Like the maestro that leads the orchestra to the audience’s standing ovation, the right marketing initiatives should evoke emotion (and ultimately action) from your audience!

Often companies get into the routine of executing marketing campaigns and miss integral components of the strategy. The output is off-key and fails to be truly heard and felt. Since feeling is what prompts action, you want your marketing to sing!

So how do you do that? Well, I am a big fan of The Voice. If you have ever watched it, you realize that ‘the voice’ is just the start. There is SO much more that goes into being a successful performer. As a marketing consultant, I see a lot of parallels. The voice is your product but how you project it matters. Let me share few more observations:

From the players to the stagehands, everyone counts.

While everyone loves a solo, most would agree you need an entire crew to create a memorable show. And everyone counts. Using an orchestra analogy, imagine if the string players were completely off key. The musical output would be sub-par which does little to showcase ‘the voice.’ What if a stagehand set the equipment or lighting incorrectly? It all affects your show, and this is what the audience will use to judge a performance.

The same is true of marketing. One effort acting alone in a silo might be effective, but you will lose attention and interest by being one-note. All components of your marketing campaign have to work well to render the results you want. This includes pre-planning and research to make sure you’re reaching the correct target, design that reinforces your brand and image and well-written copy that has a strong “call to action.” Flawless execution and tracking/measurement capabilities will also be key to the success of your marketing.

Perfect execution is not enough; it has to evoke emotion.

A musical act can’t just be technically solid; it has to stir up feelings in the audience to keep the crowds coming back. Many of The Voice judges will choose a battle-round winner based on a how performer tells the story and makes them believe.

It’s a common marketing mistake to worry too much about product features or details when trying to create an effective campaign and not enough about the emotion behind the brand. Brand experts unite in their theories that it is ultimately emotional factors that cause people to choose one brand over another; not attributes. In other words, consumers go with the brand they most identify with, are most moved by or perceive to be a status symbol.

Successful marketing efforts need to take into account timing.

When it comes to music, timing is critical and, in the same vein, marketing campaigns that are successful are timed with accuracy. Missing the opportunity to capitalize on a seasonal effect or pulling the trigger too quickly can cause your marketing to hit a flat note. The greatest initiative can fail if the timing is misjudged.

A leader is needed to get the job done correctly.

This is the part where I toot my own horn. (I apologize for the musical pun; I couldn’t resist!) An experienced marketing professional, like the maestro in front of the orchestra or skilled producer, can navigate the competitive landscape, assist in budgeting as well as strategy and ultimately manage the project from beginning to end. Without a knowledgeable leader, important details could be missed along the way.

Are you on the right channels? 

In today’s crowded landscape where consumers are completely bombarded with messages at every turn, you have to make sure you are playing your music on the right channels to be a hit. Which channels work for your audience? Industry and budget objectives will be unique to your organization, but the need for a multi-channel approach is now more critical than ever. One must integrate online methods as well as traditional methods.

Creating effective marketing initiatives can easily be compared to making great music. A successful program requires execution, a lot of heart, impeccable timing, a great conductor or producer to take the lead as well as the right mix of instruments. When it all comes together, it’s music to everyone’s ears.

Final thought…

Taking another lesson from The Voice, we can attribute much of the show’s success to how they engage with the audience. They have the perfect mix of judges which appeals to the Pop, Country, and R&B audiences. The show has solidly used social media platforms like Twitter to help them promote and interact with viewers. The well-thought out call-to-action drives people to purchase music from their strategic partner, iTunes. They are everywhere! There is no reason you can’t do that on your own scale.