What action is the program designed to provoke?
All communications is marketing. Every statement, act and gesture is designed to get a response – the right response. That’s why every element of every program ought to be vetted for its effect. Left unmanaged, the reaction might be unintended or negative. By assessing the ability of each program element to help achieve the desired effect, Wise Counsel can make the overall program more effective and efficient.
Is the program capable of overcoming market forces in opposition?
It is increasingly difficult to be heard in what has become a noisy, always-on media world. But more than the burden of managing the message on multiple media platforms needs to counter the simultaneous actions of competitors and meet the expectations of consumers.
Are the resources adequate?
A great idea or program can be undone by a lack of resources. Certainly, financial support is essential. Are you allocating enough of a budget to get the job done? Executive time is right behind cash as a mandatory requirement for success. Finally, is there an understanding of how much time the program needs to be successful? Identifying the markers for success can help stay the course on programs that are designed to be more slowly evolving.
How will it/can it better benefit from earlier programs and campaigns?
Even the communications done in support of launching a start-up can benefit from what has come before it. In new companies, the executives, investors and competitors are likely to have history that can be leveraged. For most companies, there is a well-understood or easily discovered track record. Every program, even if it represents a sharp break with the past, needs to show how it is rooted in what has come before, thereby giving companies’ credit for stability and foresight.
Has the program been “test marketed” with sample audience targets?
Just as drawing upon the lessons learned from prior programs can help guide more effective elements, testing the new program with a small set of key influencers can also refine the initiative. Wise Counsel has relationships with many in the media, analyst, consumer, academic, advocacy and regulatory communities that are important for the success of most programs. From among these relationships a set can be selected that can help confirm the broad value of any program on the basis of discrete contact in advance of market roll-out.