There’s nothing like comparing your notes from a creative brainstorm meeting to a campaign follow-up at the end of the quarter. As marketers and creatives, we tend to dream big. Which is great! But over time, we learn what the reality of some of those ideas – which usually translates to being more practical and strategic with our approach. So here is what we’ve learned by moving from the think tank to the quarterly marketing report, from expectation to reality.

Expectation: Launch the campaign and start seeing results

Reality: A/B Test and make adjustments based on data

There’s a lot of work involved getting a campaign ready to launch. Which also makes it tempting to sit back and enjoy the show after you start seeing some activity. But the reality is, is that you should be constantly testing and tweaking your campaign variables to optimize results. Also known as 'split testing', A/B testing brings scientific methodology to marketing and removes the guesswork. Which email subject line will yield more clicks? A/B testing will help you find out.

Expectation: Do something wildly creative that goes viral

Reality: Carefully crafted content that speaks to your audiences  

Everyone wants their campaign to be the next “A Diamond is Forever” (De Beers) or “Most Interesting Man in the World” (Dos Equis).  And we’re not saying don’t reach for the stars. But often times when we channel all of our efforts into being the most unique brand out there, a few important components can be missed. Don’t underestimate the value of carefully crafted content that speaks to your audience. If you focus on being the solution to your customers’ problems, they will come to you.

Expectation: More web traffic = more conversions

Reality: Nurture each lead down the sales funnel

Getting a huge boost in web traffic after launching a campaign is an exciting milestone. However, these numbers do not define your success, as more web traffic does not directly correlate with more customers. This is why it’s important to encourage your website visitors to take the next step – whether that’s downloading an Ebook, signing-up for a subscription, or watching a video. Your ultimate goal is to nature each lead down the sales funnel to become a conversion, a.k.a customer.

Expectation: One unified message

Reality: Personalized message for each buyer persona  

While your brand will definitely benefit from having a core message or slogan, a campaign may have several facets that should be taken into account. For example, if you have 2 types of customers (perhaps you work with both lower-end and luxury buyers) it’s absolutely critical that you sculpt your campaign to be personalized for each of these audiences. An ad that would appeal to a budget-conscious consumer may go completely unnoticed by a high-end shopper.

Expectation: Hire a marketing agency and they’ll take care of everything

Reality: Collaborate with a dedicated team to see the best results

Hiring a digital marketing agency to support your campaign needs can be both a huge help and a huge relief. Not only will you be tapping into the expertise of an entire team of experts but you will also have their knowledge and insight in specialized categories, such as SEO, PPC, and social media. While a marketing team can handle all of the components of a campaign, it’s important to continue to be a part of the collaboration and provide input and feedback. This will ensure the best results from your campaign!