In an effort to get corporate messages heard above the clutter, many communications pros have resorted to blanketing the marketplace with continuously overlapping web updates, Facebook promos, tweets, online coupons, YouTube videos, sales incentives, micro sites, consumer/end user promotions, online and offline ads, and as many other tactics as their frazzled brains can generate.

You may be able to get better results and save money by turning down the volume. Although I’m a big fan of repetition to keep your message top of mind, successful marketing is not solely about the number of places your message appears. It’s about reaching the right people in a way that compels them to act. And the best way to do that is by working backwards, from the result you hope to achieve to the best ways to get there. Here are four key questions that will help you determine the best media mix for your message:

1. Who is your audience? Chances are that you have more than one. Don’t assume that your audience is a homogeneous group, e.g. “the general public” or “big box retailers.” Do a little segmentation. If you’re reaching out to consumers, what is their age, gender, economic status, lifestyle? If you’re talking to business people, are they owners or employees, how large are the businesses, and how familiar are they with your company/product/service?

2. What action do you want audience members to take? Do you want them to buy a product, interact with your company, remember your brand, or something else?

3. What do you need to say to get the desired result? Remember that the message may be different for members of each audience segment. Make sure you lead them to the conclusion you want them to reach.

4. What are the best media to showcase and deliver the message effectively? Be sure to take into account audience demographics, timing, and the competitive landscape. Are you trying to reach twenty-somethings? You may want to avoid email and ramp up YouTube. Is your message very time-sensitive? Maybe Twitter is the right channel. Is your message likely to blow the competition away? Then you might want to be in the same places as your competitors to be compared favorably.

In short, start with the end game. If you know what you want the result to be, it will be easier to figure out how to get there.