Most failed campaigns were doomed before they launched - not because the execution was poor, but because nobody answered the basic questions first. A campaign built on unexamined assumptions burns budget fast. Spending an hour on these questions before you start saves weeks of wasted spend. Here are the ones that matter.
What is the goal - in numbers?
The first and most-skipped question. "Raise awareness" is not a goal; "generate 50 enquiries" is. A specific, measurable objective tells you whether the campaign worked and shapes every other decision. If you cannot state the goal in a number, you are not ready to launch.
Who exactly is this for?
A campaign aimed at "everyone" persuades no one. Define the precise audience - ideally a single persona - so the message can speak directly to them. The narrower and clearer the target, the sharper the campaign.
What is the one message?
Every campaign should carry one core idea, rooted in your value proposition and a real customer pain point. Trying to say five things at once means the audience remembers none. Decide the single thing you want them to take away.
What do you want them to do?
A campaign without a clear call to action produces attention but no result. Decide the exact next step - book, buy, sign up, enquire - and make it obvious and easy. If you cannot name the action, the campaign has no point.
Which channel, and why?
Choose the channel because your audience is there, not because it is convenient or trendy. And make sure the channel fits the message and the ask - a complex offer rarely lands in a fleeting social feed.
What is the budget and what does success cost?
Know what you will spend and, roughly, what a result is worth to you. If a customer is worth £200 and the campaign must cost less than that per customer to make sense, you have a benchmark to judge against - and a line at which to stop.
How will you measure it?
Decide before launch how you will track results - what you will measure, where, and when you will review. Setting this up afterwards means flying blind through the one moment the data matters most.
What happens after they respond?
Many campaigns drive interest into a broken follow-up - a slow reply, a confusing next step, a page that does not deliver. Plan the whole path, not just the ad. The campaign is only as strong as what happens after the click.
Learn to plan campaigns that launch ready to win on the Marketing Strategy and Concepts course at London School of Business UK - enquire today.