Freak Out: Digital marketing exams rapidly approaching!

Tis the season for Digital Marketing Exams. It's time to F.R.E.A.K.O.U.T!

So my cohort of IDM friends have recently been speaking about the upcoming IDM Digital Marketing Diploma exams. Speaking might be better rephrased as "freaking out". Why? well, we are all feeling pretty overwhelmed by the scale of the digital marketing landscape these days.

Not one day has passed since (well, since I can remember) without some new update through my inbox on... Google, Facebook Advertising, Snapchat Stories, new entrant Periscope, the topic of Big Data!, permission and breaches, cookies, convergence, customer acquisition, integration, RTB, mobile, Panda, Penguin, penalties, optimisation, keywords , SEO, PPC, programmatic, Affiliates, retargeting, ad blocking,first party, third party data, eCRM, loyalty, advocacy, own media, earned media, bought media. Youtube, influencers, analytics, dashboards, automation, apps, opt in opt out, search, social, traffic, CTR's, OR's, CPM, CPC, CPA, LTV, OVP, AMC (agh). And then there is the world of Ad networks! .....The Publishers, Ad servers, DSP's. I could go on...

I've oversubscribed my brain to far too many email updates and informative thought-leaders, not to mention downloaded umpteen White Papers on every topic going.  *White paper downloads should come with a sales and health warning!! And breathe!

So in preparation for the upcoming exams, I've come up with my own little take on a digital marketing strategy (Acronym)... Here's to you Dave Chaffey!  (Smart Insights  has been a great help).

The FREAK OUT Digital Marketing Strategy Planning Framework

F: FIRST things FIRST!

Know your business. Know your numbers.  Know your market. Know your brand and where it sits (#Porters5forces). And fundamentally, know your customers and what really matters to them.

R: RESEARCH & INSIGHTS

will allow you to really connect with your customers with the RIGHT product at the RIGHT price in the RIGHT place and of course look to promote it at the RIGHT time. By doing this you will REAP  REWARDS.

E: ENGAGE

and have continued EMPATHY with your audience. Brands with a balanced focus that includes investment in customer ENGAGEMENT strategies are rewarded (with increased traffic and an army of eulogising advocates) and build value around their brand that ultimately contributes to increasing brandEQUITY - delivering the ultimate goal of driving long-term customer value.

A: Be AGILE.

It’s the new black.  Rest on your laurels and risk losing market share. Be AWARE what your competitors are doing ALL the time. Be tuned in!

K: Show KINDNESS

and reward your customers (I'd like to say more than occasionally). Random Acts of Kindness (RAOK’s) can have a real impact versus the monotonous same old reductions that lack cut-through because everyone else is doing them.

O: OPTIMISE

for success. Build and evaluate customer journey(s) developing customer Personas, create intuitive content and craft messaging and offers that are relevant, targeted and cleverly timed -- review, and recalibrate regularly.

U: UNDERSTAND

everything you do even if it fails. Test and learn and never stand still. Data is your friend. 🙂 Understanding what doesn’t work focuses you on optimising what might prove a success in the future.

T: TAKE STOCK

and keep focused on GOALS, OBJECTIVES, and always set realistic KPI’s. Review and refine them TIME and TIME again.

And now I'm trying to remember....Don’t freak out….it’s only a marketing exam.

Many thanks to Kelli Hunter for sharing their advice and opinions in this post. Kelli Hunter is Senior Account Director at Forward WorldWide. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.

Best of luck Kelli, sure you won't need it with this summary. Also to all others with digital marketing exams coming up!

Image credits: Xavi