As we enter 2016, many of us are considering changes and new approaches. Perhaps that involves spending more money on marketing and communications, or outsourcing content development. Whatever the case may be, if you find yourself needing a hand, Fractional Marketing might just be your best friend.
What is Fractional Marketing?
For most small to mid-size organizations, a full time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is out of financial reach. Additionally, many find their marketing needs vary from project to project, season to season. In an age where organizations need to be working smarter, not harder, a fractional marketing plan fills in the gaps providing the knowledge and know-how of a full time CMO on-demand and within budget, only when and where you need it.
And they rarely work alone.
Fractional CMOs enlist the skills and experiences of their networks of in-house personnel and subcontractors to assist in the implementation of strategic marketing plans.
So in short…
Fractional Marketing means you get the skills and experience of a full-time CMO AND access to their network of marketing professionals to tackle all kinds of projects, from content strategy and execution to impartial executive marketing development.
Sound Interesting?
It is estimated that for non-profit organizations operating below the million dollar mark, there is only one full time employee dedicated solely to marketing.[1] This can make things difficult as reaching and retaining audiences becomes more and more time consuming. Marketing professionals struggle with creating interesting, informative, engaging and impactful content on time and on budget. For small to mid-size organizations, this can mean a loss of big picture planning or the ability to implement strategic marketing initiatives. This is where Fractional Marketing becomes a way to have your cake and eat it too. When it comes to marketing in today’s world having the tools and expertise to market you and your organization is absolutely necessary for long-term success. Utilizing tools like fractional marketing is just one way to meet and exceed your goals in the coming year.
R&R Creative excels at providing fractional marketing plans for the organizations on-the-go. Get the personalized attention of a highly qualified marketing professional and the resources of a marketing firm for a fraction of the cost. Schedule a consultation today to discuss options.
The day-to-day tasks at work can be overwhelming; so it’s rare that you’d want to add to it with a strategic planning process. A good strategic plan shows you a snapshot of where you are, where you want to be, and how to get there.
But is it right for you? To help you figure it out, we created this flow chart.
Pretty universally, digital marketers are working – and working hard – to discover what their audiences find “relevant” every single day. They are A/B testing, measuring reach, and sometimes being penalized by social networking sites for posting content that was not only irrelevant but altogether terrible. But every once in a while we get the gift of a highly relevant, ready-made event that gets social media sites all atwitter and begging for fun content from brands. Think the birth of Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. Think Mother’s Day. Think #MayThe4thBeWithYou.
These events, which boast a shared relevance across many different demographics, can be a fantastic opportunity to get your social media posts in front of new eyes. It is also a great way to make your core audience laugh, “awwww” or remind them that there is a real person on the other side of the computer screen that shares their values and loves of social media just like they do. If you ensure your content is funny, beautiful or inventive you can also cash in on shares and retweets at a rate higher than many of your other posts. You love it. We know.
Sounds Harder Than Arguing With a Wookie
It’s not. Sure, some companies spend thousands of dollars on stunning graphics and highly-produced YouTube videos but that isn’t the only way to have an impact. Going back to our last blog post, what are your core values? Whataburger, a burger chain known for their convenience and customer service, built an At-At out of ketchup packs for #StarWarsDay 2015. To the untrained eye it’s just a clever image, but to customers, it’s a reminder that Whataburger brings condiments right to your table – an extra bit of customer service you won’t get at Burger King or McDonalds. Find a way to marry your quirky sense of humor and what your customers value most and you’ll be racking up the retweets faster than you can say #awesome.
What Would Han Solo Do?
When creating content for one of these events ask yourself what everyone’s favorite intergalactic outlaw would do. With his sexy swagger, great timing and highly recognizable jawline Han Solo can be a great guide. Do something a little different, a little sexy or a little bold. Make sure the timing is right. It is easier for your audience to view (and share) images or videos during the work day? Think about it. Finally, make sure whatever you create is still highly-identifiable with your brand and says something smart about what you do. Here are some great examples at every price point from 2015:
#MayThe4thBeWithYou, Get Your Brand On 2015:
Pandora Ad for Mother’s Day That is Making Everyone Ugly Cry:
