The First Deadly Sin of Small Business Marketing
by Jane N-B on July 27th, 2011
0
I sent out my July newsletter the other day, and wrote about my experience with a recent marketing consulting prospect.
“I had a meeting with a prospective client a while back, and his office felt like a Wild West shooting gallery! Ideas were pinging off the wall every few minutes or so..."I set up a Twitter account a few months ago"..."I tried post cards a couple of times and didn't get much of a response"..."you know, we did some radio spots a while back"...etc.
Now, don't get me wrong - I love brainstorming creative marketing ideas with the best of them. But that's not what was happening. In this case, the potential client was looking for 'next best thing' and grabbing at whatever shiny object seemed to float his way. My suggestions about "strategy," "coordination," or "consistent messaging" fell ultimately on deaf ears. In the long run he wasn't interested in crafting a comprehensive, logical, or consistent marketing strategy. He just wanted to do what the other guys were doing, in hopes of hitting a home run by chance.
Pretty expensive game plan if you ask me.
Taking a 'Shotgun Approach' to marketing and communications seldom pays off. Instead, you're left wondering why you never seem to get traction from your marketing efforts, nor can you determine which tools bring you the most customers. Every entrepreneur, business owner or senior manager needs to regularly sit down and think through marketing for the next 6-12 months.
By crafting a thoughtful strategy, you save time, money and frustration, both for yourself and your customers. They need what you have to offer...good marketing helps them know that!”
Now, don't get me wrong - I love brainstorming creative marketing ideas with the best of them. But that's not what was happening. In this case, the potential client was looking for 'next best thing' and grabbing at whatever shiny object seemed to float his way. My suggestions about "strategy," "coordination," or "consistent messaging" fell ultimately on deaf ears. In the long run he wasn't interested in crafting a comprehensive, logical, or consistent marketing strategy. He just wanted to do what the other guys were doing, in hopes of hitting a home run by chance.
Pretty expensive game plan if you ask me.
Taking a 'Shotgun Approach' to marketing and communications seldom pays off. Instead, you're left wondering why you never seem to get traction from your marketing efforts, nor can you determine which tools bring you the most customers. Every entrepreneur, business owner or senior manager needs to regularly sit down and think through marketing for the next 6-12 months.
By crafting a thoughtful strategy, you save time, money and frustration, both for yourself and your customers. They need what you have to offer...good marketing helps them know that!”
This is a common experience for small business owners. You're so busy keeping the doors open that marketing often gets relegated to whatever floats along in a free moment. In addition, I often find certain business owners (*cough* men *cough*) more susceptable to the Shotgun Approach, particularly if something was mentioned over the weekend on the golf course!
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