15 Aug Pocket Guide: The Art of Planning and Executing an Impactful Awareness Campaign
Whether you have one year or one month to plan, every campaign should begin by defining your budget, objective, target audience, messaging architecture, and measurable goals. This pocket guide provides suggested tactics to consider when developing an awareness campaign based on your planning timeline.
Tactics to consider if you have one month or less to activate:
-
- Publish content on your social media channels
Social media platforms offer a medium to rapidly deliver content to your target audiences. You can save time and maximize the value of your existing content (articles, news stories, quotes, web resources, etc.) by repurposing it for social media and using free tools like Canva or Pixlr to design accompanying graphics.
-
- Pitch your spokesperson(s) for media interviews
Pitching earned media can be executed quickly compared to other communications efforts. Identify the media outlets that are most likely to be interested in your campaign and reach your target audience – a list of 10 – 20 outlets is ideal. Once you’ve crafted a compelling pitch, you can secure interviews for your spokesperson(s) in short order.
-
- Grab attention with a press release
A well-written press release can attract the attention of journalists and reporters without engaging in proactive media pitching. In addition to posting the release on your website, consider distributing your release over a national wire service. Media outlets often rely on wire services to generate new stories and may reach out to your organization or spokesperson(s) for expert commentary.
Tactics to consider if you have 2-5 months to activate:
All tactics above plus…
-
- Create a paid social media strategy for targeted reach
Paid social media allows you to target specific demographics, interests, behaviors, and other criteria, ensuring that your campaign messages are seen by the right audience. Plan your paid social media campaign at least 6-8 weeks in advance to allow time for research on which platform to use, creative development, ad set-up, testing, and optimization.
-
- Design a landing page / microsite on your website
A microsite allows you to create a dedicated online space focused solely on your campaign’s message, goals, and content. The page should include a clear and focused call to action related to the campaign that will be used in all materials. It also serves as a central space to drive traffic from other activations (social media posts, press releases, media interviews, etc.).
-
- Work with influencers / content creators to add authenticity
Influencers have strong connections with their communities of followers and can act as trusted messengers for your campaign messaging. Generally, micro-influencers (influencers with less than 100,000 followers) are more budget-friendly than mid-tier or macro-influencers.
-
- Media train your spokesperson(s) to encourage consistent communications
Media training spokesperson(s) is crucial for ensuring effective communication and maintaining a positive public image for your organization. Determine the key points you want your spokespeople to convey during interviews or media appearances and prepare them for tough questions they might face.
Tactics to consider if you have 6-9 months to activate:
All tactics above plus…
-
- Produce a video to engage audiences on social media
Video content is valuable for its ability to create an emotional connection to your campaign. It’s also more likely to be remembered in this format (90% of information processed by the brain is visual). Video content has the greatest reach on social media channels – leading social platforms’ algorithms prioritize video content.
-
- Explore sponsored / controlled content options for guaranteed coverage
With sponsored or controlled content (e.g., a matte release or sponsored media article) your organization has control over the messaging, audience targeting, and timing. Whereas earned media articles are highly dependent on external variables, sponsored content ensures guaranteed placements, often accompanied by social drivers for extended reach.
-
- Create a communications toolkit
A campaign communications toolkit for internal staff and/or partners is a tried-and-true method for executing a coordinated, effective, and impactful campaign. Equipping internal staff and partners with a toolkit empowers them to be campaign advocates and ensures the dissemination of consistent content and messaging. A communications toolkit can be tailored to different audiences, channels, and stages of your campaign, and generally includes key messages, a press release template, suggested social media content and graphics, blurbs for newsletters, and other tools and resources.
Tactics to consider if you have 1 year to activate:
All tactics above plus…
-
- Plan a community engagement event
Though it’s a large undertaking, executing an event in your community provides an opportunity for face-to-face interactions, making your campaign more relevant and relatable. Consider collaborating with other local organizations, healthcare providers, community leaders, and sponsors who can provide additional resources, expertise, and promotion for the event. Depending on the focus of your campaign, engagement ideas could include assembling a panel of speakers for an interactive discussion, health screenings, informational booths, or hands-on activities.
-
- Pitch long-lead media for maximum exposure
Pitching to these outlets (e.g., print magazines and journals) allows you to secure coverage for your campaign well ahead of time, ensuring that your messages reach your audiences at the right moment. Print opportunities like magazine articles are often coordinated a year before launch to account for writing, editing, and production.
To learn more, contact us here.
