Traditional media has its drawbacks, but using a customer journey can help us as marketers personalize that message to our audience.
Episode Show Notes
Introduction to Aligning Traditional Media with your Customer Journey
(0:00 – 2:22) Introduction To Iterative Marketing Podcast: Welcome to the Iterative Marketing Podcast, where, each week, hosts Steve Robinson and Elizabeth Earin provide marketers and entrepreneurs with actionable ideas, techniques, and examples to improve marketing results.
The topic of this episode is aligning traditional media with the customer journey. Different traditional media channels, measuring their effectiveness, and the need for marketers to approach traditional media differently in the future are discussed. The episode builds on previous discussions about aligning content and aligning digital media with the buyer’s journey.
The resources discussed on the show can be found at brilliantmetrics.com, which includes a blog and a LinkedIn group for community interaction.
Traditional vs. Digital Media
(2:22 – 3:46) Targeting Challenges and Audience Assumptions: Traditional media differs from digital media due to the lack of precise targeting options. While digital media uses first and third-party data to target individuals, traditional media mostly reaches a mass audience, making it difficult to align with specific stages of the buyer’s journey. Marketers must assume that the majority of people reached through traditional channels are in the See state, with smaller groups in the Think and Do states. As a result, most traditional media messaging will cater to the See state, but exceptions do exist. Understanding these exceptions and adapting strategies accordingly is crucial for marketers working with traditional media channels.
Traditional Media Channel: Television
(3:46 – 6:17) Interruptive Nature: Television commercials interrupt the viewer’s experience, making it suitable for reaching the See state audience who may not be actively looking for your message.
Lean Back Consumption: The passive consumption of TV content by the audience means they are not actively engaging with the content, which limits the effectiveness of targeting the Think or Do states.
Entertaining Content for the See State: As viewers watch TV for entertainment, it is crucial to create content that captures their attention and aligns with their interests while delivering your message.
Challenges in Encouraging Engagement: Viewers may be reluctant to engage with TV ads, making it difficult to target the Think or Do states in the customer journey.
Focusing on the See State: To optimize TV advertising for the customer journey, marketers should concentrate on the See state and limit the instances where they prompt viewers to think or take action.
Traditional Media Channel: Radio and Podcast
(6:17 – 8:35) Interruptive Nature: Like TV, radio and podcast ads also interrupt the listener’s experience, making them suitable for reaching the See state audience.
Longer Messages and Think State Content: Radio and podcasts provide opportunities for longer messages, enabling marketers to create content for the Think state, especially through host-read sponsorships that can engage the audience.
Consumption Environment and Limitations: Most radio content is consumed outside the home, often while driving or engaging in other activities, which may make it challenging for listeners to take immediate action in response to ads.
Measuring Impact and Focus on See State: As advertisers try to measure the impact of radio and podcast advertising, they often focus on the See state. However, when longer spots are available, marketers can also consider integrating Think state offers, keeping in mind the limitations of audience segmentation.
Balancing See and Think Content: When creating radio and podcast ads, ensure that Think state content does not alienate or disengage the See state audience.
Traditional Media Channel: Print Advertising
(8:35 – 11:53) See, Think, or Do: Print advertising can cater to audiences in the See, Think, or Do states, depending on the context and audience expectations.
Magazine Ads and Expectations: When browsing glossy magazines, audiences typically expect See or Think state content rather than Do state offers. However, there may still be Do state ads at the back of magazines.
Advertorials and Native Print Advertising: Advertorials and native print ads provide opportunities to present Think state content in a longer form, focusing on engaging the reader without coming across as overly salesy.
Pay-to-Play Articles: These articles can offer Think content while balancing entertainment value for the reader, keeping in mind the expectations of the magazine’s audience.
Circulars and Coupons: When browsing circulars or looking for coupons, audiences expect Do state content. Failing to provide coupons or offers in this context might annoy the reader.
In summary, for print advertising, it’s important to align the message with the context and the audience’s expectations, as different types of print media cater to different stages of the buyer’s journey.
Traditional Media Channel: Newspaper
(11:53 – 14:09) Newspaper Advertising: It can be surprising to see a significant portion of newspaper advertising targeting the Do state. This stage represents the smallest segment of the audience in many cases, making it crucial for marketers to reconsider the effectiveness of their ads.
Exceptions: There are exceptions for Do state advertising. For example, products like laundry soap, which are frequently purchased by a large number of people, can benefit from this type of advertising as there is a sizable audience in the Do state at any given moment.
Infrequent Purchases: For infrequent purchases like siding replacement, marketers should understand the percentage of their audience ready to buy before investing in Do state advertising. This will ensure a positive return on investment.
Awareness: Marketers should be aware that Do state advertising targets a small portion of their audience. With limited media budget dollars, it’s essential to evaluate if this is the best way to spend those resources.
Re-evaluate Advertising Plans: If Do state advertising is not the most effective use of your media budget, consider re-evaluating your plan to focus more on the See and Think states. This approach can help you reach a broader audience and maximize the impact of your advertising efforts.
By re-evaluating your newspaper advertising strategy and aligning it with the customer journey, you can make more informed decisions about where to invest your media budget for the best results.
Traditional Media Channel: Outdoor Advertising
(14:09 – 16:54) Limited Targeting: Outdoor advertising offers limited targeting options, making it difficult to focus on specific personas or stages of the buyer’s journey. However, it can still be a powerful medium when used effectively.
See and Do Stages: Outdoor advertising primarily focuses on the See and Do states of the customer journey. The Think state is typically ignored due to the nature of the medium, which doesn’t allow for lengthy text or multiple points to sway opinions.
Advantages of See State: The See state is ideal for outdoor advertising as it helps keep a brand top of mind and attaches the brand to a big idea. This works well when targeting a large audience whose demographics are unknown.
Effective Do State Offers: For the Do state, outdoor advertising should focus on clear and concise offers that can be easily communicated through images and minimal text, such as McDonald’s dollar menu or a hotel room rate special.
Supporting Other Stages: To make Do state offers more effective, it’s essential to have See and Think state advertising in other media channels. This helps provide context and value to the offers displayed in outdoor advertising, ensuring the brand’s message is well-rounded and reaches the target audience effectively.
Outdoor advertising can be an impactful medium when used strategically to target the See and Do states of the customer journey. By supplementing it with other media channels to address the Think state, marketers can create a more comprehensive and effective advertising campaign.
Traditional Media Channel: Direct Mail
(16:54 – 19:55) Direct Mail: Direct mail can be a valuable tool in the customer journey if it is properly targeted and personalized. Here are some key points to consider when using direct mail in your marketing efforts:
Data-Driven Targeting: Direct mail can be targeted similarly to digital advertising through first-party databases, CRM systems, marketing automation systems, or purchasing lists based on specific criteria.
Cost-Effectiveness: To maximize cost-effectiveness in direct mail campaigns, it’s essential to align your strategy with the potential return on investment. Larger print runs can help reduce costs, but personalization and targeting should remain a priority.
Marketing Automation: Connecting your marketing automation system to direct mail providers like Lob or FPL can enable you to send personalized print mailings based on each prospect’s position in the customer journey.
Small Business Solutions: If your business doesn’t have access to a marketing automation system, you can still track and personalize direct mail through your CRM. By understanding the probability of where your audience is in the journey state, you can make educated decisions on how to utilize direct mail effectively.
Direct mail can be a powerful component of a well-rounded marketing strategy when used strategically and personalized to each prospect’s position in the customer journey. By combining data-driven targeting, cost-effective print runs, and marketing automation or CRM solutions, you can make the most of direct mail as part of your overall marketing efforts.
Charity Outreach
(19:55 – 20:39) Charity Break: Girls on the Run
Measuring Traditional Media Effectiveness
(20:39 – 23:07) Unique Calls To Action: Measuring the effectiveness of traditional media can be more challenging than digital media. However, by implementing unique calls to action, you can track the response to your campaigns across various channels. Here are some ways to measure the impact of traditional media advertising:
- Unique Phone Numbers: Use call tracking services like Mongoose Metrics or CallRail to assign unique phone numbers to each advertisement, allowing you to track which placements drive calls.
- Unique URLs: Direct users to specific domain names or unique URLs to measure web traffic generated by individual ads.
- SMS Short Codes: Assign specific short codes for SMS or text messaging campaigns to track engagement and responses.
- Coupons: Offer unique coupons for in-store visits, tracking redemptions through your point-of-sale system.
- Promo Codes: Use promo codes in radio and TV ads to track responses tied to specific campaigns or placements.
Keep in mind that these methods are mostly applicable for tracking Think and Do state responses. Measuring the See state can be more ambiguous and might require market research, brand awareness studies, or tracking brand name searches on Google.
By using unique calls to action and tracking methods, you can better understand the effectiveness of your traditional media campaigns and adjust your strategy accordingly. This data-driven approach will help you optimize your marketing efforts and allocate resources more effectively.
Rethinking Traditional Media Strategy
(23:07 – 25:59) Strategies: Marketers should rethink their approach to traditional media advertising by considering the entire customer journey. Here are some key takeaways for developing a more effective media strategy:
- Align media with the customer journey: Ensure that your media placements and messaging align with the different stages of the customer journey – See, Think, and Do. This will help you reach potential customers at various points in their decision-making process.
- Focus on measurement: Accurate measurement is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of your media spend. Employ methods like unique phone numbers, URLs, SMS short codes, coupons, and promo codes to measure responses and track results.
- Question your current strategy: Regularly review your media strategy to ensure it aligns with your objectives and customer journey. Adjust your approach as needed to better target your audience and optimize your media spend.
- Consider short-term and long-term goals: While focusing on immediate results and Do state advertising might satisfy short-term goals, it’s essential to nurture potential customers at all stages of the customer journey. This will help you drive future sales and maintain a steady pipeline of prospects.
By questioning your traditional media strategy and aligning it with the customer journey, you can create a more targeted and effective approach. This will help you better allocate your media budget and ultimately drive better results for your business.
Join Us Next Time
(25:59 – 27:09) Conclusion: This week we discussed how to align your traditional media with your customer journey. Next week, we’ll discover the differences in agile and iterative marketing strategies.
Have a great week and we’ll see you next time. This concludes this week’s episode. For notes and links to resources discussed on the show, sign up to the Brilliant Metrics newsletter.
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The Iterative Marketing Podcast, a production of Brilliant Metrics, ran from February 2016 to September 2017. Music by SeaStock Audio.
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