What we know about long-term and short-term effectiveness

This article provides marketers with information about how to balance long-term and short-term strategies.

Short and long-term strategies need to be balanced both in terms of marketing strategy and in measurement of effectiveness. The advance of digital and social has created a growing focus on short-term impact – although there is increasing evidence that these channels can deliver long-term business contributions. Consistency, creativity and emotion are what generates long-term success.

Definition

Short-term strategies focus on immediate gain, for example a sales spike. This is often called ‘sales activation’. In contrast, long-term strategies measure success over time – for example, the long-term price effects produced by a strong brand. This is often described as ‘brand building’.

Key...

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