Figuring out what to do to market your products and services is one challenge. The other is finding the right marketing partners.
You want a team with knowledge, experience, market savvy and creativity. You want someone who knows how to cut through the noise and lead your company to that wonderful, often elusive, blue ocean experience.
Then there are the marketers and marketing gimmicks you want to avoid. Here are three marketing beasts that will kill your growth and momentum.
The One Trick Pony. The one trick pony marketer only knows how to do one thing. It may be SEO, social media, digital advertising, email marketing, video. It’s the one thing. The only thing.
And they are great at convincing people that one thing is the magic bullet that will solve all their lead generation, marketing and customer acquisition challenges.
The One Trick Pony program is attractive because it is so easy. So simple. Ease and simplicity are also the trap.
The downside of being a one trick pony in marketing is that it limits your overall capabilities and adaptability. The marketing landscape is dynamic and constantly evolving, with new technologies, platforms, and consumer preferences emerging all the time. One size does not fit all!
Bottomline: You may get results but you’ll also likely to miss other opportunities that offer a better ROI.
The antidote to the One Trick Pony is taking the time to find the marketing partner who can help you develop the right marketing mix. It’s a complex balancing act and it requires a partner that understands the complete execution landscape and the pros and cons of each approach.
Racy Rabbit. The Racy Rabbit is exciting to work with. They’ll promise fast results. They will get going immediately.
They will have tons of ideas and try them all. First one, then the other, then the other. They’ll be switching up your programs and campaigns so fast and furiously it will have your team tied up in knots and your head spinning.
You know you’re working with a Racy Rabbit when they give your campaign 30 days or less to work.
I know. I used to be one! Re-messaged and repositioned my company so much and so often everyone was confused. Including me!
One week we were focusing on the Voice of the Customer. The next week it was competitive analysis. Another winner was personal branding for realtors (which worked until 2008). Enough said!
The antidote to the Racy Rabbit is setting expectations and perseverance. Know and set correct expectations around resources and timelines for ROI. Look for steady improvement overtime not a quick “viral” hit and go.
Monkey See. Monkey Do. This marketing beast follows the crowd, and grabs onto the hottest trend.
Ask them why. They’ll tell you it’s hot. It’s viral. It’s where the action is.
This marketer is too busy focusing on finding today’s hottest trend to honestly evaluate the fit of that trend to your business and customer needs.
And like the Racy Rabbit, they will change course every time a new trend breaks through.
The antidote to Monkey See. Monkey Do marketing is to vet every marketing program and campaign against your customer profile and journey map to ensure your programs are geared around the needs and behaviors of your ideal customer.
Need help avoiding these three marketing beasts by developing an effective marketing mix and customer journey map? Book a call today.