 I thought I would clear up some
misconceptions about marketing in this two-part series: What Marketing
Can Do for You and What Marketing Can't Do for You. This issue is
about what marketing can't do.
While there's no question a solid
marketing program can increase your business, it can't fix everything.
Below are 5 things marketing can't do for you:
1. Marketing can't make you
an overnight success. Just be cause you start a marketing program
doesn't mean you're immediately going to see your business explode.
Marketing is about getting your name in front of your target market on
a regular basis until they finally decide to give you a try.
On that note, if you're in trouble
right now -- sales are down, a new business isn't getting off the
ground like you planned -- depending on how bad the trouble is, a
marketing program may not be enough to save you. A successful
marketing program needs time to work and more likely than not, a
little money as well. If you're panicked about one (or more likely
both) you may need to start looking at other options.
2. Marketing is not about
doing something once and forgetting about it. The very best marketers
test. And test. And test.
For instance, maybe your Web site
isn't converting visitors to customers as well as it should be. You
could hire a copywriter to tweak it for you. You could test the
different elements to see what raises your conversion level. That's
one way to use testing. You can also test different headlines,
different offers, etc.
3. Marketing can't fix a bad
experience. This is a big one. If your customers have a lousy
experience with your products or services or with your customer
service reps or sales people, etc., that's it. Worse yet, not only
have you lost a customer for good, that customer will probably tell
others about their bad experience. So now you've lost more potential
customers as well.
Marketing can get people in the
door, but it can't ensure they'll have an experience they'll want to
repeat. Before assuming more marketing is what you need, take a moment
and make sure your current customers are truly satisfied with your
business.
4. Marketing can't fix a
flawed business. Much like tip number 3, marketing can't fix cash flow
issues or staff problems.
Okay, I can hear all of you saying,
"Of course, marketing can't fix cash flow problems. Do you think
we're stupid?" My answer is no, I don't think you're stupid at
all. I think what happens is sometimes you get so caught up in the
day-to-day challenges of running a business you can't see the forest
for the trees.
Let me explain. Let's say you have a
business that's struggling with cash flow. The first thing that
springs to mind may be revving up marketing. After all, the idea
behind marketing is to increase revenue. On the surface that makes
sense. However, if you look a little closer, what you might find are
expenses that are out of whack or not getting invoices out in a timely
manner. So what you should be fixing is your accounting problems
rather than changing your marketing.
 5. Marketing can't make
people buy things they either don't want or can't afford. It doesn't
matter how great your product or service is, if you're selling to
people who either don't have the interest or the means to buy it, then
your marketing is going to fail no matter how brilliant it may be.
So basically it all boils down to
this: before you decide you need more marketing, take a few moments
and make sure marketing is really the right solution for your
business.
Creativity Exercise -- Reality Check
Before you launch into a new marketing program, take some time to
analyze what's really happening in your business. Do you really need a
marketing program or is your problem:
* You aren't able to close the leads
you have. * You aren't invoicing in a timely manner or following up
with unpaid accounts. * Your customers aren't happy with the product
or service. * Your customers are having a bad experience with
technical support or something else in the process isn't working. *
Your target market isn't right. * You aren't passionate about what
you're doing anymore. * Your business has way too many expenses.
And so on. Basically I just want you
to make sure marketing really is your problem before you start
fiddling with it.
If you want to grow your business,
then you should be consistently marketing your business. But if you're
using marketing as a band-aid for some other problem, then you could
be headed for trouble.
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