What Backpacking Taught Me About Marketing

Anyone who's followed my social media knows that I am an avid hiker and backpacker, in addition to being a marketing copywriter and social media practitioner. Over the years, I've come to realize that the key elements to planning and embarking on a successful outdoor trek apply really well to marketing. The following are a few key examples I can share with you.

Know Your Destination. Have a Map & Milestones.

Before you step outside your door, you need to have a clear understanding of your destination. Without a destination,  you’re not hiking, you're exploring… which is fine, but the two have different requirements and different outcomes.

 As a marketer, the same is true. Every plan, every campaign and every element should have a clear outcome… everything starts with the desired end result.

 As important as knowing your destination is knowing exactly how you intend to get there, and the milestones you'll look for to keep you on the right track. Finally, these need to be formally recorded on your map

 What are the timetables for execution of the various elements? What metrics do you plan on using to gauge your progress.

Plan Out & Familiarize Yourself With Your Route.

Once you have the outcome defined: a specific action you want your prospects to take, for example, you need to establish how you are going to make that happen. What is the incentive? What is the message? What are the deliverables? What are the most likely next steps?

 This planning process is critical both to a successful trip and to successful marketing efforts. To embark on either without a solid plan is irresponsible

Priorities Determine Gear Selection

When backpacking, you are free to bring along any gear your heart desires. However, you have to carry it all on your back… and that weight adds up surprisingly quickly. In marketing, the same is true: you can add in as much as you want to your program… but everything comes with a cost, financial or otherwise. Automation and analytics cost money and/ or time. Every additional required field added to your opt-in form cuts conversion by 1/3 to 1/2.

 In outdoor trekking, a single priority outweighs all others: protect your core body temperature. Hypothermia and hyperthermia are the single biggest dangers to hikers and campers. Shelter, clothing, water and food as a Function of protecting your core body temperature, therefore, are always the overriding concerns. Fire is important, too… but your gear should provide enough protection in the event fire isn't feasible. Once that is set, you can look at adding gear for leisure and comfort.

 Likewise,  in your marketing, you should have a single, dominant, overriding goal. If you try to do ten things in one ad, you will likely end up accomplishing none of them. You can aspire to ancillary benefits, but never at the expense of your One Thing.

Set Audacious But Reasonable Goals

Car camping is a lovely leisure activity. So is a walk in the park. I enjoy both. But the purpose of backpacking is to get out and experience the things that most people don't. Many of the best views are only accessible via intense, technical routes. It takes effort,  and getting to those locations is the reward. But I'm not planning a solo trek up Mount Everest.

 Growth in many cases requires stretching beyond your comfort zone, and marketing is no exception. Your goals should make your pulse quicken a bit. The upside is that it should also keep you excited enough to push through the roadblocks and hiccups that will undoubtedly pop up.

Let Someone Know Your Plan.

When you're headed into the backcountry, it's imperative that someone knows what your plan is, particularly where your going and when you expect to return.

 In marketing, of course people will know what you're doing… particularly your supervisors and other stakeholders. But it's a good idea to have someone unattached to the project who can act as a sounding board, and keep you from going too far off track, particularly if you have set truly audacious goals.

What's Your Emergency Plan?

Unfortunately, sometimes the unforseen happens and you have to bail on your plan.  Your emergency plan in backpacking is two-fold. First you should have a 72-hour survival kit. Second, you should have alternate routes and bail points planned ahead of time.

Your marketing plan should have the same. It helps to have something pre-planned in your back pocket you can rely on if you need it. It might be a little safer and less audacious than your real plan, but it just might save you in the end. Second, is there a point about 2/3 of the way through where your deliverables could be used as a full plan? Again, maybe not as audacious as the original plan, but still complete enough to get the job done? Then, at least you might be able to revisit the last leg of your trek at a later date to complete the full package.

As you can see, the things that allow you to have a confident, adventurous backpacking trip map well to the things that allow for a confident, adventurous marketing program (pun intended). Know the desired outcome, have an overall plan and milestones, focus predominantly on One Thing, set audacious goals, have an emergency plan and have someone to act as a lifeline.

These elements ought to help you minimize risk,  remove clutter and enjoy the process of pursuing something unique and adventurous.