As a marketing consultant, my days are spent working with clients to help them get the most value out of their marketing investments in their brands. As a guide, I work hard to make certain that activities fit with our strategic plans and don’t take us off course. My work is filled with no yes marketing tips. I call it no yes marketing because some of these issues have binary choices.
The following are some of the yes and no tips that help keep marketers and brands on track.
No and Yes Marketing Tips
No, you can’t do everything. Our appetite to add more products and enter new markets force companies into spreading themselves too thin. Stay focused on the market you want to conquer recognizing that every side steps diminish your chance of success. Do one thing amazingly well and be known for being remarkable at that one thing. Adding more product or services means less time to focus on your core offering.
Yes, you can take a risk. Doing nothing can be much riskier than not trying something new. But make it a small, calculated test with a clear picture of what outcome would encourage you to keep moving forward. Test. Learn. Try again.
No, you can’t sell to everyone. The goal is to make something for a community of people who have unique needs. Your product or service is for them and them alone – not for everyone. Don’t try and serve too wide an audience or you won’t help anyone. Only 15% of the population is left-handed, yet Lefty’s succeeds because it is a community of people who aren’t like the 85% of the population who are right handed.
Yes, you should be more human. When your marketing materials, copy or website sounds generic and corporate, no one will want to read it. Imagine meeting someone at a party, and they talk like a corporation? You would quickly make a beeline away from them. Speak like a human being – not like an institution. People trust people, not bureaucracies.
No, you shouldn’t follow your competitors and stop listening to your intuition. Of course, it helps to monitor what others in your category are doing but don’t do what they do. Find your path. Create your brand personality. Be true to the community you serve without fear of competition stepping on your space. When you can be yourself and find a unique voice, it is often hard to copy. If everyone is selling online, maybe create a food truck for your category and go mobile and local. No one can be you – follow your own course forward.
Yes, you should always seek the most direct pathway to your end customer. If you sell through distribution, you are a step away from feedback. Find a way to do both things so that you can hear firsthand what end consumers think of your product or service offering. Distributors sell many products and will never focus on your product. They will give you diluted feedback too. Find the most direct paths to communicate – ideally in person.
No, you can’t use the same non-responsive website from 2009. Sorry, but technology changes and if you want customers to find you through their mobile devices, a fully responsive site is a minimum to be a viable player. Be smart about redesigning a website and make sure it is a tactic that fits with your strategic plans. You wouldn’t use a Walkman to market your music today – understand how your target uses technology and eliminate the friction for them to buy from you.
Yes, fish where the fish are hanging out. Maybe the yellow pages worked for your father’s business, but in 2017, you need to be where clients spend their time. Half of the U.S. population spend 30 minutes per day on Facebook. People search for key terms to find electricians, dentist, and companies that sell nostalgic clothing. If you aren’t sure where your potential hangs out, ask your current customers about their daily habits. Learn. Watch. Observe. Talk to a professional business or marketing consultant for advice.
The answer to most questions is either yes or no.
Do you know the difference when it comes to your marketing?
Check one:
YES
NO
Do you have a lot of yes and no questions about marketing? I’m a good listener and I may have some helpful answers. Want to connect? (It is a yes or no question). Reach me at 919 720 0995 or jeffslater@themarketingsage.com
Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash
