by Lonny Kocina, CEO of Media Relations Agency and author of “The CEO’s Guide to Marketing: The Book Every Marketer Should Read Before Their Boss Does“
Since the pandemic started, it seems businesses are either growing or going under. Marketing is a necessity to remind customers why they should be doing business with you, but spending money without a systematic approach is scary. If you’ve ever laughed at a funny TV commercial but had no clue what it was advertising, you know how costly a marketing mistake can be. A simple, proven marketing process can help keep creative people on point, ensuring smart use of your budget.
Creative ideas are great, but only if we remember why we’re marketing something. Unfortunately, too many companies allow the creative tail to wag the dog. They allow their marketing folks to go nuts without giving them clear direction. It’s unfortunate how much money is being wasted and sales missed over something that is relatively easy to solve.
In my Axiom award-winning, Amazon bestselling book, “The CEO’s Guide to Marketing“, I outline a six-step marketing process called Strategically Aimed Marketing, or SAM 6. It gives business leaders a simple way to keep campaigns on track.
Following SAM 6 will assure creative people stay focused, on track and doing their best work. If you give creative people structure, they will produce amazing results.
I’ve worked with hundreds of clients across the country. I get to see what’s behind the scenes. I can tell you, the companies that follow a logical process are the ones getting the most bang for their marketing dollars.
The six steps of the Strategically Aimed Marketing process are:
1. Gain competence in marketing concepts and principles.
Dentists know how to fix and preserve teeth. A competent marketer has a clear understanding of the broad concept of marketing as well as a working knowledge of specific marketing concepts and principles.
2. Create code sheets about your company and its products.
Code sheets are a means of documenting important information such as your product positioning, vision, mission, primary messaging themes and value points. Having all of these compiled in one place helps direct and control your creative staff.
3. Select the appropriate channels for each project.
The promotional mix channels you choose to employ depend on many variables including your message, the market and your resources.
4. Maintain a schedule calendar.
Your marketing calendar’s purpose is to figure out which products and messages should get the most attention. Scheduling will keep your promotions organized and help with budgeting.
5. Develop a control template.
Your control template provides the guidelines for your writers, designers and other creative staff to follow.
6. Engage your creative team.
You need to assemble the right people for the job, and then let these creative souls work their magic within the parameters you set. The composition of your creative team will depend on your calendar.
After more than 30 years of product marketing leadership, I have seen the benefits of well-orchestrated, integrated campaigns. Marketing is about the shortest, fastest, least expensive and most direct route to a lead, a sale and a brand. But marketing has always been about being persuasive. You’ve got to tell people what they need, and cause them to desire it more than their money. If you lose sight of that, you won’t see more leads and higher sales. What makes me feel good about the SAM 6 process is that it’s a good fit for everyone in business.
I predict that following the six-step Strategically Aimed Marketing process will bring order and clarity to your marketing. It will lead to more leads, higher sales and a stronger brand.
Lonny Kocina, CEO of Media Relations Agency is a visionary who is passionate about marketing. He pioneered the concept of Pay Per Interview Publicity® business model which enables clients to purchase publicity by the story. He currently teaches his popular Strategically Aimed Marketing (SAM 6) process, outlined in his best-selling book “The CEO’s Guide to Marketing: The Book Every Marketer Should Read Before Their Boss Does” to business leaders and those working within the marketing industry.
