It’s very easy to underestimate the effort that goes into marketing. Many people think it’s an easy task. Be creative and draw in customers, how hard could that really be? Trust us, it’s not that simple.
As with anything in life, companies setting out on a marketing journey are bound to make mistakes. Some campaigns hit the mark, others are miles off aim. Marketing is a moving target and companies need to make sure there approaches accommodate this movement.
With that being said, some mistakes are avoidable if you know where to look. Here are some common, and easy to fix, mistakes that businesses make when marketing.
1. Failing to track: Data is of the utmost importance in marketing. Without tracking your efforts it is impossible to determine what content works and which doesn’t. It is a common mistake for a business to neglect data efforts. If you are take one thing away from this article, let it be this point: Marketing data should be your best friend.
There is no way to measure ROI without some sort of tracking system. Businesses should look into various data software to see what works best for them. Many social media outlets offer data on click-through rates and engagement, another great tool is Google Analytics. Whatever the tool, make sure you are using this data to your advantage: it is your most powerful tool.
2. You have no big picture: Many companies approach their marketing as single pieces of content. According to Entrepreneur contributor Steve Tobak, a lot of businesses waste time chasing small opportunities or minimal growth possibilities without creating a distinct customer value proposition or a larger vision. This is a huge mistake. When there is no goal in sight, your efforts can become misguided and ineffective. Safeguard your marketing tactics from veering off target. Communicate your goals to your marketing team and make sure everyone is on the same page. This way, no marketing content will be wasted.
3. Ignoring your competitors: Want to learn from mistakes before making them? Next to reading this article, watching your competitors is the best move you can make. Forbes contributor John Rampton suggested selecting three business competitors and studying their marketing. Figure out what techniques were used once and then dropped completely. Check out which posts garnered the most interaction. Use their successes and failures to your advantage. It sure beats having to learn the hard way.
4. Isolating your marketing team: Your marketing department should not exist in a bubble. While they are obviously the experts on marketing tactics and content, the rest of your business has valuable information that could help their efforts. Keep the lines of communication open in your office. The sales department has key information about best selling products. The IT department can help with broken links in marketing content. There are big benefits to group collaboration.
In a separate Entrepreneur article, Firas Kittaneh suggested reaching out to a handful of different departments. Try setting up monthly meetings to touch base. Your company thrives due to all these moving parts, there is no reason your marketing shouldn’t be using them to their advantage.
5. Off-target marketing: Audience is the most important aspect of marketing and surprisingly an area where many marketers make mistakes. Your business should cater to the clients you do have, not the ones you wish you had. Of course, new customer acquisition is a goal of any marketing campaign. However, you should not be reaching way past your current audience.
For example, a restaurant that primarily caters to families should not be marketing to a 20 year old in search of a trendy eatery. The two audiences are in completely different fields. CMO reported that selling to an existing customer has a probability rate of 60 to 70 percent. For a new customer that number is a mere 5 to 20 percent. Focus on what you have, not what you want.
6. Overlooking mobile: While desktop-compatible advertising is good, mobile can be even better. Businesses that neglect to make their marketing material mobile-friendly are missing out on a huge market. According to Kittaneh, consumers in the U.S. spend more time on mobile devices than computers. The source suggested focusing on mobile as a platform for your marketing before moving on to desktops. Smartphones have the potential to reach larger audiences depending on your target demographic.
Marketing plays a huge role in the successes and failures of any company. Businesses new to marketing are bound to make a couple mistakes, but the sooner you can perfect your marketing strategy the better. Make sure you are always paying close attention to your audience, platforms and metrics. The rest is in the details.
