June 20, 2008: Top 7 Marketing Communications Mistakes Businesses Make
Quote of the Week
“Someone’s boring me. I think it’s me.”
– Dylan Thomas
Top 7 Marketing Communications Mistakes Businesses Make
by Claire Cunningham
Marketing communications programs work. They help businesses sell their products and services. There’s a catch, though. (Isn’t there always?) You need to do things right - like define the right audience, follow up with leads, and stick with it!
You can spend a lot of money on these programs, so getting results matters. Here are the top mistakes I see companies make when using marketing communications.
- KEEPING IT A SECRET
This seems basic, but many business people either forget the need to get out the word or purposely avoid this step because they’re worried about the competition. The usual outcome of not telling the world about your product, service, or company is disappointing sales. Prospective buyers need to know about you and your offering before they’ll buy. It’s your job to tell them.
- GIVING UP TOO SOON
It can take nine (9!) or more repetitions of a message before it sticks in a prospect’s brain. Don’t be alarmed if a single ad, mailer or whatever doesn’t yield a phenomenal response. Keep at it with consistency, and you’ll see results.
- NOT USING THE POWER OF THE MIX
Repetition is good. But it can be expensive and hard to achieve if you rely on just one communications type. A mix of tactics carrying the same message to the same audience is more effective and affordable.
- NOT BEING BUYER-ORIENTED
You know what you want to say. But do you know what your prospects want to hear? If you don’t know, then ASK! Do some simple research. Prospective buyers pay more attention to messages that speak to their needs.
- BEING BORING
Truth is, an uninspiring presentation will get through if it’s repeated enough times. On the other hand, a fun, intriguing, interesting presentation of the same message will cut through the clutter faster. Why settle for boring?
- NOT MEASURING RESULTS
Some business people think that results measurement isn’t possible or is too expensive. This is usually not the case. It can take ingenuity and arm-twisting, but it’s very possible to measure inquiry quantity and quality, awareness/preference, and more.
- NOT LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE
Marketing communications programs aren’t static. They should evolve over time to maximize their ROI. Good programs have feedback loops built in — try something, look at feedback, tweak what you’re doing, and try again.
Claire Cunningham, The Marcomm Mom ™ of Clairvoyant Communications, helps companies jumpstart their sales with increased visibility. Visit her web site http://www.clairvoyantcommunications.com and sign up for her monthly e-newsletter, Communiqué. Contact Claire at 1-763-546-0479 or 1-612-709- 6845..
Coaching Call to Action
I liked mistake #5 - Being Boring. It’s the third time I’ve read it today. I believe I am being prompted to highlight that one for all of you. If your marketing material is boring to you, it’s probably not that exciting to the people reading the message. This week look at your marketing material with an eye to making it more appealing to your audience. Think eye catching, fun, and memorable!
Community Involvement
June 24, 2008
Being Resourceful: Using What You Have to Get Where You Want to Be! at Healthcare BusinessWomen’s Association
Andrea will provide tools to capitalize on your resources to achieve the results that are most important to you to the Boston Chapter of the Healthcare BusinessWomen’s Association - the premier catalyst for the professional development and leadership for women in the healthcare industry. To learn more click here.
Pounce on a Project VI - 2008
June 26, 2008
Last month we worked on creating a sales procedure policy, getting office space back under “clutter control”, a joint venture program and a procrastination pile. In addition to great results on our projects we made a discovery, “The Power of Pounce”. We noticed that within 24 hours of “pouncing” something good happens? (A check comes in the mail, new clients show up, etc.) We talked about why this might be. Perhaps it’s because we are taking care of things that are sucking our energy. Come to Pounce on a Project VI (the last Pounce before the summer break) and test out “The Power of Pounce.” Join Coach Andrea on Thursday, June 26th, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Eastern. We will join as a group by phone and declare what you want to accomplish: completing a presentation, working on your monthly newsletter, finding the top of your desk or reaching out to clients.
During the morning, the group will gather by phone a few times to check progress and get any support needed to finish with a bang. At noon, the group will celebrate their accomplishments. Who says projects have to be boring and tedious? Bring your lightness and fun and join us for the energization.
To sign up or learn more, call or by noon on Wednesday, April 23rd. Feel free to share this with friends and co- workers, the more the merrier. (Cost of the program is only the cost of long distance phone calls.)
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