Prioritizing and focusing your marketing efforts for 'elephantine' impact

How do you eat an elephant?   

The wise suggest one bite at a time, which makes a lot of sense. But, as fresh-produce marketers, we’re often faced with elephantine tasks, and it can be difficult to determine which bite to take first. Plus, when our cutlery is constrained by budget, Mother Nature or countless other variables, our jobs can seem downright daunting. 

To say I’ve been overwhelmed a time or two in my career is the height of understatement. Fortunately, I’ve been in the trenches with terrific mentors, colleagues and clients. And through our shared experiences, I’ve learned how to approach elephants and, often, transform them into opportunities. While each task comes with its own unique challenges, here are some general tips that can help you prioritize and focus your marketing efforts for maximum impact. 

Be smart about it

First things first — when faced with a giant job, set smart goals to guide your work. While this may seem elementary, this step is vital to staying focused. Smart goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based. Refer to these goals throughout the process, especially when you might be tempted to tackle the task in one big bite. 

Make informed decisions with data and analytics

Identify gaps and opportunities by consulting available data. It’s hard to argue with numbers, and data will be your best ally when seeking buy-in for your marketing recommendations. Sales data from Nielsen or IRI are terrific sources, but the information landscape is constantly growing, with companies such as Datasembly, Tastewise and others reporting on everything from pricing to consumer sentiment. 

However, you don’t need to invest in costly research or data subscriptions for a successful marketing program. Refer to at-your-fingertips data, such as website analytics and internal sales reports, to inform your strategies. Web analytics allow you to optimize your digital content based on who and where your visitors are and how they’re consuming your information. Internal sales figures provide close to real-time roadmaps for allocating your budget and energies — and nimble marketing is smart marketing.

Align with key customer objectives

Consult with your sales team or directly with customers to learn how your marketing efforts can better support them, then move the sales needle with key accounts by delivering programs that address their specific objectives. For example, align with a common philanthropy, advertise on a preferred shopper reward app or target promotions to support their expansion plans. When you know what your customers value, the opportunities are endless.

Zero in on opportunities with geotargeted tactics

Now that you’re equipped with informed strategies and customer knowledge, you may have learned that you don’t need to eat the entire elephant at all. You can achieve high efficiency and desired results by geotargeting your tactics. Programmatic advertising enables you to digitally connect with your desired audience, wherever they are, across the internet and the globe — as broad as an entire state or region down to ZIP code and even store-level precision. Combine those digital advertising efforts with other tactics — such as in-store demos, specials and social media promotions — to maximize your exposure. 

Measure, report and refocus

Once you’ve executed your plan, it’s important to again refer to your smart goals and assess how it performed. Broadly promote your wins — both internally and externally — but make sure to deliver realistic reporting (in other words, stick to the facts) to best position yourself to improve the next time you’re faced with a monstrous meal.

Practicing these methods has consistently worked for much of my career. While I’m certain that there are more elephant encounters coming my way, I’m confident that each one will be a bit more manageable thanks to this trusted process. I hope this helps you, too. Do you have any tips or advice that you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you. Send me a message at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brocknemecek/ or bnemecek@thepacker.com.