The February edition of the International Film Festival Summit newsletter provided readers with a thought-provoking list of marketing strategies needed in today's market. Originally developed by www.marketinginspirations.com, the list addresses the fact that it is harder than ever to connect with consumers. Budgets and time are limited, media is fragmented and attention spans are short, and consumers are bombarded with options. Marketing Inspirations write: "In the past, Media Planning was about picking individual media. New Media Planning is about picking the right combinations of media. It’s important to keep in mind that some media may communicate better than others based on consumers’ lifestyle and media consumption habits. Avoid doing something new for “newness sake”, but rather, determine the best time and method for connecting to your potential customers. Mixed exposure across various media platforms tends to provide a greater response. But how do you get started? It might be time to go back to the basics"
- First, really ask yourself, who you trying to target? Can you further segment your target? Segmenting by lifestyles, values and preferences will increase the likelihood of the desired action. Tweaking your communication points and focusing on relevant attributes of the individual films, key areas of interest or the overall experience may be appealing to different target segments.
- By invitation only: Today’s customer wants to feel unique and important. It is up to them to invite you into their space and to determine when to receive your message. It’s up to you to make sure you are present and communicating in the correct way. Different life groups interpret brands in completely different ways. Understanding how each group internalizes your experience will help you to devise appropriate messaging and determine the appropriate media placement.
- Create Individual Strategies: Creating individual strategies to speak to various segments, i.e. the general market, Downtown Residents & Employees, Universities, conventioneers, Tourists, the Gay & Lesbian Community, Young Professionals/Singles, Culturally Sophisticated and International and Multi-Cultural groups, is proven to be effective in driving attendance.
- Finding the magic bullet: An integrated marketing campaign capitalizes on the strengths of individual media to reach target segments. Now more than ever it is important to marry marketing and public relations initiatives. Remember that not only is messaging important, but media consumption is different for each of your target segments. Different media play different role in the mix. For example, digital ads leading to your website can carry deeper content and more complex communication than many media forms, while outdoor ads give a quick punch of information.
- A State of Mind: Additionally, as a potential customer moves through the sales cycle, they may be motivated by different marketing methods. Cold prospects might respond to mass media such as broadcast, print and publicity. Hot prospects might respond to direct mail, promotional events, grass roots, email and pay per click ads. By choosing your prospects favorite cable network, TV show, radio station, website and newspaper, for instance, allows you to maintain consistent contact without boring them. It allows you to connect with them in different spaces throughout their day, taking advantage of multiple touch points. Of course, digital cannot be ignored. Online is a “must buy” channel to reach a high concentration of elusive 18-34 year olds. Bottom line: The combination of traditional, non-traditional, and digital media is the key to successful marketing campaigns that garners the best results.
- Setting the Stage: Finally, we cannot overlook the benefits of a long-term social media strategy as an integrated and ongoing marketing initiative. Marketers often experience a lot of pressure to operate both reactively and tactically. A carefully designed social media strategy is a must before any significant programs go live. Without it, marketers can't effectively evaluate vehicles, figure out how their contribution to the mix builds the business, or measure their effectiveness. In such a vacuum, tactical programs can at best hope to be dismissed or deemed failures internally or worse, by your fans. Here are a few hints to avoid some social media pitfalls. It is important to be authentic and real. Don’t speak in “ad speak.”
- Back Stage Pass: Remember it is a two way conversation. Your attendees are looking for is added value, juicy insights and behind-the-scenes access. Be a part of their conversations. Add to their conversations. Ask questions. Learn what they want and expect from the festival experience. Social media should be thought of like electricity and should always be on. It shouldn’t be thought of as a Hollywood marriage, but yet an indefinite commitment. Strategy should be aligned with the basic tenets of the social media sphere -- transparency, authenticity, and dedication to conversation.
- Collective effort: All these media should result in millions of impressions to improve brand identity, awareness, engagement and ultimately ticket sales.
How about getting together with colleagues in Copenhagen to talk about these, and many other "best practice" ideas?
