Doing more with less
As recently as 10-15 years ago, brands were spending thousands on print advertising, TV advertising and sponsorship, and except for the obvious - an upturn in sales - there was almost no way to measure their effectiveness. That’s just the way it was. Your campaign could have reached some of your target market, but a large percentage of your advertising spend could have gone up in smoke, hitting people who had no interest whatsoever in buying from you.
But my goodness, how times have changed. These days, you can’t move for reporting techniques, measurement tools and KPIs. And this can only be a good thing.
It’s tough out there, and so many companies are cutting their marketing budgets to within an inch of their life. The remaining marketing spend is being analysed to the nth degree to make sure it’s providing a good return on investment. Because who wants to burn money on ineffective marketing campaigns and activities that just don't perform?
We’ve now got access to sophisticated systems that allow us to measure hits, dwell time, footfall, eyeballs, opens, reach and much more. So every £ that’s spent on marketing, can be directly linked to the £££s that come back in. What’s more, we can track campaign activity in real time, so if an element of it isn’t performing, we can identify it immediately, and tweak it until it does work. What a time to be alive!
Savvy marketers are using all these tools and techniques to their advantage – making every £ of their budget count and at the same time demonstrating to their bosses exactly how they’re earning their keep.
If you’re a marketing manager or a business owner that needs to do more with less, there are other ways of getting more bang for your buck.
We recommend reviewing your creative agencies on at least an annual basis to make sure you’re getting value for money. But remember that the cheapest is hardly ever the same as the best value for money. You’re looking for excellent creative, responsive service and above all, results.
Some of our clients work with us on a project-by-project basis, and we’re very happy to respond to ad hoc briefs, delivering impactful communications and stand-out brands whenever they’re needed.
However, many of our clients find that when we act as an extension of their team and when we’re involved in their marketing plans from the outset, they achieve far better results. We can bring an expert eye to tricky problems and suggest solutions or new ways of working that perhaps hadn’t been considered.
We can help you plan out your marketing budget in advance, help you make the most of limited resources, and bring in other trusted suppliers as and when needed.
Being able to see the bigger picture also helps us to make sure that your brand and your messaging remain consistent across the board. Our clients invariably find that working in this way, with a reliable, creative agency saves them both time and money in the long-run.
If you need some help when it comes to ‘doing more with less’, come and have a chat with us. The door to the Backroom is always open.
