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April 1, 2008
Discipline is the Secret to Successful Marketing
Posted by Brad Abare | Filed under: E-mail Newsletter
Cut Back on the Sugar, Slow Down and Focus
Maybe you're like me--sometimes when I go into a Borders or a Barnes & Noble, I get visually overwhelmed. My mental curiosity kicks in and I want to look at everything all at once. I bounce around the store like a 6-year-old hopped up on a pound of sugar, mesmerized by all the things I could look at next. When it comes time to leave, I have the sense that I never really saw anything.
Last month we talked about the importance of clarity for your business and for its communication. But what happens when the view of what you do is crystal clear, but your inner opportunist can't stop for five minutes to focus on anything?
We have a friend who works at a mid-market insurance brokerage. He's responsible for their IT and web development. Recently, one of their executives asked him to create a virtual tour of their offices. The executive didn't give any direction for doing it, didn't discuss what he wanted it to accomplish and didn't have a clue about what it should really communicate or what it should focus on. This person just saw it on someone else's web site and thought it was a good idea.
Is it a good idea?
Maybe. But shouldn't you know it's a good idea for your company before you drop thousands of dollars and the man-hours to create it? At the very least, shouldn't you have some idea of how it might move a potential client or customer toward buying what you're selling?
Here's the hidden secret to successful marketing. Ready?
Discipline.
Here's what discipline for marketing looks like:
- Slooooooow Down: Don't be afraid to stop and think things through.
- Write a Plan: Scope out a strategic plan to accomplish specific marketing and communication objectives.
- Stay the Course: Execute the plan, evaluate the plan, make necessary course corrections and execute again. Don't jump ship.
Common wisdom, uncommonly kept. If you're one of the few who does keep it--bravo! You'll spend less money chasing sugary marketing gimmicks, and from a communications standpoint you’ll ensure your organization doesn’t seem like it needs Ritalin.
If you'd like, we'd be happy to help you take a few deep breaths and plot a winning, focused course of action. Interested? Drop me a line.
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