Some dates may already be set for you (such as the date a new product is to be announced). Either way, having a clear timeline keeps your efforts focused and motivated. 

Establish your launch date, how long the campaign will go, and when it will end. Map out your “plan of attack” with the use of a calendar. Get detailed. 

• When will you release certain content on what channels? 
• How do you organize the progression of communication? 
• Is the cadence logical, linear, and complimentary? 

You want things to flow naturally from one step to the next with minimal hiccups, dissonance, or delays. Having a set schedule for the campaign will help you stay the course and ensure your teams have all the information they need to meet deadlines and succeed.

4. Watch Your Metrics Carefully.

You’ve seen a dog hover around a toddler eating a sandwich, right? They know at some point that kid is bound to drop a crumb and they are NOT going to let that opportunity pass them by. 

While you don’t have to be quite as intense in your hovering (you do have a life, after all), you can draw inspiration from this kind of diligence and careful observation. As you put your marketing campaign strategy into action, you must monitor your metrics carefully as they are your primary means of measuring success. 

Depending on your specific campaign goals and the channels you’re working with, you’ll want to measure your metrics on many fronts, including (but not limited to):

• Conversion rates 
• Open rate (email)
• CTR (clickthrough rate)
• Views, reach, and engagement
• Total leads generated
• Website traffic
• ROI

While you’ll want to do a thorough analysis once the campaign has concluded, it’s important to monitor the metrics before, during, AND after the campaign. It’s especially motivating to look at the information coming in while the campaign is underway. If you’re falling behind your goals, you can tweak the process or tackle areas needing improvement in real-time. Or, if you’re meeting (or exceeding!) your projected goals, your team will get an added boost of confidence as they continue executing your marketing campaign strategy.

5. Listen, Learn, and Grow.

Every marketing campaign strategy you create is a learning experience. You are listening to the response of your target audience through your metrics and platforms. You’re learning more about how they communicate and what sparks customer engagement and conversions. And you’re getting a better understanding of how to make the next campaign even better.

No matter the outcome, remember: keep moving forward! If you’re successful beyond your wildest dreams, don’t just wipe your hands, say “well, we’ve made it!” and assume you can slack off or use the exact same formula each and every time. Keep brainstorming. Keep listening to your audience (they will change!). Keep asking questions and trying new things. 

If your marketing campaign strategy didn’t yield the results you hoped for, don’t get discouraged. Each and every campaign is a success in that you learn something from it—even if you don’t like what you learn. Observe what went wrong, evaluate your stats, and consult with your teams and other industry professionals. If you don’t lose heart, there’s a great chance that your next endeavor will be a smashing success.

Let Squeeze Be the Voice of Your Next Campaign.

You got the campaign? We’ve got the teams to help you make it everything you hoped for, and more. 

When you choose Squeeze for your contact center and sales experience needs, you get a team dedicated to your success. We’re committed to taking the time necessary to understand you, your company, and your goals so we become a true partner in executing your marketing campaign strategy to perfection. 

If you’re interested in learning more about how we can sprinkle your campaign with Squeeze magic, feel free to contact us today. We can’t wait to be a part of your next big success story!