This piece was originally published on my LinkedIn. I’d love to connect there!
Have you ever baked a fresh loaf of bread? If so, you know that there is nothing like the dramatic rise of dough in the oven or the intoxicating crackle of a cooling crust. If you haven’t, then consider this your invitation to give this rewarding process a shot.
As I’ve taken a deep dive into the world of bread baking over the past six months, I’ve noticed all of the lessons that are rising (pun intended) to the surface and how they relate to crafting perfectly proofed marketing campaigns.
A good marketing campaign, just like a good loaf of homemade bread, takes time, dedication, and know-how. Here are some lessons from baking bread that you can take into your next campaign planning session.
- Use A Thoughtful Ingredient Mix. A social media blitz alone is usually not enough to reach the goals that you are craving. Combine measured amounts of video, social, long-form content, client testimonials, and/or influencer-driven editorial with a heaping scoop of empathy to create an integrated campaign that resonates with your audience.
- Consider Your Environment. Your dough changes depending on its environment (think fridge vs. counter vs. oven). That is the same for your marketing efforts: your channel matters. For marketing campaigns, consider how you can tailor your message to fit different channels: Professional on LinkedIn, aspirational on Instagram, action-oriented on email drips, and the list goes on.
- Set A Timer Or Three. Every minute is an opportunity to allow your ingredients and tactical mix to produce results. This isn’t always active time when social media messages are being posted or influencers are being activated. But, it is time when your audience can be interacting with your content and making up their minds about your brand. When you have the right mix and environment, time is on your side.
- Find Taste Testers. I have a dedicated team of taste testers (read as: friends and neighbors) for all of my baked goods. That feedback makes for better future products. For your marketing campaigns, draw actionable insights from your data but don’t forget to consider the qualitative: Did you get high-impact shares from customers or influencers? Were social comments insightful and thoughtful? Any in-person feedback? All of this matters for optimizing future campaigns.
Now… Off you go to create the perfectly-proofed marketing campaign. Remember that inspiration is all around us. Be sure to learn from the hobbies in your life to improve your marketing.
About The Author: Jack Fitzpatrick is an Influencer Marketing & Social Media Strategist (and savvy home baker) who helps businesses shape their marketing strategy with lots of empathy.