Strategy, Planning and "Pure Michigan"

When the strategy behind the "Pure Michigan" campaign is analyzed, it is easy to see that there are many things that were done right.  A well done marketing campaign rarely happens by accident or chance.  It is well thought out from beginning to end.  The state of Michigan hired a top tier advertising agency to plan and execute their tourism campaign.

Although most small business people don’t have access to a high end advertising agency, there are high quality media people who have the knowledge and experience to be an asset when it comes to developing a marketing plan.  It would be helpful to identify creative and successful media people that you trust to help you with ideas and direction.

The common characteristics of a well designed marketing plan include a stated goal, a consistent theme and the commitment to carry out the plan on an on going basis.  If the goal of the marketing is defined, then the advertiser will know if it has been successful.  It’s important to plan the manner in which the campaign will be carried out, including budget and media, to be certain that consistency is attainable. 

There is one important step that comes before anything else.  In order to plan a campaign and set any goal, a business owner needs to understand what makes their store or company unique and why their customers choose to do business with them.  Those pieces of information will determine your goal, your theme and your media choice.  Knowing who you are and what you are doing right will help you decide what you want your next step to be.  Your theme is based on your identity and your goal.  Your media choice is, in large measure, determined by who you are trying to reach and what has worked for you in the past.

It’s evident from the quality and results of the “Pure Michigan” campaign that the agency behind it put a lot of time and effort into planning before writing a single script or buying any media time.  The energy spent on a marketing plan, know matter what size the business, is well worth it.

The next post will look at media.