May 26, 2022
Valerie Harrell, Director of Campaign Management
Imagine the scene: you’re ready to embark on a long-awaited vacation. Your luggage is stowed, your seat belt is buckled, and you’re relaxed and settled in for a routine flight. The pilot comes over the loudspeaker to welcome the passengers, and shares: ‘It’s been a long day and I’m exhausted. I hope I remember all the steps I need to follow to get us to our destination. It’s just me in the cockpit today, so wish me luck.’
It doesn’t take a seasoned traveler to understand that this scenario is unlikely. Air travel policies and procedures are highly regulated, and with good reason – reducing the possibility of human error greatly increases the likelihood of a successful outcome. Campaign management is no different. To ensure successful execution of a marketing campaign, careful planning and strict adherence to campaign process are required.
Step 1 - Strategy/Campaign Planning. The flight plan for our campaign cycle is created and checked to ensure it is aligned to the marketing objectives. Strategic and technical requirements are determined and documented, a campaign calendar is formulated, and key delivery milestones are communicated to stakeholders. The entire flight team must be ‘on board’ and understand their individual contributions.
Step 2 - Campaign development. Campaign tools are used to create the logic that will ensure the right people receive the right message at the right time. The flight plan is tool agnostic; seasoned campaign managers are experienced in a wide variety of tools to aid in development efforts.
Step 3 - Campaign testing. Extensive quality checks ensure the campaign logic and creative programming are accurate and reflect the requirements. These are the final safety checks before departure…
Step 4 - Campaign deployment. Takeoff! The campaign is deployed, either through activation channels or the creation and delivery of a data file. Because a documented and comprehensive campaign process was followed, there is a high likelihood of a successful flight.
Step 5 - Analysis and reporting. After landing, campaign counts are analyzed, waterfall reports are reviewed, and outcomes are evaluated against KPIs. The results will help drive future marketing efforts.
When it’s time to bring a marketing strategy to life, campaign execution is where the rubber meets the runway. Establishing and following a detailed campaign process will go a long way toward a smooth flight and a safe landing. If you need help planning or executing your flight – campaign flight, that is – Blend360 can help!
