The use of online tools in your communication strategy is an every changing field. With the rapid changes that occur online, it sometimes seems hard to keep up. OK, I have my website, but now I need web video? I have a blog but now I need to Twitter and employ a Facebook strategy? Help!

One of the best ways to learn is analyze what others have done successfully as well as unsuccessfully. What’s even better is when they analyze their work for you. Engage, a political media firm based in Washington DC, did that last week when partner Mindy Finn posted an extensive look at their online strategy for Bob McDonnell and his race for the Virginia governorship.

While this case study is for a political campaign, there is much to learn in here that can be applied to products, businesses, and non-profits. The most important overall lesson I took away from the case study is that it is imperative that the online strategy be integrated into the overall strategy for the campaign. It cannot be an afterthought or relegated to a secondary tier of the campaign.

Personally, because of my interest in the use of video in campaigns, I was thrilled to read this part of the case study:

“Upon visiting the website, one would be greeted with a lead-off bio video that highlighted the candidate’s record of service, experience and personal character that was produced by the media team.

This video was not of the garage-level production type, but instead a well-produced piece that would captivate those who visited. The idea of investing in video production even when the particular videos will never air on television is still foreign to some campaigns; however, the McDonnell campaign retained early a web video professional who could both shoot and produce video press releases, rapid response videos, feature pieces and campaign updates.”

Of course, when you’re looking for that video professional, we encourage you to contact our sister company, Lyon Films!

Whether you are creating a campaign for a candidate or not, the Engage case study of their work on the McDonnell for Governor campaign is a valuable read.

I was reminded this week of one of the most important, but often overlooked, aspects of marketing your business: Networking and personal contacts. Sure, everyone knows you should network to promote your business. However, people usually don’t consider it when creating a marketing plan. But that is exactly what it is.

Past clients, former businesses you partnered with on a project, and friends and family are some of your best advocates. You need to remain top of mind for those people so when they need your service, or have a colleague or friend needing your service, they recommend you. As we get busy running our businesses, we often forget to make time for these contacts.

The solution is to make networking a specific part of your marketing plan. Reconnect with key contacts on a regular basis. Take advantage of networking opportunities offered by trade associations and Chambers of Commerce. Use online resources, like email, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to remain top of mind for colleagues, friends and family.

And the best thing about networking? It’s usually one of the most fun ways to market.

So be sure that networking and maintaining professional and personal contacts is an integral part of your marketing plan.