How to Successfully Launch an Event or Campaign: Lessons From Hamilton

On Saturday, I had the absolute privilege to see Hamilton: An American Musical on Broadway! After trying to get tickets for over a year and a half, it had a lot to live up to, and it absolutely did!

It was an amazing show, and it also has some important lessons to teach us about event and campaign launches.

"WAIT FOR IT"

Build buzz. Lin Manuel-Miranda actually started talking about this show back in 2008, when it was still mostly just an idea in his head. He had one song written, but he knew the show had big potential.

Lesson: If you're excited about your product or launch, talk about it and get other people excited too. Start with your circle of insiders and biggest fans. And especially if you're trying to sell something, these early conversations will help you decide not only if there is a market, but the value of it as well.

"I AM NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT"

That one song? He sang it at the White House. He was invited there to perform, but instead of singing one of the songs from In the Heights, his hit show at the time, he decided to test out this new material. What better place to talk about a Founding Father? President Obama's reaction to the concept? "Uh, good luck with that." Ha! But then he belted out the title song, "Alexander Hamilton," and people were ready to line up for tickets—years before it would open.

Lesson: Look for unique opportunities to talk about your product or event, even far in advance. This will allow you to build anticipation. And don't forget to include the influencers in your life. Let them help you get the word out as needed. It will add credibility, and help get you in front of new audiences.

"NON-STOP"

From the time Hamilton opened Off-Broadway in early 2015, I heard about it everywhere! On TV, from friends, on social media. It moved to Broadway just a couple of months later, and immediately sold out for months at a time—as it still does. And almost two years later, people are still talking about it. Not only do they have an email list and soundtrack, but they have additional merchandise at the theater and online, and they also released a Mix-Tape last year with celebrities singing some of the popular songs. This gives fans who've already gone something else to remember it by, and people who haven't yet been, and chance to feel included while patiently waiting for tickets and the traveling tour.

Lesson: Whether your event or product has a defined timeframe or an open one, you've gotta hit the marketing hard. Use every available avenue to talk to your fans, potential fans, and their friends. Word-of-mouth still has the strongest return on investment, but there are multiple options for reaching your target audience, and it will likely take a combination of all of them to get the job done. Be creative and consistent. 

"RIGHT HAND MAN"

In the emails I received about the show and in the program, there were always ads by relevant services and destinations. In the emails, it was usually about other Broadway shows and ticketing partners. In the program, there were several ads about American Revolution museums, vacations in the Caribbean where Hamilton grew up, or other Broadway shows.

Lesson: When it's right for your event, product or organization, consider building partnerships. These can be short- or long-term. Maybe the services or products are complimentary, maybe the person is speaking at your event, or maybe they just love what you're up to. Just like influencers, partnerships have the ability to put you in front of new audiences and expend your reach. Just remember, it needs to make sense for both parties and be valuable to your audience.

"ONE LAST TIME"

I was finally able to buy a ticket last June, so I had nine months to wait before actually attending the show. Because it was so far in advance, the tickets weren't even ready at the time of purchase. So, a couple of months later, I received an email that my tickets were ready. I still had a few months to go, but I got excited all over again! And a few days prior to the show, I received another email with helpful information about getting to the theater, some Q&A and a digital "Hamilton Tour of NYC."

Lesson: It's not over till it's over. Just because you have initial buy-in, don't dismiss the opportunity to talk to your audience, delight them all over again, or get in on the countdown. And always be helpful. By anticipating people's wants and needs, you'll be the hero.

"BLOW US ALL AWAY"

Like I said, I waited a year and a half to sit in those seats. By the time I did, I knew the music, watched a documentary, and been consuming all kinds of info on A.Ham and the American Revolution. So, not only was I well prepped, but I had very high hopes. However, I knew they wouldn't let me down—and they didn't.

Lesson: You can have an amazing launch, but if what you're actually marketing doesn't deliver, you'll lose the confidence of your audience, and they'll be less likely to follow you down this road a second time. Make sure your product or event has a solid foundation to stand on.

"YOU'LL BE BACK"

On my way out the door, it was all I could do not to purchase every piece of merchandise I saw! I managed to restrain myself, but I did snag another picture of the marquee on my way out, just to make sure I had a really good one for Instagram.

Lesson: After your launch, be sure to follow through. That could mean a survey, or a thank you, or asking people to take some sort of next step. But don't let the experience end with the purchase. Use the purchase to extend the experience.

What are your best practices for a launch?

Do you have an event or product launch coming up? If so, I can help you with just the writing portion, or I can be a little more hands-on and involved. Just let me know how I can help!

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Marketing Strategy Made Simple

It's week six of the "Foundations" series! Wow, I can believe we're already at the end of the first series on this blog! I will undoubtedly have other topics to include here over time, but I feel like we've covered the absolute basics that you need to begin, or get back on track with, your marketing and communications. With these things as your foundation, you're in a really good place to start building, creating, and planning.

Speaking of planning, today's tip is all about strategy. I think a lot of small, cause-focused organizations get confused or tripped up on their marketing and communications because they don't have a strategy in place.

IT'S HARD TO BEGIN IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO END.

The good news is that you don't need a dedicated, full-time marketing employee to create a strategy. You will, however, need advanced time and thought. It's a matter of putting in the work ahead of time knowing that it will reward you later.

HAVING A STRATEGY SIMPLY GIVES YOU DIRECTION.

Here's an example. Like you, I wear a lot of hats. And one of those is new business owner. The last few months have been FILLED with decisions, and at times, that was overwhelming to say the least. I'd been writing blog ideas in Evernote when they came to me, but it was just a list of bullet points in no particular order.

Then came the creation of this website, and with that, the writing of it. So, I put off writing the first blog post because I already knew it would have an introductory focus. Past that, I was too in the weeds to consider anything else. But I also knew I wanted to have several blog posts up when the site went live. Again, other things seemed to take priority. Because, you know, there are ALWAYS immediate needs fighting for control of your time.

Soon after, I reached a decision point. I really needed to start adding other blog posts because the site was about to go live, but hadn't made any progress on what the topics would be. But I thought that I had a great list to choose from, and I'd just pick a few important topics to roll with as needed.

And then, ladies and gentlemen, I remembered that I was a marketer . . . 

Um, hello!

That was completely the wrong approach, and I would do us both a disservice if I just winged it. So, I stopped, took a deep breath, moved to a quiet location, and started putting together my content calendar. This action gave the blog and social media a strategy.

Yes, it took time I didn't think I had. No, it wasn't easy, even for someone who's more used to marketing than you may be. Yes, it was totally worth it.

By taking the time to start creating my content calendar for my blog and social media, I feel more prepared each week to tackle what's ahead. I know how every piece builds on each other, or what I'm pointing you to in order to better help you shape and share your message. And I understand that when I have a strategy in place, I'm best utilizing both my time and yours. 

IMPLEMENTING A STRATEGY GIVES EVERY DAY FOCUS AND PURPOSE.

I know that most days, many of us feel like Indiana Jones being chased by that big boulder. We think that if we stop, even for a minute, we're going to get squashed. Some days, yes, that may be more true than others. But if we keep letting those immediate needs dictate our time, we'll never move into a more productive cycle. And that does ourselves, our cause, and our supporters a disservice.

It also means that our marketing and communications efforts will always be reactive, never really going anywhere. That may not seem like a big deal to you, but it could mean stagnation (or loss) of sales or support, and that most certainly is a big deal to you.

I know people who have crazy detailed strategies for their marketing and communications. They have marketing plans and content calendars and detailed budgets and all the things. I want to be them when I grow up. And I'm working on it. But I'm still getting my legs under me as a new business owner, and it's going to take me a while to get there. If you think that's what you have to have too, and you find that discouraging, take heart. Start simply. Think about this month, or even just this week.

Set aside some time to put your strategy in place. If you can find an hour, make that a really productive hour focused on the very short-term. If you have a half day, think further out. If by some miracle you can find an entire day, think six months or a year out. But make this time intentional. Remove distractions. And after it's done, reap the benefits. I promise, you'll see them.

And if you need some assistance, I'd love to help. I get all kinds of giddy about helping people think through and create strategies. Nerdy, I know, but hey, we all have our gifts!

Additionally, I've created a sample content calendar that you can use for your planning. I'll talk more in-depth about a marketing plan soon!

Read the other posts in this series:

• My #1 Marketing Tip

• Expand Your Curiosity to Improve Your Marketing

• Get Organized

• Alexander Hamilton: Marketing and Communications Icon

• Know Your Audience

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Know Your Audience

Not long ago, I was sitting in a meeting for a nonprofit's benefit dinner. We were brainstorming various ways to communicate the message for the evening, and make the big "ask" for donations. This was THE annual benefit dinner, so obviously, a lot of pressure was riding on how well this evening went.

There were a lot of smart people in the room. A lot of great ideas. And a whole lot of perspectives. 

So, how were we going to decide which idea to act on? 

I decided to ask a couple of questions that changed the conversation:

1. Who will be in the room?

2. How do they need to hear the information?

Turns out that this audience was actually a little different than the three previous years. This was the first benefit dinner in which a lot of new people would be in attendance. Previous years had included a lot of friends, family, and personal connections. This year, there were new partners, more sponsors, friends of friends, and a few others who were newly interested in this organization and their cause. So, they weren't as close to the issue as those who had come in the past. 

This meant they needed to be spoken to not as insiders, but as those who were just learning about the organization and its cause—because that's exactly who they were. 

And given the answer to the first question, how did they need to hear the information?

We actually decided to do this in a few different ways based on learning styles, attention spans, and wanting to spread information out over several hours to be less overwhelming. First, we had an interactive exhibit which brought the issues to life as people entered the doors. Second, we decided to include not only video testimonies, but also have the people in the videos there to meet attendees. Third, the founder and his son gave a compelling "ask," which included some background on how they started the organization as a family, and how it's grown. And finally, as they exited, those in attendance were given a keepsake and a handout with next steps.

All of these things wouldn't have been necessary if the audience had been filled with people who were already familiar with the organization and their mission. 

KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE DETERMINES HOW YOU COMMUNICATE YOUR MESSAGE.

But, of course, before you get to your "how," you have to know your "who."

One of the most popular ways to know your audience is to develop a persona. That is, give your "who" a name. There are some marketers who get super detailed about their persona. They delve into every facet of this "person's" life—their spouse's name, the type of pet they own, what they wear on a Tuesday, their birthplace, etc. It sounds a little like coming up with an alias, which I kinda dig. Often, this are fictional personas that represent large groups of people. However, mine isn't that complicated. Maybe that's because I have two personas . . . which can likely lead a number of jokes about having multiple personalities.

But way back in blog post numero uno, I gave some background on why I started SIGNIFY, and who I started it for—my friends. So, because I speak to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, I have two actual, real-life friends that represent each of those areas. Much of what I've been talking about on the blog has come from conversations with them, or people like them that I've met or helped along the way. That makes my audience persona(s) easy. I write and create content that I think they'd find helpful and useful.

WHEN YOU IDENTIFY OR CREATE A PERSON TO REPRESENT YOUR AUDIENCE, YOU CAN SPEAK TO ONE WHILE SPEAKING TO ALL—AND ACTUALLY BE HEARD.

You have a great message. I know that, and you know that. But do you understand who your audience is, and how they need to hear it?

The chief complaint I've heard about this process sounds something like this, "But our organization (or product, etc) appeals to everyone. Why should we narrow that down?"

In theory, it's a great question. You don't want to feel like you're eliminating anyone that could support or advance your cause. 

But it's actually quite short-sighted. There really isn't one thing that appeals to everyone. Not everyone shops at the same stores, eats at the same restaurants, buys the same phones, wears the same closes, donates to the same causes . . . you get the point. That's why we have variety. Otherwise, we'd only have a couple of options for each of those things, and we'd never be overwhelmed on Amazon again.

You can't speak to everyone. You need a message that's tailored to someone. When they read your website, or open your emails, or see you on social media, they need to feel a kinship with you. They need to relate to what you have to say. Giving them that kind of connection is what turns them into fans, or buyers, or donors.

WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR AUDIENCE IN A WAY THAT COMMUNICATES YOU UNDERSTAND THEM, BOTH IN WHAT YOU SAY AND HOW YOU SAY IT, YOU CREATE A RELATIONSHIP. AND RELATIONSHIPS TURN FOLLOWERS INTO FANS.

This is a process that grows and gets shaped over time. And the good news is that if something isn't effective, you can always try again!

I've created a resource for you to continue working through your "who" and "how."

Let me know how it goes!

Read the other posts in this series:

• My #1 Marketing Tip

• Expand Your Curiosity to Improve Your Marketing

• Alexander Hamilton: Marketing and Communications Icon

• Get Organized

• Strategy Made Simple

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Alexander Hamilton: Marketing and Communications Icon

As I write this post, I'm sitting in a fantastic restaurant in Washington, D.C., called Farmers & Distillers. It's definitely a menu that induces creativity! Check out the Founding Farmers restaurant group next time you're in D.C.! It's yummy! 

Anywho, welcome to week four of the "Foundations" series. I'd like to discuss communications, and D.C. seems like a fitting place to chat about both foundations and communication.

Image Credit: TheFederalist.com

SPECIFICALLY, I'D LIKE YOU TO COMMUNICATE BETTER.

Like thousands of other people, I'm currently obsessed with the musical, Hamilton. It's pure genius. I've been listening to the soundtrack over and over, and it seems to still play on repeat in my head long after I get out of my car. 

One of the things I've realized through diligent "study" of the musical, watching the PBS Special, reading a book about the Founding Fathers, absorbing A. Ham's Wikipedia page, visiting relevant D.C. museums, and my current stay at The Hamilton Crown Plaza (which is actually just a coincidence because I had points here), is that Alexander Hamilton was a true marketing and communications pro. He was BRILLIANT at it. 

Communication, whether it's to your internal team or your external audience is vitally important. That's not a revolutionary statement (pun intended). In fact, I'm sure you'd agree. But how well do you actually feel like you communicate to those groups?

GOOD COMMUNICATION COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SUPPORT—AND NOT HAVING EITHER.

Examples of internal support might be getting your project off the ground, receiving a promotion, department harmony and team synergy. External support can include sales, donations, sponsors, partners, or volunteers. 

And you may think that to communicate better means that you need to write well or be articulate. But I believe it has more to do with two things: Frequency and content. Sure, writing well and being well-spoken are bonuses, but I think I can argue a strong case for frequency and content.

For example, I tend to over communicate, but I think that's a good thing. And, from what I'm told, so did my previous co-workers. Like any job, there's always a lot going on at the company, and it's super easy to lose track of what's happening. But in over-communicating, I tried to make sure that everyone was in the know with my marketing endeavors. I'm a words girl, so this mostly meant email for me. But this may also be the reason you hold regular team, department, or staff meetings. (Find what works for you.) I was the Event Marketing Director, and there was always an event going on—or about to go on! So, I regularly emailed staff about promotions, ways they could share the event on social media, questions they might get asked, and things like that. I tried to be proactive, and prioritized teams that would be directly effected. Without a doubt, I sent more staff emails than anyone else. But no one ever said stop. They only told me that they appreciated having the info and being up-to-date.

I gave them the information they needed (and wanted) in order to do their job better, and stay current with the event. I treated them like valuable insiders.

And, on the flip side, I made a huge effort to do that with the audience, specifically event attendees. Our annual conference had what felt like a million moving parts that guests needed to understand to enjoy their experience. So, I had an FAQ page on the website, a Facebook group for attendees, a network of bloggers to help spread the word, and a series of regular email blasts, to name a few efforts.

I gave them the information they needed (and wanted) in order to have a better experience, and stay current with the event. I treated them like valuable insiders.

And guess what? Staff members and attendees felt better equipped and more satisfied. (And event attendance steadily increased.)

Back to our friend, Alex. Yes, he possessed excellent writing skills and was a skilled orator, but he also understood that an important message had to be repeated. It had to sink in over time to gain traction. If you're familiar with The Federalist Papers, he and two others wrote a series of essays defending The Constitution, because this new legal doc had created a whole lot of controversy. Hard to imagine, isn't it? But one essay just wouldn't do. No, sir! They were originally supposed to write 25, but ended up writing 85! And Hamilton wrote by-and-large the majority of them. He kept coming up with new things to say, or repeating what he felt needed to be clarified or underscored. He did this to gain support from the public and other government officials for the document that would literally be the law of the land. These were published in print, of course, but I like to equate them to email marketing. ;) 

I realize that communicating seemingly small (or large) details on a regular basis might seem like a lot to remember. Without a doubt, you have a lot on your plate already. But believe me, it cuts work on the back end down, and might even improve internal and external relationships. So, put a sticky on your computer, a reoccurring entry in your day planner or a reminder on your phone. You want to get better at this, trust me.

COMMUNICATING FREQUENTLY ALSO HELPS ENSURE THAT YOU BECOME KNOWN AS THE EXPERT.

Think about it, if yours is the most consistent voice on any subject, people will come back to you when they need more info on that subject. And that is exactly what you want!

Even after working in communications for years, I still need to be better too. Siri reminds me of this constantly! I'm not sure if she thinks I have a lisp, or just slur my words, but we do not communicate well. (Apologies to anyone I've misdialed.)

And like you, I get busy too. I forget things. Or even worse, I think I've done a terrific job communicating, and I still find my audience confused. This happened a lot with the IT department. It's a different language you have to speak, after all. (Love to my IT guys and gals, but whew, I do not speak the language!)

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. IT'S A CLICHE FOR A REASON.

You're reading this blog because you want to improve your marketing and communications. You're also reading this blog because you have an important message to share. These two facts only highlight the need to communicate better.

So, what are you waiting for?

This week's homework is to assess your communications efforts, both internally and externally. Take a hard look, and give them a grade. If you have a team, go through it together. But you have to be able to spot the holes in order to fill them. This is where my spreadsheet friends will really excel! (Again, pun intended.) You may also consider sending out an anonymous survey.

And if you need an outside perspective, I'm here too. 

By the way, this is just one example of A. Hamilton, marketing and communications extraordinaire, but there are so many more lessons to draw from! In fact, I'm headed to NYC to see the musical next month, so I'm sure I'll have another one or two for you.

Do you have any wins or tips to share from your own experiences? I'd love to hear them!

PS: You can listen to the entire Hamilton soundtrack here, or watch the cast perform at the Tony's here. (Warning: You may become addicted too! Oh, and not suitable for the kiddies.)

PPS: A fun fact. A few years ago, they were considering replacing Hamilton with a woman on the $10 bill. But then the musical blew up, and he saved face, literally. ;) Told you I was obsessed! #10dollarfoundingfather

“Men give me credit for some genius. All the genius I have lies in this; when I have a subject in hand, I study it profoundly. Day and night it is before me. My mind becomes pervaded with it. Then the effort that I have made is what people are pleased to call the fruit of genius. It is the fruit of labor and thought.” - Alexander Hamilton

Read the other posts in this series:

• My #1 Marketing Tip

• Expand Your Curiosity to Improve Your Marketing

• Get Organized

• Know Your Audience

• Strategy Made Simple

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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