The Most Important Question a Marketer Can Ask: Why Now?
Unlocking the full potential of a marketing campaign goes beyond the fundamentals of target audience, concept, and channel mix. These aspects certainly contribute to the groundwork for success but there's a crucial question that often goes unexplored—a question that takes the effectiveness of the campaign to another level.
"What is this elusive question?" you ask. It's not a "what" but a "why."
The pivotal question we're talking about is: Why now?
In many instances, the people in your target audience have been grappling with a challenge (that your product or service can resolve) for a long time, perhaps years or even decades. Sometimes people are in true discomfort!
Then, all of a sudden, something happens that triggers a profound shift. This event becomes a catalyst that prompts them to actively seek a solution, pay closer attention to the ads crossing their path, or pick up the phone to call.
Why now?
Consider this: despite enduring difficulties for an extended time, somehow today became the day that your prospect reached a tipping point. What occurred in the last 24 hours that made that person declare, "Enough is enough! It's time for a change."? This didn’t happen three years ago, not last month, not next month. Something specific transpired that fueled the urgency for transformation.
Perhaps it was the sobering reality of another disappointing earnings report or the sting of losing important data. Whatever it was, that event sparked a sense of immediacy that could not be ignored and now our prospect is in the market for a solution to this problem.
In the intricate dance of marketing strategy, understanding "Why now?" is like discovering the hidden key to a locked door.
If you knew what the triggering event was you could start marketing “into” that event. For example:
Have you been stung by another disappointing earnings report? Call us! Our product/service will help you.
Losing data is a tragic setback. Click this button so it won’t happen to you!
Didn’t meet your quota this year? Don’t panic! We have exactly what you need.
It's not just about what you're offering or who you're targeting; it's about creating a message that cuts to the true pain in the “pain point.”
So, when you craft your campaign, don't just address the who, what, and where. Delve into the profound question of why now, and you'll uncover the narrative that resonates more deeply than a good campaign concept or channel mix, making your marketing not just timely but truly transformative.
