Old Skool Marketing,
Like Run DMC without the Adidas!
I possess broad expertise in traditional marketing techniques and possess the ability to seamlessly integrate them into digital marketing strategies, providing you with a comprehensive range of marketing skills.
A traditional marketing manager role typically involves overseeing and implementing marketing strategies and campaigns to promote a company’s products or services. Here are some key responsibilities and tasks involved:
Developing Marketing Plans
Creating comprehensive marketing plans that align with the company’s overall goals and objectives. This includes conducting market research, identifying target audiences, and setting clear marketing objectives.
Market Research
Conduct thorough research to understand the industry, target audience, competitors, and current market trends. This includes analysing customer demographics, preferences, buying behavior, and identifying market opportunities and challenges.
Marketing Objectives
Define clear and specific marketing objectives that align with the overall business goals. These objectives should be measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
Target Audience Analysis
Identify and define the target audience based on market research. Understand their needs, preferences, and motivations to tailor marketing strategies accordingly.
SWOT Analysis
Conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) to evaluate your company’s internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats present in the market.
Positioning and Differentiation
Determine your unique selling proposition (USP) and develop a strong positioning strategy that differentiates your brand from competitors. Clearly articulate the value proposition that sets your business apart.
Marketing Strategies
Based on the research and analysis, formulate marketing strategies to reach and engage the target audience effectively. These strategies may include product, price, place (distribution), and promotion.
Marketing Tactics
Outline specific marketing tactics to implement the chosen strategies. This includes various elements like advertising, PR, direct marketing, digital marketing, social media, events, content marketing, and more. Consider budget, resources, and timelines while selecting tactics.
Marketing Budget
Allocate a budget for marketing activities, keeping in mind the objectives and tactics. Determine how much you are willing to spend on each activity and ensure it aligns with the overall financial resources of the company.
Implementation Plan
Create a detailed plan specifying when and how the marketing tactics will be executed. Assign responsibilities to team members, establish timelines, and set metrics to measure success.
Evaluation and Control
Establish methods to measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts and track progress towards objectives. Regularly review and analyse marketing performance using key performance indicators (KPIs) and make necessary adjustments to the plan if needed.
Review and Update
Marketing plans should not be static. Regularly review and update the plan to adapt to changing market conditions, customer needs, and business goals.
Remember that a traditional marketing plan can vary based on the specific needs and goals of a business. It is essential to tailor the plan according to your organisation’s unique circumstances.
“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits them perfectly and sells itself.”
Campaign Management
Designing, implementing, and managing marketing campaigns across various channels such as print, television, radio, online advertising, social media, and direct mail. Ensuring campaigns are executed effectively and within budget.
The management of designing, implementing, and managing marketing campaigns across various channels involves several key aspects. Here are the main steps and considerations:
Objective Setting
Establish clear goals and objectives for the marketing campaign. This could include increasing brand awareness, generating leads, driving sales, or promoting a specific product/service.
Target Audience Identification
Identify the target audience for the campaign. This involves understanding their demographics, preferences, and behavior to tailor the messaging and channel selection accordingly.
Message Development
Craft a compelling message that resonates with the target audience and aligns with the campaign objectives. The message should communicate the value proposition and benefits of the product/service in a clear and concise manner.
Channel Selection
Choose the most appropriate marketing channels based on the target audience and campaign objectives. This could include print advertisements in newspapers or magasines, television and radio commercials, online advertising through platforms like Google Ads or social media ads, or direct mail campaigns.
Campaign Design
Develop the visual and creative elements of the marketing campaign. This includes designing eye-catching graphics, selecting suitable images, crafting engaging copywriting, and ensuring consistent branding across all channels.
Budgeting and Resource Allocation
Determine the budget for the campaign and allocate resources accordingly. This involves considering costs associated with each channel, production expenses, creative development, and any additional support needed.
Media Buying and Placement
If applicable, negotiate and purchase media space or airtime for advertisements across various channels. This involves considering factors such as reach, frequency, and cost efficiency.
Campaign Execution
Implement the marketing campaign across all selected channels. This includes coordinating with different teams or agencies responsible for each channel and ensuring a seamless and coordinated approach.
Tracking and Measurement
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the campaign. This may include metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, reach, engagement, or sales. Utilise appropriate tracking tools and analytics to monitor and assess the campaign’s effectiveness.
Optimisation and Adjustment
Continuously monitor the campaign’s performance and make adjustments as needed. This could involve optimising ad placements, refining targeting parameters, or modifying messaging based on the campaign’s performance data.
Reporting and Analysis
Provide regular reports on the campaign’s performance to stakeholders and management. Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the campaign’s results, highlighting successes, challenges, and areas for improvement.
Post-Campaign Evaluation
Evaluate the overall effectiveness of the campaign against the initial objectives. Identify learnings and insights for future campaigns, documenting what worked well and what could be improved.
Effective management of marketing campaigns across various channels requires strategic planning, coordination, creativity, and a thorough understanding of the target audience. It also involves leveraging data and analytics to optimise performance and drive desired outcomes.
Brand Management
Developing and maintaining the company’s brand identity, including logo, messaging, and visual elements. Ensuring consistent brand representation across all marketing materials.
Brand management involves the activities and strategies that are aimed at developing, maintaining, and enhancing the perception and value of a brand in the market. It is a comprehensive process that encompasses various elements, including:
Brand Strategy
Defining the brand’s purpose, vision, values, and positioning in the market. This involves understanding the target audience, competitors, and market trends to create a unique and compelling brand identity.
Brand Identity
Developing the visual and verbal elements that represent the brand, such as logo, tagline, colors, typography, and brand voice. These elements should align with the brand strategy and effectively communicate the brand’s personality and values.
Brand Communication
Creating and implementing consistent messaging across various marketing channels to build brand awareness and engage with the target audience. This includes advertising, public relations, social media, content marketing, and other communication strategies.
Brand Experience
Ensuring that the brand consistently delivers a positive and memorable experience to its customers at every touchpoint. This involves managing customer interactions, product/service quality, packaging, customer service, and overall brand experience.
Brand Equity
Building and maintaining the intangible value and perception of the brand. This includes monitoring brand metrics, conducting market research, tracking customer satisfaction, and incorporating feedback to continuously improve the brand’s value and reputation.
Brand Extension
Exploring opportunities to leverage the brand’s equity and expand into new products, services, or markets. This involves careful analysis, strategic planning, and maintaining brand consistency while entering new territories.
Brand Protection: Safeguarding the brand’s reputation and intellectual property from any potential threats or infringements. This includes monitoring brand mentions, handling crises or negative publicity, and taking legal actions if necessary.
Overall, brand management is a holistic approach that focuses on creating a strong, differentiated, and valuable brand that resonates with customers, builds loyalty, and drives long-term success for the business.
Market Research
Conducting market research to identify consumer trends, competitor analysis, and customer preferences. Analysing data to make informed decisions and adapt marketing strategies accordingly.
Market research involves the systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of data and information related to a specific market or industry. It aims to understand consumers, competitors, and the overall market dynamics. Here are the key elements involved in market research:
Define research objectives
Clearly identify the purpose and objectives of the research, such as identifying customer preferences, market trends, or evaluating new product ideas.
Design research methodology
Determine the most appropriate research method based on the objectives, budget, and timeline. Common methods include surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, and secondary data analysis.
Identify target market
Define the specific segment or group of consumers that the research will focus on. This helps in selecting the appropriate sample for data collection.
Collect primary data
Primary data is collected directly from the target audience. This can be done through surveys, interviews, or observations. The data collection process should be structured, ensuring reliability and validity.
Collect secondary data
Gather existing data from various sources such as government publications, industry reports, competitor websites, and trade associations. Secondary data provides valuable insights and context for the research.
Analyse data
Organise and analyse the collected data using statistical or qualitative analysis techniques. This involves identifying patterns, trends, and relationships within the data to derive meaningful insights.
Interpret findings
Interpret the research findings in light of the objectives. Identify key trends, customer preferences, market opportunities, and potential threats or challenges.
Prepare research reports
Synthesise the findings into a comprehensive report or presentation. The report should present the research objectives, methodology, findings, and actionable recommendations for decision-makers.
Implement findings
Share the research findings with relevant stakeholders, such as marketing teams, product managers, or executives. Use the insights gained to inform strategic decision-making and improve marketing strategies.
Monitor and evaluate: Continuously monitor the market, track competitor activities, and assess the impact of marketing initiatives. Regularly update and refine the research to stay updated with changing market dynamics.
Market research provides valuable insights into customer behavior, market trends, and competitive landscape. It helps businesses make informed decisions, develop effective marketing strategies, identify new opportunities, and gain a competitive edge in the market.
Advertising and Promotion
Collaborating with advertising agencies or in-house creative teams to develop compelling advertisements and promotional materials. Overseeing the execution of ad placements and monitoring their effectiveness.
Creating Advertising and Promotion involves several key steps and activities:
Establishing objectives
This is the first step where the advertising and promotion team identifies the objectives they want to achieve through their campaigns. These objectives could include increasing brand awareness, driving sales, launching a new product, or changing consumer behavior.
Conducting market research
Before creating advertisements, it’s crucial to understand the target audience, their needs, preferences, and buying behavior. Market research helps in identifying the right messaging, channels, and creative approach that will resonate with the target audience.
Developing the advertising strategy
Based on the objectives and market research, the team develops an advertising strategy. This includes determining the key message, positioning, target audience, and media channels to be used. The strategy provides a roadmap for creating effective ads and promotions.
Creative development
This step involves conceptualising and creating the actual advertisements. The creative team works on designing the visuals, writing the copy, and developing the overall creative elements. The goal is to create compelling and engaging content that effectively communicates the desired message.
Media planning and buying
Once the creatives are ready, the team identifies the most suitable media channels to reach the target audience. This includes TV, radio, print, digital platforms, social media, or a combination of these. Media planning involves selecting the right timing, frequency, and placement to maximise the exposure and impact of the ads. Media buying involves negotiating and purchasing ad space or airtime from various media outlets.
Execution and monitoring
The team oversees the execution of the ad placements, ensuring that the ads are correctly displayed or aired as planned. They also monitor the effectiveness of the ads by tracking metrics like reach, frequency, engagement, conversions, and sales. This involves analysing data, conducting surveys or focus groups, and using tools to measure the impact of the advertising efforts.
Optimisation and adjustment
Based on the monitoring and analysis, the team makes necessary adjustments to optimise the effectiveness of the advertising and promotion efforts. This could involve refining the creative elements, adjusting the media mix, or tweaking the messaging to better resonate with the target audience.
Evaluation and reporting
Lastly, the team evaluates the overall performance of the advertising and promotion campaigns against the set objectives. They prepare reports to assess the return on investment (ROI) and provide insights for future campaigns. This evaluation helps in identifying successful strategies and areas for improvement.
Overall, creating advertising and promotion involves a strategic approach, creative development, media planning and buying, execution, monitoring, optimisation, and evaluation to ensure the effectiveness of the campaigns.
Digital Marketing
Managing online marketing efforts, including website content, search engine optimisation (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), email marketing, and social media campaigns. Staying updated on digital marketing trends and utilising the appropriate channels for maximum reach.
Budgeting and ROI Analysis
Developing and managing marketing budgets, allocating resources effectively, and monitoring expenditures. Analysing the return on investment (ROI) for marketing campaigns and activities.
Controlling budgeting and ROI analysis in traditional marketing involves several key steps and processes. Here is an overview of what is typically involved:
Establishing marketing objectives
Before creating a budget and conducting ROI analysis, it is important to define clear marketing objectives. These objectives could include increasing brand awareness, generating leads, driving sales, or improving customer retention.
Setting a marketing budget
Once the objectives are established, a marketing budget needs to be determined. This involves allocating financial resources to various marketing activities such as advertising campaigns, print media, TV/radio commercials, events, direct mail, and more.
Allocating funds
After setting the overall marketing budget, the funds need to be allocated to different marketing channels or initiatives based on their perceived effectiveness and expected ROI. This could involve allocating a certain percentage of the budget to different advertising channels like print, TV, radio, or online platforms.
Monitoring expenses
Controlling budgeting in traditional marketing requires closely monitoring expenses throughout the marketing campaign or specific initiatives. This involves tracking costs associated with various marketing activities, including creative production, media buying, distribution, and promotional materials.
Tracking results
In order to conduct ROI analysis, it is crucial to track the results of marketing efforts. This can be done by monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, conversion rates, sales figures, customer acquisition costs, and customer retention rates.
Analysing ROI
Once the marketing campaign or initiative is completed, ROI analysis can be conducted. This involves comparing the financial investment made with the actual returns generated. ROI can be calculated by dividing the net profit gained from marketing efforts by the total marketing expenses and expressing it as a percentage.
Evaluating effectiveness
In addition to calculating ROI, it is important to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the marketing activities. This can be done by analysing the impact on brand awareness, customer engagement, customer satisfaction, and other relevant metrics.
Making adjustments
Based on the ROI analysis and effectiveness evaluation, adjustments can be made to future marketing budgets and strategies. This iterative process allows for continuous improvement and optimisation of marketing efforts.
Overall, controlling budgeting and ROI analysis in traditional marketing involves careful planning, allocation of resources, monitoring expenses, tracking results, analysing ROI, evaluating effectiveness, and making necessary adjustments to improve future marketing initiatives.
“The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing”
Team Management
Supervising marketing staff, delegating tasks, and providing guidance and support. Collaborating with other departments, such as sales and product development, to align marketing strategies with overall company objectives.
Reporting and Analysis
Tracking and analysing marketing metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the success of marketing efforts. Presenting reports and recommendations to senior management.
Reporting and analysis are crucial components of traditional marketing as they help businesses understand the effectiveness of their marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions. Here are the key aspects involved in reporting and analysis in traditional marketing:
Data Collection
Traditional marketing involves gathering a wide range of data from various sources such as sales figures, customer feedback, market surveys, and competitor analysis. This data helps in evaluating the overall marketing performance.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): KPIs are metrics that measure the success or failure of marketing campaigns. Common KPIs include sales revenue, customer acquisition cost, conversion rates, market share, brand awareness, and customer satisfaction.
Data Organisation and Storage
The collected data needs to be organised and stored in a systematic manner for easy access and analysis. This may involve using databases, spreadsheets, or specialised marketing analytics tools.
Data Cleaning and Validation
Before conducting any analysis, it is essential to clean and validate the data to ensure accuracy and remove any inconsistencies or errors. This process helps in maintaining data integrity.
Data Analysis Techniques
Analysing the collected data involves applying various statistical and analytical techniques. These techniques can include trend analysis, segmentation analysis, regression analysis, correlation analysis, and data visualisation.
Reporting and Dashboards
Once the data is analysed, the findings are presented in the form of reports and dashboards. Reports provide insights into the performance of marketing campaigns, highlighting strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. Dashboards offer a visual representation of key metrics in real-time, allowing marketers to monitor ongoing campaigns.
Performance Evaluation
Analysing the data and reports helps in evaluating the success or failure of marketing strategies, campaigns, or individual tactics. It enables marketers to identify what worked and what did not, leading to informed decision-making for future marketing efforts.
Continuous Improvement
Reporting and analysis in traditional marketing are not one-time activities but an ongoing process. Marketers need to continually track and measure the effectiveness of their marketing initiatives, make necessary adjustments, and strive for continuous improvement.
In conclusion, reporting and analysis in traditional marketing involve collecting, organising, cleaning, analysing, and reporting data to assess the success of marketing efforts, identify areas for improvement, and inform future marketing strategies.
Stakeholder and Vendor Management
Building and maintaining relationships with external stakeholders, such as media outlets, vendors, advertising agencies, and partners. Negotiating contracts and ensuring timely delivery of services.
Stakeholder and vendor management in traditional marketing involves several key components:
Identification and analysis of stakeholders
This involves identifying all individuals, groups, or organisations that have a vested interest in the marketing activities and outcomes of a company. This includes customers, suppliers, employees, investors, regulatory bodies, and any other relevant parties. A thorough analysis is conducted to understand their needs, expectations, and influence on the marketing process.
Stakeholder engagement and communication
Effective communication and engagement with stakeholders is crucial in traditional marketing. This involves developing appropriate channels and platforms to keep stakeholders informed about marketing initiatives, seeking their input, addressing their concerns, and building positive relationships with them.
Stakeholder relationship management
Building and managing relationships with stakeholders is essential to ensure their support and cooperation. This includes regular interaction, providing value to stakeholders, and addressing their grievances or issues to maintain a positive relationship.
Vendor identification and selection
In traditional marketing, companies often rely on external vendors for various marketing activities, such as advertising agencies, printing companies, event organisers, etc. The management process involves identifying potential vendors, evaluating their capabilities, and selecting the most suitable ones based on factors like cost, quality, past performance, and expertise.
Vendor negotiation and contracts
Once vendors are selected, negotiation of terms, pricing, and contracts is undertaken. This involves setting clear expectations, discussing deliverables, establishing timelines, and ensuring legal and financial agreements are in place.
Vendor performance monitoring
Regular monitoring and evaluation of vendor performance is necessary to ensure they are meeting the agreed-upon objectives and delivering the expected results. This may involve reviewing their work, analysing key performance indicators, conducting periodic meetings, and addressing any issues or concerns that arise during the course of the project.
Issue resolution and dispute management
In case of conflicts or issues with stakeholders or vendors, traditional marketing requires effective management to resolve disputes and maintain relationships. This involves open communication, negotiation, mediation, or escalation to higher authorities if necessary.
Overall, stakeholder and vendor management in traditional marketing is about ensuring effective communication, maintaining positive relationships, and managing external partners to achieve marketing objectives and enhance the overall marketing strategy.
While this page outlines the traditional marketing manager responsibilities, it’s important to note that marketing roles can vary across industries and organisations. With the evolving nature of marketing, digital marketing skills and knowledge have become increasingly important for marketing managers.