The 5 Most Common Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The 5 Most Common Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
I caution you though, this isn’t an exhaustive list. Marketing is dynamic and ever-changing, so new marketing mistakes are invented each day. If you notice any of these things happening in your efforts, stop what you’re doing and step back. All of these seemingly innocuous mistakes can prove fatal to your business.
Mistake #1 - Viewing marketing as the silver bullet
To my constant surprise (and chagrin), many folks view marketing as the magic solution to all their business ills. Seeking an immediate turnaround of these fortunes, these business owners place one ad and envision a deluge of phone calls the next day. Folks, it doesn’t happen that way.
Do you know how high the first space rocket from the 1960’s Mercury Space Program flew? 4 inches. Immediately after ignition, the engine malfunctioned and the onboard computers shut the engines down. The rocket descended, a grand total of four inches, back to earth. Did the space program throw in the towel? No. After several more successful (and a few failed) missions, the Mercury program transformed into the Apollo program, which eventually landed humans on the moon—ranking as one of mankind’s ultimate achievements.
In most cases, marketing won’t save a company. It will only start saving it.
Mistake #2 - Lacking follow through
Years ago, one of my clients was the owner of a home-remodeling business. As we developed his company’s marketing plan, we had very productive discussions. He had a good grasp on fundamental strategies and understood how they could translate into marketing success. But, all this momentum ground to a halt when we started implementing the plan. He endlessly nit-picked, he was paralyzed by indecision and couldn’t meet a deadline to save his life.
I quickly realized this was a fellow who liked creating ideas, but had real trouble implementing them. Don’t let this be you. Remember that the best marketing plan in the world is useless sitting on a shelf.
Regularly schedule, in your day-planning system if you have to, one hour a week to implement your plan. During this hour, you could write the first draft of a direct mail letter, conduct some informal research with a prime client, or follow up three proposals using the phone. One hour per week is the bare minimum any company should spend on marketing—1 hour per day if you’re a bigger company.
Mistake #3 - Throw nickels around like they’re manhole covers
Don’t get me wrong—keeping an eye on your budgets is a good marketing habit to get into. But, I’ve seen businesses take this too far. How do you know you’ve gone too far? When:
You catch yourself always saying “We can’t afford that.”
Your suppliers refuse to bid on your business.
Even your financial officer is urging you to spend!
Sure, spending more to upgrade the appearance of your marketing materials may not result in business overnight. But, it may very well communicate a more successful image for your company, resulting in sales and referrals down the road.
So, from time to time, splurge. Use an aqueous coating on your next direct mailing. Hire a graphic designer to freshen up your sales materials. Test a 2-color ad instead of 1-color. Just consider these additional dollars as investments in your marketing bank account.
Mistake #4 - Becoming impatient
These days we expect immediacy. Want to know how your stocks are doing? Pull them up on the Internet. Want to see what I’m looking at? I’ll email you a copy. Need to know what Kevin in Kenya and Carla in Canada think? I’ll conference them in on our call.
In a world like this, is it any wonder we have short attention spans? Yet, successful marketing depends on an approach that’s 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Why? Because marketing is about changing people’s behavior, and this simply doesn’t happen overnight. I’ll give you an example.
Years ago, I lunched with a fellow consultant and told him about my marketing work with growing companies. As we said our goodbyes, he assured me he’d refer business my way. After receiving one of my newsletters months later, he called to let me know he still had me in mind. Months after that, he introduced me to one of his clients, but it led nowhere. More months went by (we’re now 1 ½ years into this) and he introduced me to another client. After several more meetings, a full 2 years later, I finally began work with one of his clients. Today, this company is a valued client of mine.
What’s the lesson here? Stick it out. If I’d given up after year one, I’d have missed out on all those revenues ad referrals.
Mistake #5—Closing your ears to the market
Marketing is about being ‘in the market’ and a crucial part of that is keeping your ears open. Large companies have the resources to conduct massive market research programs. Yet, many small business owners wrongly assume they can’t afford research.
All small businesses can afford market research if they just view it creatively. For example, each of these can be a valuable market research question, worth thousands of dollars, yet costing nothing:
What does our company do well?
Where could we improve?
What more can we do for you?
Periodically ask these questions to a handful of your customers and you’ll be surprised at the goldmine of information you uncover.
Remember…
None of us can avoid all these marketing mistakes. After all, we’re human. But knowing what these mistakes are, and keeping a watchful eye out for them, makes you a better marketer.
The 5 Most Common Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them - To learn more about this author, visit Jay Lipe's Website.
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In marketing, like most things in life, success comes only after making mistakes…lots of them. I’ve sure made my fair share of mistakes, and I’ve also learned from others’ mistakes in the market. So, pull up a chair and learn from our mistakes, so you won’t make them.
I caution you though, this isn’t an exhaustive list. Marketing is dynamic and ever-changing, so new marketing mistakes are invented each day. If you notice any of these things happening in your efforts, stop what you’re doing and step back. All of these seemingly innocuous mistakes can prove fatal to your business.
Mistake #1 - Viewing marketing as the silver bullet
To my constant surprise (and chagrin), many folks view marketing as the magic solution to all their business ills. Seeking an immediate turnaround of these fortunes, these business owners place one ad and envision a deluge of phone calls the next day. Folks, it doesn’t happen that way.
Do you know how high the first space rocket from the 1960’s Mercury Space Program flew? 4 inches. Immediately after ignition, the engine malfunctioned and the onboard computers shut the engines down. The rocket descended, a grand total of four inches, back to earth. Did the space program throw in the towel? No. After several more successful (and a few failed) missions, the Mercury program transformed into the Apollo program, which eventually landed humans on the moon—ranking as one of mankind’s ultimate achievements.
In most cases, marketing won’t save a company. It will only start saving it.
Mistake #2 - Lacking follow through
Years ago, one of my clients was the owner of a home-remodeling business. As we developed his company’s marketing plan, we had very productive discussions. He had a good grasp on fundamental strategies and understood how they could translate into marketing success. But, all this momentum ground to a halt when we started implementing the plan. He endlessly nit-picked, he was paralyzed by indecision and couldn’t meet a deadline to save his life.
I quickly realized this was a fellow who liked creating ideas, but had real trouble implementing them. Don’t let this be you. Remember that the best marketing plan in the world is useless sitting on a shelf.
Regularly schedule, in your day-planning system if you have to, one hour a week to implement your plan. During this hour, you could write the first draft of a direct mail letter, conduct some informal research with a prime client, or follow up three proposals using the phone. One hour per week is the bare minimum any company should spend on marketing—1 hour per day if you’re a bigger company.
Mistake #3 - Throw nickels around like they’re manhole covers
Don’t get me wrong—keeping an eye on your budgets is a good marketing habit to get into. But, I’ve seen businesses take this too far. How do you know you’ve gone too far? When:
You catch yourself always saying “We can’t afford that.”
Your suppliers refuse to bid on your business.
Even your financial officer is urging you to spend!
Sure, spending more to upgrade the appearance of your marketing materials may not result in business overnight. But, it may very well communicate a more successful image for your company, resulting in sales and referrals down the road.
So, from time to time, splurge. Use an aqueous coating on your next direct mailing. Hire a graphic designer to freshen up your sales materials. Test a 2-color ad instead of 1-color. Just consider these additional dollars as investments in your marketing bank account.
Mistake #4 - Becoming impatient
These days we expect immediacy. Want to know how your stocks are doing? Pull them up on the Internet. Want to see what I’m looking at? I’ll email you a copy. Need to know what Kevin in Kenya and Carla in Canada think? I’ll conference them in on our call.
In a world like this, is it any wonder we have short attention spans? Yet, successful marketing depends on an approach that’s 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Why? Because marketing is about changing people’s behavior, and this simply doesn’t happen overnight. I’ll give you an example.
Years ago, I lunched with a fellow consultant and told him about my marketing work with growing companies. As we said our goodbyes, he assured me he’d refer business my way. After receiving one of my newsletters months later, he called to let me know he still had me in mind. Months after that, he introduced me to one of his clients, but it led nowhere. More months went by (we’re now 1 ½ years into this) and he introduced me to another client. After several more meetings, a full 2 years later, I finally began work with one of his clients. Today, this company is a valued client of mine.
What’s the lesson here? Stick it out. If I’d given up after year one, I’d have missed out on all those revenues ad referrals.
Mistake #5—Closing your ears to the market
Marketing is about being ‘in the market’ and a crucial part of that is keeping your ears open. Large companies have the resources to conduct massive market research programs. Yet, many small business owners wrongly assume they can’t afford research.
All small businesses can afford market research if they just view it creatively. For example, each of these can be a valuable market research question, worth thousands of dollars, yet costing nothing:
What does our company do well?
Where could we improve?
What more can we do for you?
Periodically ask these questions to a handful of your customers and you’ll be surprised at the goldmine of information you uncover.
Remember…
None of us can avoid all these marketing mistakes. After all, we’re human. But knowing what these mistakes are, and keeping a watchful eye out for them, makes you a better marketer.
The 5 Most Common Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them - To learn more about this author, visit Jay Lipe's Website.
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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