Marketing objectives assess strengths and weaknesses within the marketing mix. In order to present a product to a receptive audience and convert that goodwill into sales, the right message must be sent to the right people. Some examples of objectives that can help increase conversions are:
- Increasing brand awareness by producing engaging online content
- Identifying the target social media audience by analyzing engagement trends within such a non-targeted campaign
- Producing online content aimed at the specific target audiences identified
- Increasing online sales by developing multiple e-commerce platforms
- Increasing social engagement through community action
These represent primarily online goals, however the media chosen can vary to also include terrestrial broadcast, print, or even grass-roots/network marketing. However, the most important thing to consider is the uniformity of a brand’s message across multiple channels. Consistency represents stability to consumers and creates brand trust.
In order to establish and stay true to their values when creating marketing objectives, companies develop mission statements. Such statements indicate why a company exists and often its plans to translate its profit motive into social development, whether for profit or in order to align its values with that of its target audiences. A few examples of this are (note that some are more altruistic-sounding than others):
Microsoft – Empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – We see equal value in all lives. And so we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals around the world.
Chipotle – To change the way people think about and eat fast food.
MGM Resorts International – The leader in entertainment & hospitality – a diverse collection of extraordinary people, distinctive brands and best in class destinations.
Nike – To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.
Walmart – We save people money so they can live better.
Starbucks – To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.
Tesla – To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
Airbnb – Belong anywhere
JP Morgan – To be the best financial services company in the world
(Momoh)
These statements function a lot like the mantra of eastern spirituality. Their purpose is to constantly remind one of a goal, and to focus their resolve onto it. According to Google, a mantra is:
- a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation, or
- a statement or slogan repeated frequently
These two definitions come together to form a sort of self-hypnosis that helps define a corporate culture and keep one focused on marketing objectives within the context of that culture. The former definition helps to keep one focused on the latter, which represents the simplest form of marketing – sloganeering – the simplifying of an overarching idea to a short phrase. Some may say slogans are just words, but the right words help create emotional responses, and those emotional responses can breed employee and consumer loyalty.
Creating a psychological, emotional, and/or intellectual link is as simple as creating the right message. Internally, these is inherent in mission statements. Externally, in campaigns. Consumers want to know what a brand represents. There are many terrible products with great slogans, and plenty of great ones with marketing deficiencies, but without the right message, people won’t give a product a chance. Likewise for employees and stakeholders.
In the simplest terms, utilizing marketing objectives is about making connections. Find the audience. Develop the audience. Cater to the audience. Listen to the audience. Stay focused on the audience and the mission statement. Repeat ad infinitum.
Momoh, O. (2017, September 06). Mission Statement. Retrieved April 04, 2018, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/missionstatement.asp