THE ART OF THE CAMPAIGN

Marketing campaigns are focused, strategic efforts used to achieve a specific firm goal such as brand awareness, recruiting, a merger or acquisition, or any number of firm milestones. Quite simply, campaigns are designed to position a firm for success utilizing multiple tools, approaches, and platforms to reach the targeted audience.  

 

From Recruiting to Brand Awareness  

Marketing campaigns are a connected series of marketing operations designed to bring about a particular result. Campaigns are best identified as tactics to achieve a specific strategic or business development goal. To achieve the most effective results, the multi-pronged approach of campaigns reaches clients in a variety of ways and involves the use of multiple marketing channels to achieve specific goals and outcomes – all aligned with a firm’s strategic/vision plans, business development plans, and marketing plans. Campaigns help direct the intentional messages to the right audiences at the ideal time on the desired platform. 

 

Successful campaigns start with a campaign kick-off to develop a customized outline followed by an accountability plan. A successful marketing campaign carries a consistent message and promotes a single or focused idea or goal, which can highlight many firm factors including:  

• Recruiting   

• Firm Culture   

• Brand Awareness   

• Markets  

• Services  

• Differentiators  

• Project Case Studies  

• Expert People  

• Niche Expertise   

• Client & Partner Highlights  

• Industry Events   

• Award or Industry Accolades  

• Community Engagement & Outreach 

Campaign Components

Using the right mix of marketing tools (events, webinars, social media, thought leadership, and more) a marketing campaign creates a custom plan that allows the campaign message to reach the targeted audience(s). At Elevate, we use the acronym COPE – create once, publish everywhere. Depending upon a firm’s needs, components of a campaign can include the following:

• Thought leadership article or publication developed from interviews with technical staff:

• Directly shared with clients by BD/doer-sellers with a request for a discussion.

• E-blast to your mailing list.

• Pitched to industry publications.

• A conference abstract.

• Links in digital brochures.

• Links to the firm’s website.

• Social media strategy:

• Posts laid out over a series of weeks and then repeated in subsequent months.

• Videos (these can also be used on the website and as links in proposals).

• Targeted industry events:

• Educational webinars and panel discussions.

• Industry/association events.

• Community.

• Recruiting.

• Business development activities to support the campaign.

• Staff recruiting activities to support the campaign.

• Website updates.

Comprehensive Campaign

At all stages, measurement of KPIs and evaluation of results gauge success. A recent comprehensive campaign formulated by Elevate for Fisher Associates was designed to promote an impending series of large project submittals. Focusing on previous success, the campaign specifically highlighted the experience and knowledge of the Fisher team. The campaign included a series of articles covering topics relevant to the successful management, design, and administration of federally funded projects and was critically timed to allow routine distribution of the articles prior to release of the requests for qualifications for the next three-year term contracts. These, along with video interviews with key Fisher project managers, created a steady social media campaign to gain the attention of decision makers.

“These articles positioned Fisher Associates to be top of mind with our clients and demonstrated our expertise on these projects,” said Schmid. “We received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from both clients and competitors. Thank you Elevate, for your partnership on this successful campaign.”

In tandem with thought leadership development, Elevate created standardized templates with a clear client focus containing an understanding of the client and  their pain points and needs; firm differentiators; concise project information centering on challenges and solutions; revised resumes that clearly showed Fisher’s solutions-driven project approach and understanding of the project type; bulleted text and graphics to common questions that made it easier on the reviewers to digest information; and a clear and concise project summary/cover letter.

The campaign had overwhelming results that exceeded original goals and expectations.

“The marketing campaign Elevate assisted in developing targeted our clients for federal-aid transportation design services was extremely effective.  It kept us top of mind to our clients and clearly demonstrated our expertise.  The results were overwhelmingly positive with the highest win rate we have ever achieved on these 3-year regional contracts,” said Fisher Associates’ Roseann B. Schmid, PE, Chief Executive Officer.

Community Campaigns

Community campaigns are also a great opportunity to connect with clients and recruits by sharing community involvement and firm culture. Elevate was retained by Stolfus and Associates to develop a campaign around Martin Luther King Day.

Launched on Martin Luther King Day, January 16, 2022, “Moving Forward” was envisioned by firm founder Elizabeth Stolfus to honour the life of Dr. Martin Luther King in a meaningful way. What began as a day-off for Stolfus team members transitioned to a commitment to volunteerism through dedicated staff community service hours and into a large-scale initiative to create allyship. The foundation for the “Moving Forward” initiative was to engage and educate staff and clients of the impact of Dr. King while embracing the community through volunteer opportunities.

Dr. King’s legacy and Stolfus’ commitment to allyship was embraced and felt through the company and community, measured through engagement resulting in nearly all staff participating in webinars and community events, opportunities for strategic client and community engagement forging new relationships with community stakeholders resulting in one new client, and increased brand awareness through social media engagement and client outreach.

Recruiting Campaigns

Recruiting has become a major challenge for many firms. Simply posting a job ad is no longer sufficient. A recruiting campaign offers a more comprehensive approach to attract the best and brightest candidates that fit within your company culture.

Elevate collaborated with TTL to develop a recruiting campaign aimed at hiring field and CAD designers as well as recruiting former military personnel. Demographic research and identification of company differentiators through staff surveys and interviews were the first steps in developing the messaging. The next step involved using that information to create a recruiting brand and messaging. This approach allowed them to differentiate their company from competitors and promote company culture.

For TTL, the brand “Build Your Foundation, Build Your Future, Build Your Legacy” not only conveyed what recruits look for in a company, but also what TTL provides to its team members.

Effective tactics for recruitment are multi-faceted. For TTL, tactics included:

• Video: A “Day in the Life” video series showcasing  job requirements and what it’s like to work at TTL – used on social media, at recruiting fairs, and as a resource for team members to share with potential recruits.

• Job Descriptions: Updated, eye-catching job descriptions that stand out.

• Career Fair Materials: Booth banners, company, and job description flyers.

• Refer & Earn: Tips for boosting the Refer & Earn program to increase referrals along with Refer & Earn banners used in break rooms as reminders.

• Training: Specific steps on how to refer someone, including how to share opportunities with colleagues or friends, along with social media training.

• Recruiting Events: A variety of recruiting events that offer opportunities to engage target recruits.

Not only has this resulted in an increase in qualified candidates, but more importantly a streamlined approach with resources that every team member can use to become effective Doer-Recruiters.