After you've defined the proposition you have got a structure, tone and direction for the marketing messages that you will use to market your joint offering. By piloting this message within a sample of the target audience will give a good indication of the reaction across the whole audience, allowing you to refine the message and forecast campaign results.
Ideally, with all marketing campaigns, the proposition, messaging, associated offers, creative etc, all elements of the campaign would be researched, tested, refined and tested again. However, this process could go on indefinitely so the level of research or testing should be limited to what is appropriate to the budget and expected return of the campaign.
Firstly, you must decide what type of research you will use to test the message. Since this research will be specific to your proposition, only primary methods of research are relevant, e.g. information gathered specifically for and commissioned by an organisation for a particular purpose.
Qualitative Research
Depth research into small groups or with individuals such as focus groups (six to eight people usually) or detailed one on one interviews with open questions. The internet can facilitate some qualitative research through the use of online communities, forums and discussion groups.
Quantitative Research
To get a picture of the opinions of a larger sample of the target market quantitative research generally uses surveys to gather information. The surveys can be conducted via telemarketing, in person or via the internet and can vary significantly in cost, time and quality of results. There are now many internet services available to conduct immediate surveys very cheaply, however, the science behind wording questions and quantifying results cannot be underestimated.
Pilot
By running the marketing campaign initially into a sample of your market it gives you an opportunity to test different messages /creative etc. against each other. It is easiest to do this with some kind of direct marketing. For example, based on your initial research there was equal positive response to two message angles. Therefore, after carefully selecting two segments of the market, you sent out marketing emails with a message to each and analysed open/click through rates. This might be followed up by some depth research. The message can then be refined and the larger marketing campaign rolled out.
Proof of Concepts
A prototype can be a useful tool in test marketing especially for less tangible products. It solidifies the message. It may be interesting to test the audience's perceptions about what the system can deliver with seeing the Proof of Concept and without.
Summary
Testing your audience, your customers' reaction to your message can make or break a campaign. Are you addressing the pain points? Are you using language they understand? Have you assumed too much or too little about the marketplace's prior knowledge to your technology?
- Develop the proposition, marketing messages, proof of concept
- Determine target market
- Segment target market and determine testing methods
- Execute first round of research
- Examine feedback and refine messages
- Pilot the campaign
- Refine if necessary
- Roll out the marketing campaign
For further help see...