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You get to choose

Written by: Seth Godin

Article Overview: That's the cool thing about marketing. Unlike most other functions in the organization, you get to choose where and how you do what you do.

You get to choose

That's the cool thing about marketing. Unlike most other functions in the organization, you get to choose where and how you do what you do.

If you don't have the money to do a full-scale TV campaign that's going to work, you shouldn't choose TV.
If you don't have the organizational support to engage in a long-term grassroots strategy, don't do it.

I was talking to a journalist about bootstrapping the other day and he wanted me to share some examples of big, capital-intensive companies that got their start by bootstrapping. My answer was pretty simple, "If you don't have a lot of capital, don't choose a business that requires it."

If you have an organization that is slow and deliberative, don't enter a market that rewards the fleet of foot.
If you have colleagues that love to discuss everything out loud, don't choose a campaign that will fail if the market senses internal discussion and disagreement...

Don't raise VC money for a business that can't possibly pay off for the investors. Don't promote a lunch menu in a neighborhood where no one goes out for lunch. It seems terribly obvious, but bad choices, choices where you're going against the wind instead of with it, are the easiest mistakes to avoid.

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Article Tags: choices, colleagues, cool thing, disagreement, fleet, intensive companies, investors, journalist, lunch menu, marketing, money, neighborhood, tv campaign



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Re: If you only had one blog to read for 2009... - Hi Evan, I think one can expect a variety of answers. One thing is certain, that the interest related blogs have a great attraction. To choose ONE only will be very difficult for most of us. I cannot say of anyone I would choose on its own. This is just to give a quick springboard answer to your question. All the best. Beat
Landing Page Confusion - Which will perform better, a landing page that has one clear objective or one that has multiple objectives? As marketers, we are continually faced with the dilemma of determining what to show customer prospects when they arrive at our sites. Should we present them with just one offer or option, or give them several and let them choose? I feel the landing page should present the customers with a couple of options and let them choose.
A regular employee or a contracted employee? - Thank you Louis, Also in Japan, an employee is an employee. In my opinion, contracted employees don’t receive enough training. And they are often engaged in routine chores. Which factors should we choose about hiring regular or contracted employees? I choose contracted employees if I hire someone engaged in routine chores. On the other hand, I choose regular employees if I hire someone engaged in important duties. One of the most important factors especially for an entrepreneur is wages, too. What do you think?
The 2008 Superbowl Thread.. - This board could be rockin' and rollin' this Sunday if we had an Off Topic folder to discuss such stuff as sports, TV, theater, etc. etc... As a matter of fact right now we could all be online RIGHT NOW talking about the Patriots vs the Giants.. I myself am in a quandary... I want the Patriots to lose, but I don't want Eli Manning to win... and Plaxico Burress needs a reality check... who to choose...who to choose... (Yes, this is a restart of a post a few weeks ago requesting an Off Topic folder!)
Re: Are franchises with unhealthy foods still wise investments? - I think I can add some simmer to the fire by saying that people will ALWAYS choose convenience over healthy options. If you have to drive a few miles out of your way to get food that will cost you typically more than your next door fast food place - you will most likely choose the fast food. This isn't coincidence. Much of the site survey research conducted by researched and consultants is done using georeferencing data. They will essentially draw buffer zones around nearby competitors and franchises and then plan where to put their next one simply for convenience. At the end of the day, a healthy option will involve more fighting and fidgeting with your product to make it enticing enough for people other than health nuts to purchase.


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