We’ve all read it; The Long & Short of It by Les Binet and Peter Field. (Oh, and if you haven’t, you should.)
Binet and Field explain that to grow a brand is balancing long term brand building with short term sales uplift.
Short term effects are vital for immediate success, but long-term effects drive growth and profit too, and never more than now as per our blog on Mark Ritson’s ‘Marketing Through a Recession’.
It’s so easy in a direct response world to measure only the short-term effects without thinking ahead to the longer-term brand impact.
We see it all the time, in particular with brands heavily discounting their products or services to drive short term response, even if it could impact longer-term brand loyalty.
Binet and Field suggested in their original work that the division of marketing spend between short-term and longer-term activity was 60:40, in favour of brand building.
But their more subsequent report, Effectiveness in Context, explains a variety of marketing spend splits depending on your brand and category, as well as the maturity of your brand. And this is already something we see brands more being more affable to, in particular CFOs and FDs!
What brand building is about
For too long, brand building has been thought of as a ‘fluffy’ notion. In fact, what Binet and Field rightly point out is that brand building is about long-term growth and sales…which immediately gets the attention of CFOs!
Here at Join the Dots we work with charities and brands to help grow short term effects, but always with an eye on the future.
We want to work with and help form brands that will stand the test of time by thinking beyond the next campaign and what will drive short term sales. We are always looking to recruit donors and customers that will stick by your brand, offering greater LTV than those we’ve bought through the door for a quick sale.
Is there a right and a wrong?
No.
Do we need both short and long-term thinking when planning campaigns?
Yes.
So, how do we do it? By using the power of data, of course! Here’s how:
How to use your data to grow a brand
1. Get to know your audience
If you want to successfully grow your brand or charity, you need to know who your target audience is.
By using your data to segment your audience, you can begin to understand their needs, buying habits, and what makes them tick.
Basically, getting to grips with your audience’s behaviours, interests, motivations, and preferences will arm you with the information you need to make smarter decisions and target them effectively.
Which leads us to our next point…
2. Use precise targeting
Next up, you need to tailor your campaigns to make sure you are targeting each customer or donor segment.
Everyone wants to feel special, and by effectively targeting your campaigns, you can make sure your campaigns hit the mark – both in the short term and for the long haul.
Essentially, by ensuring your campaign reach people whose interests and behaviours correlate with your brand, you can be confident you are talking to an audience who are interested and engaged in what you have to say.
3. Omnichannel for the win
It’s not just about what you say, though – it’s also about where you say it. And with 80% of people preferring brand experiences which are delivered by both digital and physical channels, omnichannel campaigns are the best way to drive results.
With more marketing channels out there than ever before, it’s essential to use your data to make sure you are reaching your audience in the right way, so you can deliver a unified, seamless experience across all channels.
Doing so will not just increase conversions and boost short-term success but will also enhance brand loyalty and keep your customers and supporters coming back for more.
4. Learn as you go
Finally, and arguably most importantly when it comes to growing a brand, you need to constantly test and hone your efforts along the way so you can make sure you’re getting your marketing just right.
By using data analysis to track the results of your campaigns, you can review past performances, assess engagement levels, and refine what hasn’t worked.
Keeping your finger firmly on the pulse about what your customers are engaging with and why means you can ensure your consistently meet their needs and continue to improve their brand experience over time.
Ready to grow your brand with us?
If you want to utilise the power of your data to make smarter, more informed decisions and ultimately grow your brand, well, you’ve come to the right place.
Here at Join the Dots, we’re an award-winning media agency with oodles of experience in creating powerful, omnichannel campaigns for some of the world’s best-known brands.
However you want to reach your audience – whether through print, broadcast, or digital – our superstar planners will help you create campaigns that get you the results you need, both for the short term and in the future.
Want to find out more? Give us a shout today to learn more about how we can help you grow your brand.
