"If you don't know what you're trying to accomplish, you won't know who to target, the best ways to communicate with them or what messages will resonate with them," said Sarah Mannone, vice president of client services, TREKK, Rockford, Ill.
Are you trying to generate leads? Increase sales? Collect data? Your business objectives will dictate your channels, your content and your offers, Mannone added. "Campaign goals should be very specific and measurable," she instructed. "Create a roadmap of all the channels and tactics you'll deploy, and create a version of this roadmap for each of your target audiences (prospect vs. customer; IT vs. procurement; decision-makers vs. influencers, etc.). At each touch point in the roadmap, show how you'll track response, what tactic will be deployed depending on response (or lack of)."