‘Ask’- The under rated marketing skill

I’ve been a marketer for 4+ years. Most of the successful campaigns I have seen, observed and implemented had one thing in common- Great distribution.

With respect to distribution, one place where we have seen a lot of frustrations is asking influencers and friends to share your stuff. It becomes trickier when it does not involve monetary benefit.
A couple of pointers when asking for favours. These are not exhaustive, but things that have worked for me.

• Make it attractive for them- Opportunities, conference passes, exposure, exclusivity, etc.
• Invest in relationships- Make a list of people and keep engaging with them continuously. Not only when you need them.
• Be specific- One email, one ask.
• Keep your pitch to less than 150 words.
• Be genuine and reasonable.

Make no mistake- A good idea, copy and design are necessary for a good marketing campaign. But distribution trumps all. Ok, that’s 150 words.