Many campus rec professionals and administrators find themselves tasked with marketing duties or oversight without a formal background and/or limited marketing experience. If this is you, fear not. This article is Part Two of Matt Schmiedl’s 10 essential marketing strategies (read Part One here):
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6. Utilize Multiple Platforms
The “Rule of 7” in marketing suggests potential customers need to encounter your message at least seven times on average before making a purchasing decision. The idea is that repeated exposure can increase brand recognition, boost sales conversion and enhance customer retention. The principle also suggests people are more likely to remember something they see often rather than being overwhelmed with too much information at once. Multi-phased and multi-platform marketing campaigns are a great way to strategically accomplish the repetition needed to achieve marketing goals. Utilize various platforms — print, web, email, digital signage, video, in-person outreach, events and social media — to ensure your message reaches your audience repeatedly and consistently. Remember, each platform has its nuances, strengths and weaknesses. It makes sense for some channels to take precedence over others based on the campaign, your target audience and goals, but they can all work together to support each other.
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People Don’t Like to Read
Reading is so 2007. In 2008, Steve Jobs stated, “the fact is that people don’t read anymore. 40% of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year [2007].” Fast forward to a Washington Post survey from January 2024 which found 46% of Americans did not read a book in 2023 and it appears we’ve slipped even further. From a marketing perspective, it’s also worth noting the average person only spends about 2 seconds looking at an ad. So, it stands to reason that in today’s fast-paced digital world, concise and eye-catching content is vital. Use graphics, images and videos to communicate your message more effectively. Visual content is not only more engaging but also easier to digest quickly.
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Social Media is an Awesome and Fleeting Tool
Social media offers a dynamic and immediate way to connect with your audience. However, it is also a constantly changing landscape that can be challenging to navigate. Each platform operates with its own set of rules and best practices, and just when you think you have a handle on it, the algorithms and trends shift. But social channels also provide real-time access to your audiences and offer a nimble, highly-targetable and cost-effective advertising outlet — when done properly. To leverage social media effectively, it’s essential to stay agile and up to date with the latest changes. Be prepared to invest time into regularly creating and posting content and engaging with your audience. Authenticity is crucial here. Users are more likely to connect with content that feels genuine and relatable rather than overtly promotional. By maximizing content that focuses on connection and minimizing overt selling, you can build a loyal, engaged following and maintain a strong, positive social media presence.
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Feedback is Your Friend
Effective marketing is an iterative process. Gather and analyze data from your campaigns to understand what worked and what didn’t. Metrics such as survey results, web and email analytics, engagement rates, sales reports, revenue and expense data, and attendance numbers provide valuable insights, especially when correlated to desired outcomes. Use data to refine your strategies and improve future campaigns. Define goals and KPIs early and structure your campaigns to achieve them. Ongoing improvement relies on tracking current successes — the end informs the beginning. Understanding how your brand is perceived is also critical. Does your audience view your brand how you intend? It’s worth putting some time and effort into periodically assessing if your brand still represents what you want it to in the eyes of your customers and audiences.
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Marketing is More than Advertising
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, understand marketing encompasses more than just creating flashy flyers and posting on social media. It touches, supports and can enhance just about every aspect of a business or operation if you let it. The most effective marketing incorporates:
- Excellent communication
- Authentic customer experiences and connections
- Genuine and mutually beneficial customer relationships
- Strategic thinking and proactive planning
- Business development and growth
- Understanding trends and what your target markets and audiences want
Remember, the most effective marketers continually strive to understand and infuse all these elements into their work, and the most effective organizations and businesses include their marketing teams at the beginning of the project instead of in the middle or at the end.
Read part one with the first five tips here.
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