Here is a shocking piece of news.
Marketing isn’t magic.
It isn’t a secret sauce you sprinkle on top of average products and suddenly turn it into sparkling gold.
Marketing isn’t something that you can perfectly measure with the precision of a Swiss watch.
It isn’t something you do once, and it solves all your business problems.
Many marketing folks suck at setting expectations.
There. I said it.
Expectations should be set up front before we add a pound of marketing to the recipe.
What can marketing do for my business?
In my experience, setting expectations up front is the starting line. My favorite question to ask colleagues or clients is, how will you know that this marketing activity is successful? What specific measurement or indication will help you say – I’m glad we made that investment.
The following is a simple and basic checklist of what the right marketing can do for you and your company.
Great Expectations
Differentiation. If your product isn’t meaningfully different, in the mind of your audience, more advertising might increase awareness, but not give customers a reason to purchase. How is your product or service different in a way that matters to customers? How will you measure that people get your point of difference?
Storytelling. If your product has no history, no story and lacks any emotional connection, it will blend into the woodwork. What is your story and how does it link to what you produce? How will you know that your story matters?
Brand Awareness. If your product is the best-kept secret in your industry, then you need to find a way to make customers aware of your product. How do you expect people to know your story, why you are special or who you are if you don’t tell them? In one year, how will you measure that more people are aware of your brand?
Lead Generation. If you aren’t gaining more customers than you are losing, you don’t have a lead generation process in place to fill your sales funnel. What is your lead generation process and how often are you exposing new leads to your message? What is the number of new leads you’ll need to generate each month, to satisfy your expectation that the marketing activities are working?
Networking: If you have something of value that your network (email list, LinkedIn connections, social acquaintances) might need and value, are you picking up the phone and calling them? Not every marketing approach has to be digital – try a human touch. When was the last time you called and connected, in person, with people you used to work with who might be able to help you grow your business? How will you convince yourself that your investment of time in networking is paying off? What is your stated goal for what success looks like?
Expecting Magic and Measuring Results
What are the expectations you have for the work you are doing with your marketing team or outside resources? Are you aligned with what you expect and what they can deliver? If you don’t have a system in place for determining success, then how will you know if you should continue or stop?
What magical expectations do you have for your marketing activities in 2018?
Need help growing your business while setting realistic expectations of what an investment in the right marketing activity can do for you? Then just click your heels three times and call 919 720 0995 or email me at jeffslater@themarketingsage.com
Photo by Rob Potter on Unsplash
