What’s coming between you and your marketing?
January 4, 2008
Okay, I’ve heard pretty much everything under the sun in the form of reasons why people aren’t marketing. I’d like to introduce a couple of ways to look at the way you are marketing and, hopefully, these will help you make some shifts that support you in this area.
Let’s be honest, shall we? If you signed up to be a consultant or an accountant or a interior designer or whatever it is you do because you enjoy it, chances are you didn’t think your primary job would be marketing (and sales), right?
When I work with people, there are typically only a few scenarios that really illustrate why their marketing isn’t working.
Integrated VS. Compartmentalized
Marketing is like a ribbon that flows through your business. You are actually marketing all the time. When people get that they are marketing all the time – every interaction, every phone call, every customer interaction, well, virtually everything becomes marketing. YOU become marketing.
Marketing isn’t a compartmentalized ‘to do’ item. Great marketers and servers of people in all industries know this. For these people who are at the helm of a company and wonder how they can ‘share the rain’ I would suggest teaching this one idea! This is the difference between YOU as the rainmaker and others who aren’t. Marketing = taking care of the client at every turn = rain.
Effective VS. Busy
This one usually goes with the one above. Compartmentalized people think, “Okay, I need to do some marketing, what should I do?” Then they just ‘pick something’ – any something – and do it. Check, that’s done!
Multiplier Marketing people – those who want maximum effect – market throughout the day, balancing more important activities with less important. They know what is effective and do more of those activities. They avoid those that are less effective. They obliterate those that don’t work for them, their personality and . And, they don’t cut corners on the things they do that they know are effective.
Something’s Wrong
Believe it or not, this is the place where we find the least number of problems. Usually, it’s just not doing something, not that the ‘something is actually wrong.
If you have clients and they continue to come back year after year and you’re reasonably happy with the company you’ve created, your problem is probably in the first two areas.
If your client tenure is like a revolving door, then there may be a problem with your messaging (your client hears one thing and gets another), your market (your client is not right for your company) or your product (your service or product needs work).
If you are having an issue attracting clients, then it’s likely something is amiss in the way you marketing and how you are marketing to your target market. Go to the pond, learn the pond, invest in the pond, then the pond will come to you.
When is the best time to address marketing? Now. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next quarter at the meeting. Now. If each person in your company does this – incrementally – your revenue will be multiplied by this time next year!
If you don’t have time, take a look around and cut one or two things that do not support your business – free up time for what’s important!
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