"How can we measure our marketing effectiveness?" is one of the most common questions we are asked. This also explains why often organisations spend thousands on websites, email platforms, social media campaigns and advertising before they've answered a much simpler question: What are we actually trying to achieve?
It’s more tangible to produce a thing: a newsletter, a website, an event. It creates visibility. But whether it gets you seen in the right places is another matter.
Let's look at two versions of the same story.
Version One
Helen is the CEO of a legal charity. She has a number of volunteers supporting her marketing, alongside a full-time Marketing and Events Assistant.
One day, Martin, a social media volunteer, suggests the charity should be on TikTok. It's a popular platform, so Helen agrees.
Martin creates some good content. The videos are well put together. They tick all the boxes. But engagement is low and, a few months later, the trustees ask Helen whether TikTok has been successful.
She's not entirely sure how to answer.
Around the same time, an email marketing company approaches her with a discounted offer. Helen accepts. She knows they should probably be doing more email marketing and she regularly receives newsletters from similar organisations that look polished and professional.
The company creates a series of automated emails. They look great.
The results are underwhelming.
Now, none of this means TikTok is a bad platform. Nor does it mean email marketing doesn't work.
The problem is that nobody stopped to ask why these activities were being undertaken in the first place.
Was the goal to recruit volunteers?
Increase donations?
Build awareness?
Reach legal professionals?
Generate referrals?
Without knowing the destination, it's difficult to know whether you're travelling in the right direction.
Version Two
Helen is still the CEO of a legal charity.
This time, before making any marketing decisions, she spends time with her Marketing and Events Assistant developing a plan for the year ahead.
They review their current performance, look at what similar organisations are doing and, most importantly, agree on what success looks like.
One objective stands out:
Increase the number of lawyers volunteering their services.
Now the marketing decisions become much easier.
Martin is asked to create content on LinkedIn because that's where many legal professionals already spend time.
An email marketing company is brought in to help create automated campaigns aimed at the charity's database of more than 5,000 lawyers.
The tactics haven't become better overnight. What's changed is that they're now connected to a clear objective and a defined audience. The activity follows the strategy.
Summary
Marketing tactics aren't inherently good or bad. Their value comes from how well they help you achieve a specific objective with a specific audience.
Before deciding whether you need TikTok, email marketing or any other channel, be clear about what you're trying to achieve. The right tactics usually become obvious once the strategy is in place.
