Here are the links to the last blogs if you missed them and would like to check them out - Biggest Marketing Mistakes Every Business Owner Makes - Part 1, Biggest Marketing Mistakes Every Business Owner Makes - Part 2, Biggest Marketing Mistakes Every Business Owner Makes - Part 3 and Biggest Marketing Mistakes Every Business Owner Makes - Part 4. Today’s mistake is about Bright Shiny Object Syndrome.
Mistake - You continually search for the Next Best Thing.
I confess I have several unfinished project and marketing wrecks cluttering up my hard drive. A book I decided would better serve people as an online course (no online course on that topic yet); a blog about raising my youngest that lasted less than a year and several outlines for products that have not been looked at for several weeks. These are all abandoned because I found another “easier” path to follow.
Marketing is just like our other projects. So many times we come down with Bright Shiny Object Syndrome. “I heard about Facebook; I need a page.” You create a page and post like crazy and a few months later the excitement wears off and you abandon your efforts.
“I heard I need to build my list; I need to create a newsletter.” You get an email marketing service, create a template and send out your first newsletter. A few months later the excitement wears off and you abandon your efforts.
“I heard about this SEO strategy that will bring me all the customers I want with no effort on my part; I need this service now.” You sign up and two months later when you did not get an instant flood of customers you start looking once again for the Next Best Thing.
Sustained marketing is achieved by commitment and consistency. After you build it you have to continually attract and maintain customers. Start with a broad-level marketing strategy. Hire a marketing coach to help you identify your ideal clients and create the strategic plan to attract those clients to your business.
Once you have committed to your marketing strategy and you are contacted by someone offering the Next Best Thing you can look at it with an objective eye and you will know which questions to ask to determine if it will fit into your plan. If it does not, move on and do not second guess yourself. Even if that Next Best Thing works well for some businesses, (maybe even ones in your field) if it does not speak to your customers you will be wasting time and money.
I still have one more marketing mistake and solution for next time so be sure to check back.
Until next time...
Have a great day,
Susanne
If you feel you are spinning your marketing wheels, join me for a Marketing strategy session.