10 costly marketing mistakes
Published: April 4, 2011
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Marketing only works if you have a big vision, the discipline to stay focused on it and implement consistently, the monthly, weekly and daily pieces of that plan. This requires someone in charge — someone whose responsibility it is to make sure you stay on track and measure the results of your efforts.
Assuming all of the above is mapped out, success is not guaranteed. Regularly I work with bright, driven people who fail because they make these common mistakes:
1. Logo inconsistency:
Branding is an essential part of your marketing efforts. If you change your logo, even slightly, on a regular basis you lose the impact that repeat viewing gets. A few columns back I wrote about the uproar Gap’s logo change elicited; you cannot allow your customers to develop an emotional attachment to your logo if they don’t recognize it.
2. Message definition:
If you can’t tell me in 20 seconds or less what you do and how it will benefit me you have a big problem. Call it what you may: Elevator Speech, Unique Selling Proposition — if your salespeople can’t instantly define your company’s unique ability to benefit the customer they are going to face an uphill battle.
3. Understand your current customer base:
That doesn’t mean assume you understand them. When was the last time your company conducted a survey of your existing customers and asked them a.)Who they were (gender, geography etc), b.) What they like/don’t like about your service, c.) What additional services would help them. With free services like Survey Monkey there really is no excuse to not ask the hand that feeds you.
4. Sterling customer service:
My oft-repeated mantra (stolen from Laurie Cadden) that “every interaction you have with people is your PR” is doubly true for customer service. Those interactions will determine how they think about you and what they repeat to their associates. The goal of every customer service department has to be top notch, white-glove service.
5. Maintain customer information:
It is frankly scandalous how many businesses do not keep a database of existing customers and create an outreach program to ‘keep them in the family.’
The old adage that it’s easier to keep a customer than find a new one exists because it’s true, and it’s also a lot less expensive. Create an e-mail newsletter campaign, and a repeat customer thank you program at the very minimum. Don’t neglect this golden goose.
6. Measure your marketing efforts:
Insanity is defined by someone repeating the same action again and again, and expecting a different result. Just because you’ve been running the same ad for years doesn’t mean it’s what you should be doing. If you don’t have a system in place to track and measure your marketing efforts how on earth do you know where to invest your marketing dollars?
7. Create your own press:
When was the last time your business was in the paper, on TV, or reviewed online because you initiated contact with the ‘press.’ I am not advocating creating a lot of unnecessary press releases — in this instance the leaky faucet approach works best. But make sure that you blow your own trumpet to the right parties, when your company is involved in something positive or reaches a milestone.
8. Crisis plan:
Most small businesses are totally unprepared for bad PR. If you don’t have a disaster plan in place that includes: the spokesperson whole will be the contact if things go bad, the ‘tone of voice’ and approach your company will use when faced with negative press, and a response plan in place a small hiccup can turn into a nightmare.
9. Have a separate online marketing strategy: In my world they call this inbound marketing, and any company ignoring the millions of people utilizing Social Media and other online marketing tools if simply foolish. Whatever you do, don’t ignore it.
10. Go outside: Even the savviest of companies can use a fresh pair of eyes every now and then. Reach out to a professional agency that can give you an analysis of your marketing efforts.
Amy Tobin is principal at Ariel Marketing Group LLC and specializes in Web development and Internet marketing. Visit arielmarketinggroup.com or e-mail her at amy@arielmarketinggroup.com.
