We know you’re busy running your company, managing your department, or launching that new service/product offering. But please try to avoid these common marketing mistakes. If you can’t, it’s time to contract with a professional marketing resource.
1. No marketing plan – Take the time, effort, and investment to create a working marketing strategy—and stick with it!
2. Forgetting what makes you unique – Don’t overlook your company’s competitive advantages. Include these in all your marketing communications messages. Be sure to highlight how you outperform or differentiate yourself from the competition.
3. Seat-of-your-pants marketing decisions – Avoid responding to opportunities without regard to your overall marketing plan. Advertising specials, event sponsorships, or sales leads may come your way. Before jumping in, make sure they are in-line with your marketing goals.
4. Anyone can be a prospect – Your marketing will be stronger if you focus on your niche and make your target audience as well-defined as possible. Be clear about who you serve.
5. Meeting your own preferences – Make sure your value proposition is in-line with what your customers want. Create marketing communications that appeal to the target market’s needs, not your own wants.
6. Throw money at it – There’s no need to overspend on marketing. Going with the big fancy ad agency doesn’t necessarily mean you will get better results, Take advantage of creative, sometimes even grass-roots, means of marketing that are both effective and efficient. Invest in the solid ideas and dependable implementation, not glitz or name.
7. Failure to invest now for long-term results – On the flip side, don’t be afraid to invest in marketing efforts that will pay-off for you in the long run. For example, many companies rush to launch a website or social media campaign, just something down and dirty to get it out there. But they fail to invest in the strategic steps needed to plan a successful site or social media strategy. The end result is a waste of time and money. Successful websites need a unique visual identity within the design, efficient navigation, functionality valued by end-user, and targeted content. Successful social media marketing requires proper set up of all networks, using the right applications, and relevant and useful content.