A marketing play is a specific, strategic set of actions a company uses to achieve a business objective, such as capturing market share or generating leads. These frameworks provide a repeatable approach to competition and are chosen based on factors like market conditions, the competitive landscape, and a company's own strengths.
While the specific actions can vary, most marketing plays are built from a few core building blocks. These components provide the structure for a focused, measurable campaign designed to achieve a specific outcome. A successful play integrates these elements into a cohesive strategy.
Marketing plays can take many forms, from direct competitive assaults to creating entirely new market categories. Companies often become legendary for the specific plays they run to outmaneuver rivals or redefine an industry. Here are a few classic examples:
While often used interchangeably, marketing plays and strategies serve distinct functions within a business's growth plan.
This is how you can build and launch a marketing play.
Measuring a play’s impact requires tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) tied to its objective. This includes monitoring campaign metrics like open and conversion rates, as well as business outcomes such as lead generation and pipeline growth. Analyzing these results helps teams understand what worked and allows them to optimize future efforts for better performance.
How is a marketing play different from a campaign?
A play is the strategic framework, while a campaign is the execution. For example, a "competitive displacement" play could be executed through an email campaign, a social media campaign, or both, all working toward the same strategic goal.
How many marketing plays can a team run at once?
It depends on team size and resources. Startups might focus on one or two plays, while larger enterprises can run multiple plays simultaneously across different market segments. The key is ensuring each play is well-resourced and doesn't dilute focus.
How often should we create new marketing plays?
Plays should be reviewed quarterly or whenever market conditions shift. While successful plays can be repeated, it's crucial to stay agile and develop new ones to address emerging opportunities, competitive threats, or changes in your ideal customer profile.
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