Campaigns 6
Public relations (PR) campaigns are used to positively influence the way a brand is perceived through managing communications with the media and the general public.
Whether PR can be deemed as part of marketing is debatable. But what is certain is that PR campaigns, just like marketing campaigns, can affect the demand for a product and, hence, significantly impact sales.
What is unique about PR, though, is it uses a different type of communication compared to marketing.
For instance, while marketing campaigns are notorious for generating demand directly via discounts and all sorts of “special deals,” PR campaigns are never about that.
Instead, a PR campaign will generate demand by sending out press releases highlighting how a product or the company itself is noteworthy.
PR campaigns are especially effective for:
Promoting an idea important to the brand.
Building brand image.
Increasing brand credibility and status.
Providing added value.
Inspiring word of mouth.
Getting attention from the media (and taking advantage of their reach).
1. Product marketing campaign
Product marketing campaigns are used to introduce a product (or a product feature) into the market.
They are one of the most important and complex campaigns in the life cycle of a product. This is because a newly introduced product (or service) needs effective marketing communication to impact sales. It also requires cooperation between different departments to make sure every part of the user experience is covered.
This kind of campaign should stem from your go-to market strategy.
But besides the typical process of bringing a product to the market, there are also agile methods often used by startups, such as a minimum viable product (MVP).
2. Sales promotion campaign
Sales promotion campaigns are short-term initiatives used to stimulate demand for a product or service.
The goal of a sales promotion campaign is to increase sales. Think flash sales, limited-time offers, coupons, etc. The idea is to decrease the friction of making a purchase (price, shipping costs, etc.) and speed up the decision process by creating a sense of urgency.
As temporary discounts often bring fast results, it may be tempting for marketers to use these campaigns on many occasions. This is especially when the company doesn’t meet its sales quota. Yet running these campaigns too often has its downsides: discounts can devalue a brand and make it harder to sell products/services at regular prices in the future.
An alternative to offering discounts is increasing the value of a product. For example, you can add more products to make a bundle, offer some freebies, or provide free shipping.