For most brands, at least some benefit can be found in every marketing channel. This is especially true of interactive marketing, where the channels represent every possible demographic and interest. The vast majority of marketers have realized that interactive is an essential component of their marketing strategy, but finding the right channels is still challenging for many.

There are two issues I have noticed that are typically responsible for this challenge:

1. Interactive channels are always changing

With the rapid change in interactive technologies, it’s no surprise that anyone not solely focused on interactive marketing has trouble keeping up. Even for those who do have a focus, it is simply not possible for one person to keep up with the changes in all interactive channels.

2. Channels are looked at independently

When brands fail to integrate their interactive marketing channels (with both online and offline efforts) they lose a significant amount of value. Interactive channels enhance each other, providing greater efficiency, awareness, and conversion. A significant online presence can also ensure the greatest return from awareness created offline.

For both of these challenges there is a simple solution: engage your interactive agency earlier in the process. While we are happy to execute a specific campaign or implement a single program for our clients, we can provide the greatest value when our expertise is brought in during the strategy and planning phases.

As brands develop strategies for their 2009 marketing budgets, determining the correct mix of traditional and interactive is often a challenging task. The following steps can help you ensure you identify the best mix for your brand.

First, step back and take a look at the big picture. You should address key questions regarding marketing for your brand, including:

• What are your goals – are you seeking to develop your brand, generate leads, increase online and/or offline sales, or increase customer retention?
• What are your expectations – how can you apply metrics to your goals and what accomplishment equals success?
• Who is your target audience, and where have you historically reached that audience?

The answers to the above questions will help you determine potential channels (online and offline) for your marketing efforts.

Once you have determined the potential channels, you should prioritize those channels to emphasize as part of your strategy. Look at the results from previous marketing programs; some channels may be able to reach your customers but perhaps are providing diminishing returns while others are providing a consistent or increasing return on investment. There may be benefits to maintaining a presence in those channels that are not providing the highest return, but those channels should not be a heavy focus of your budget. Keep in mind that return does not always mean direct revenue – your goals determine the best metric for ROI.

Depending upon the level of experience your brand has in interactive, you may not know the answers to all the questions above. Once you have considered the questions, and answered what you can, discuss your goals with your interactive agency partner. Tell them what you have observed and what you would like to do. Your agency can provide additional insight based on its own experience, including information on the latest trends in online behavior for your target audience, what interactive channels can best help you reach your goals, and how to interpret results from previous marketing efforts. Together you can determine the right mix of your budget to commit to interactive.

The one question that most often goes unanswered regarding interactive strategy is also the most obvious, and most important, one – What do we want to accomplish?  While it seems like an easy question, brands should invest some real time and thought into the answer.

When determining goals for your interactive marketing strategy, consider the following questions in detail:

• What are your overall business goals?
• How does your current Web presence reflect these goals?
• What metric(s) will determine success for your interactive marketing efforts?

While your brand will likely identify multiple goals for interactive marketing, you should decide upon a primary goal that becomes the benchmark for success.  Unless your business goal is generating ad based revenue, your primary goal is most likely not increasing the number of visitors to your site.  Depending on your current brand positioning and business model, your goal may be increasing brand awareness, identifying brand advocates, increasing online sales, increasing leads, or increasing customer loyalty.

Your secondary goals should be even more specific.  Determine how you want to interact with you audience online.  If there are specific actions that your audience can perform to show the desired interaction, what are those actions?

An accurate understanding of your goals does more than start your strategy off on the right foot; it also provides the benchmark for refinement throughout the execution of that strategy.

Join Alan Gilleo and Scott Million as they discuss the methodology and benefits of an Interactive Competitive Analysis.

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