Football season, as you know, is well underway. America's favorite sport has a death grip on our television sets once again.
Certainly you have found yourself sitting in your favorite chair, shouting profanity at your favorite team's coaching staff for their decisions. While they generally don't hear your pleas, you have the opportunity to act like a coach for your business.
Think of your business's online marketing like a football team. You need a philosophy, a strategy, a collection of tactics that you can use to ensure success. Every football team has "bread and butter" plays, as well as some trickery. A statue of liberty play doesn't work every time you hit the field, but it doesn't hurt to throw one in there every now and again.
So what will be the strategy for your online marketing? Let's go to the chalk board.
Offense
Online marketing is performed by an integrated mix of channels, including your website, social media outlets, landing pages, QR codes, mobile initiatives, etc. What you offer your audience is comparable to an offensive playbook. You present content with the intention of it being responded to.
Your playbook should be innovative and diverse. Videos, podcasts, blog posts, Tweets, Facebook posts, webinars and much, much more are all plays in your arsenal. Good employees can execute these plays much like a great quarterback. No offensive touchdown was ever scored without well-run plays. While we all hope for the "Immaculate Reception," you should never bet on it.
Defense
If your offense is done right, people will interact with your brand online. This means your company will need to be reactive. Your audience will have questions, concerns, compliments and maybe even some complaints. Regardless of what they are, be ready to address them.
A great linebacker can read a play and react immediately, addressing a situation and helping the team. Your online marketing team should have at least one person devoted to the wants and needs of the audience. A successful offense must be bolstered by a strong defense. As the old adage goes, defense does indeed win championships.
Special Teams
How many football games are won and lost by field goals, kick returns, field position and other nuances that are so often overlooked?
Don't let your plans be undermined by one play. Be cognizant of common public relations mishaps of other brands and the trends that your audiences are interested in. No brand should be a static entity. Be dynamic and separate yourself from the herd. An electric kick returner is a difference maker in a football game. A creative campaign or contest can be a difference maker for your company.
Find your fans and go the extra mile. It's the difference between being a playoff contender or being a spectator.
For more tips on coaching your team to victory, check out our White Paper on inbound marketing here.