Lose the "One and Done"
So, this whole starting your own business thing is pretty imposing! I am finally done with all of the legal things (I think) and got all the systems and processes in place to do the back end work. I think. I reflected the other day that I am playing a lot of roles now - not just president/ceo, but also the chief financial officer, chief marketing officer, HR, IT - well, you get the picture. I'm head of marketing but also procurement, business development and janitorial services. Whew, no wonder my head has been swimming.
And, of course, like the cobbler's children who went without shoes, I've neglected my own marketing. Of all people, I should know better, right? I guess it is a good sign, in part, that I haven't had the time or felt the need in a pressing way. It means I am working and that's a good thing. But I also know that marketing is a long-term investment and you can't be "one and done." That is always something I fought against in the corporate world, and that I try to impress upon my clients today.
One and done. It's the soft underbelly of marketing, a place where initial success can spell resulting failure. Because when the first campaign rolls out and brings in a lot of business, some companies think that's all they need to do. They expect the business to just keep on rolling in without the need to sustain the marketing efforts. I can't tell you how many times I have witnessed a company discard a campaign that is really working because - well, because it is really working. It is a short-sighted vision that ultimately leads to lost market share.
I have also seen companies that bounce around from one strategy to another, never satisfied with what they've got and thinking there is always something better around the corner - even when the current strategy is delivering results. The idea of consistency seems dull and boring to them, repetitive in a negative way, and the powers that be insist on changing things up.
This is a bad idea, as my fellow marketers know. The next shiny thing is not as effective as the dull, boring yet effective campaign you have. Consumers want to know what to expect from you as a company. They want to know that they will get the same products, the same level of service and the same basic pricing from you every time they walk in your door. Your marketing is the window through which the consumer sees your company. If you have a revolving door instead of a window, it makes it that much harder for the consumer to understand what it is you are doing. If you constantly change the location or the color of the window - to extend the metaphor - you are just confusing the heck out of your customers. They won't know who you are anymore, or what you stand for.
That is not to say, of course, that you shouldn't freshen your marketing regularly. You must keep current with the trends in your business and respond to changes in the market. Occasionally you will even need to completely revise your marketing approach. But this should be something that takes place every few years, not every few weeks. Think of the big companies like McDonald's, Sears, Home Depot, Apple. They have a solid foundation of marketing messages that they deliver over long periods of time. I bet you can tick off in your head their current ad slogans, and probably a couple of older ones, too. And while the messaging may be tweaked based on the audience they are talking to, the underlying message is rock solid and consistent.
So fight against the urge in your company to abandon a perfectly good campaign. One and done is a waste of your money.
So, this whole starting your own business thing is pretty imposing! I am finally done with all of the legal things (I think) and got all the systems and processes in place to do the back end work. I think. I reflected the other day that I am playing a lot of roles now - not just president/ceo, but also the chief financial officer, chief marketing officer, HR, IT - well, you get the picture. I'm head of marketing but also procurement, business development and janitorial services. Whew, no wonder my head has been swimming.
And, of course, like the cobbler's children who went without shoes, I've neglected my own marketing. Of all people, I should know better, right? I guess it is a good sign, in part, that I haven't had the time or felt the need in a pressing way. It means I am working and that's a good thing. But I also know that marketing is a long-term investment and you can't be "one and done." That is always something I fought against in the corporate world, and that I try to impress upon my clients today.
One and done. It's the soft underbelly of marketing, a place where initial success can spell resulting failure. Because when the first campaign rolls out and brings in a lot of business, some companies think that's all they need to do. They expect the business to just keep on rolling in without the need to sustain the marketing efforts. I can't tell you how many times I have witnessed a company discard a campaign that is really working because - well, because it is really working. It is a short-sighted vision that ultimately leads to lost market share.
I have also seen companies that bounce around from one strategy to another, never satisfied with what they've got and thinking there is always something better around the corner - even when the current strategy is delivering results. The idea of consistency seems dull and boring to them, repetitive in a negative way, and the powers that be insist on changing things up.
This is a bad idea, as my fellow marketers know. The next shiny thing is not as effective as the dull, boring yet effective campaign you have. Consumers want to know what to expect from you as a company. They want to know that they will get the same products, the same level of service and the same basic pricing from you every time they walk in your door. Your marketing is the window through which the consumer sees your company. If you have a revolving door instead of a window, it makes it that much harder for the consumer to understand what it is you are doing. If you constantly change the location or the color of the window - to extend the metaphor - you are just confusing the heck out of your customers. They won't know who you are anymore, or what you stand for.
That is not to say, of course, that you shouldn't freshen your marketing regularly. You must keep current with the trends in your business and respond to changes in the market. Occasionally you will even need to completely revise your marketing approach. But this should be something that takes place every few years, not every few weeks. Think of the big companies like McDonald's, Sears, Home Depot, Apple. They have a solid foundation of marketing messages that they deliver over long periods of time. I bet you can tick off in your head their current ad slogans, and probably a couple of older ones, too. And while the messaging may be tweaked based on the audience they are talking to, the underlying message is rock solid and consistent.
So fight against the urge in your company to abandon a perfectly good campaign. One and done is a waste of your money.
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