In marketing, people often use sports metaphors to explain a given situation. We target buyers like a quarterback throwing to his wide receivers. We try to knock the ball out of the park or get past obstacles to score a goal. But this year is unlike any other year we’ve faced.
Given the multiple crises the world is facing right now, 2020 is looking more like a marathon — perhaps even an ultramarathon. That means you’ve got to have a different kind of strategy.
What Marketers Can Learn From Marathon Runners
In long-distance racing, the smart runners have a plan. No matter how many races they’ve completed successfully (or even won), there’s strategy involved for every new course. Stepping out blindly can mean your race is over before you get to the first water stop.
Similarly, many businesses are coming off of record sales and growth years — like our clients in homebuilding and insurance. But in 2020, nobody can coast off their past successes. When the game (or race) changes, strategy matters more than ever.
5 Strategy Insights Marketers Can Run With Now
- Preparation is key — The best runners know their strengths and weaknesses. They study the course. They understand how they stack up against the competition. And they know how to maximize their strengths in order to win. Your business has to do the same.
- Know which tactics work best for you — For runners, it’s about hydration, fueling, pace, etc. For companies, it’s about messaging, media and timing. In either case, the idea is to plan out the proper mix to achieve your objectives.
- Focus on small, achievable wins (and keep going) — Even slow runners focus on just making it to the next tree. These days, businesses should look for quick wins they can learn and recalibrate from, even as they’re driving towards long-term success.
- Don’t waste resources — More than anything, a great runner knows how to manage their energy and effort so nothing is wasted. Businesses need research and strategy to avoid wasting time, energy and money on tactics that don’t work.
- Trust that the tough times will pass — Every runner faces their own struggles. In a marathon or an ultramarathon, there might be multiple stretches in which nothing goes right. The trick is not to let it throw you. 2020 is one of the toughest times any of us have faced, but it will pass. It’s just gonna take some extra grit and smart strategy to get us through.
The Smartest Strategy Wins
Just like a marathon support team, Wick Marketing works alongside our clients every step of the way; race to race, win after win. And it starts with strategy.
For example, the Wick Marketing team recently worked with Pardee Homes’ Verano, a 55+ community in Los Angeles. Through our client collaboration process, we uncovered an audience strongly motivated by the idea of connecting with future friends and lifestyle. This audience also highly valued authenticity. Our marketing plan focused on media aimed at this audience, with creative that used original photography of actual residents enjoying Verano’s fun, friend-filled lifestyle. New home sales responded. Pardee Homes won.
At Wick Marketing, we never just hand in a pretty design — we carefully craft a mix of tactics and finely tuned creative that connects with the right people at the right place and time. It’s not that beautiful creative isn’t important. We love amazing design and lovely words, but achieving the client’s goal is even more important. Great creative founded in strategy does that.
Are you ready to let smarter strategy guide your marketing efforts through 2020 and beyond? We’re ready to help.
