Top Ten Marketing Mistakes

Jesse — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:00:58 +0000

Equating volume with profit. Thus targeting your marketing to the largest audience, but also the one with the narrowest margin, and least loyalty.
Assume people already know what differentiates your product or service from the competition. Or worse yet, defining your unique selling proposition in terms of ‘best in class’, ’superior customer service’, or ‘ISO 9000 quality standards.’ In the 21st century these attributes are expected, instead use a story to demonstrate how you deliver on the promise without explicitly stating the obvious.
Begin discussions with senior executives at the tactical level. For instance, we should begin a blog because everyone else is doing it, instead of, we need to become transparent with stakeholders and find a way to generate qualitative feedback from customers.
Assume that marketing is creative and therefore not accountable. Failing to do extensive tracking and analysis of all marketing programs, increasing spending with initiatives that deliver ROI, while reevaluating ones that do not.
Confusing marketing with advertising. Resulting in failure to review the entire customer experience for opportunities to delight. Every touch point, whether it be parking, store layout, the swift resolution of a customer service call, etc, is a way to improve word of mouth and lessen reliance on advertising.
Thinking of marketing as a one-way monologue instead of a multiple way communication/interaction with your customers and other stakeholders.
Not knowing your customers, or having an ideal customer profile. Being clueless as to their values, and how they engage with your brand.
Not taking an integrated approach to communications. Thinking marketing, advertising, and public relations are independent, when really inter-related. Each one has benefits and limitations, but should be focused on accomplishing the same end goal.
Forgetting to sync the marketing plan to your organization’s goals, vision, mission and purpose.
Limiting yourself to a list of only 10 mistakes. You will likely make hundreds of mis-steps on your journey, your biggest mistake will be failing to learn from them.

Thanks to all the bright minds on LinkedIn, who helped me put together this list. Feel free to add your own top marketing mistakes in the comments section.

Contractor Integrates Social Media With Strategy

Jesse — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:17:16 +0000

The Duct Tape Marketing blog has an inspiring podcast about Brown Lures, a company using social media in the low-tech fishing industry to sell their products. It’s a must listen for anyone in the plumbing, contracting or lawyering trades.

Even so, I bet there’s a lot of nay sayers who doubt the value of this new media. For those of you who fall in this category, let me ask you two questions:

Are you looking for a better way to build relationships with your customers? Yes.
Is your personality an important ingredient in attracting and retaining customers? Yes.

Then consider social media. When you strip away the technological jargon it’s simply about putting yourself out there, with the goal of creating a meaningful, two way dialogue with your customers. You’re already doing this when you talk to a person over the phone or in person. Social media allows you to present your voice in the word of mouth conversations people are already having about your business online.

The real power of the medium is evident when it’s coupled with a clearly differentiated company, in an industry that has been slow to adopt the technology. Case in point, Greenwerks, a Chicago based contractor.

Greenwerks niche is green design, construction and retrofitting. To enhance their position as an eco-conscious the company website includes a blog providing examples of how the company minimizes their carbon footprint, in addition to presenting simple ways for you to lead an environmentally friendly life. The strategy is augmented with traditional avenues such as email marketing, attending green trade shows and events. Far from just presenting themselves as an environmentally conscious, the people at Greenwerks run their business true to that purpose. A crucial part of the mix, social media allows Greenwerks to lay bare their consistent actions, showing their authentic self and influencing the creation of a ‘green’ meme (association) tagged to their business.

Compared to other “green” contractors, Greenwerks has a well defined position that places it well ahead on the curve of eco-responsible companies.

I wonder if they drive bio-diesel trucks to work?

Update 5/24/08: I just learned that Greenwerks is going to be featured on Discovery Channel’s Renovation Nation. Filming began this month. Congradulations to Chris Campbell and everyone from Greenwerks! You can view their audition video here.

Internet Marketing Blog | Jesse Kanclerz | Rochester, NY » differentiate

Top Ten Marketing Mistakes

Contractor Integrates Social Media With Strategy