You've heard of the seven deadly sins? Pride, sloth and envy top the list. Well, I'd like to introduce you to what I call the Seven Deadly Sins of Marketing.
Read on to determine if your organization is guilty -- and to find out how to get on track.
Read on to determine if your organization is guilty -- and to find out how to get on track.
- Thinking that marketing equals advertising
Marketing is much more than just advertising. I like to view marketing as an umbrella with many spokes. Some of these include research, product development, pricing, distribution, targeting, selling and, oh yes, advertising.
If you don’t understand all of these elements and take the time to develop good strategies around each, your marketing efforts and advertising dollars are unlikely to be spent as effectively as possible.
Make sure that your marketing plan begins by carefully considering all of the spokes on the umbrella before finalizing your promotional plan. - Failure to identify your target market
Too many businesses think there is no need to worry about targeting because "everybody buys our product."
I have yet to meet an organization with enough resources to reach everybody. Targeting lets you concentrate on your best prospects and customers instead of trying to be all things to all people.
Once you define your target market, you can refine your product or service to match the specific needs of potential customers. You can establish appropriate pricing and prepare the most convincing advertising messages. And you bring greater focus to your business. - Not clearly positioning your product/service
Positioning is how consumers define your product or service on important attributes, such as quality, speed, or price. It is literally the place your product or service occupies in their minds relative to the competition.
Positioning is the single largest influence on the buying decision. It serves as a kind of shorthand, shaping the consumer's final choice.
Effective positioning starts by determining what target customers are looking for and offering them compelling reasons to buy. It's critical to differentiate from competitors.
For example, some brands of toothpaste offer cavity prevention, while others promise whiter teeth or fresh breath.
Your customers don't care about your latest technical breakthrough, product feature, or service option. They care about what's in it for them. So think about what you want to communicate and then translate it into benefits your customers value. - Not integrating your communications
Too many companies treat communication elements as separate entities, resulting in a lack of consistency.
Your logo, business cards, letterhead, brochures, ads, and Web site all need to be designed with a consistent look and feel.
Marketing is a process. You need to design an integrated campaign to communicate effectively. Consumers are bombarded with advertising messages, making it increasingly difficult for you to break through and reach them.
By integrating your communications and having a consistent message, you reinforce the message across your campaign. - Writing or designing your own marketing communications
Unless you are a graphic designer, copywriter and marketing consultant, you should get outside help to create your promotional materials.
Companies often think they are saving money by taking a "do-it-yourself" approach. Unfortunately, I've seen far too many examples of confusing messages that missed the mark and graphics elements that simply didn’t work. The net result in most of these cases is poorly designed communications which end up creating an overall image that reflects badly on the company.
Marketing should be viewed as an investment, not an expense. That means hiring the right professionals to get the job done. Don't cut corners in this critical area. - Not being patient
A common mistake is expecting marketing to work faster than it can. Good marketing communications don't get results overnight. You need to have realistic expectations, not expect miracles.
Set objectives and timelines for your campaign. And measure the results! Treat every dollar spent on marketing as an investment, determining what worked, what didn't, and how to change future campaigns, if at all.
Don't abandon your marketing campaign before it has a chance to take effect. While you may be tired of your current campaign, your prospects could just be starting to connect with your message.
Instead of changing the message or the graphics, spend your money repeating the message again and again. Commitment is the key to success. - Not having a written plan
Most of us wouldn't dream of setting out on a major trip without a plan. Yet many organizations approach marketing with only vague notions of their destination.
Written plans are imperative. Ideas that exist only in your head are not plans. Written plans provide a road map to help you and your organization reach the goals and objectives set.
Try to develop a year's worth of marketing activities in your plan. These activities don't have to be set in concrete. But you'll feel more organized and less stressed with a plan. And you'll bring the focus and commitment to your marketing efforts needed to provide a return on your investment.