MARKETING TIP #059
The Five Biggest Marketing Mistakes

Effective marketing is not a single activity, but a well choreographed effort that takes planning, consistency, and fortitude to accomplish. There are five big marketing mistakes, according to the authors at “Your Go To Market Resource Center” that many companies make:

1.) MARKETING WITHOUT A STRATEGY IN PLACE
Common Mistake: Believing your product does everything, your target market is anyone who has money to spend, and /or you don’t have competition.

For marketing efforts to succeed, you must define a target market segment where your product has the most relevance and the best competitive advantage! Most of us can simply not afford to market everything to anyone with the delusion we are the only option for our customers to consider.

2.) BEING INCONSISTENT WITH YOUR BRAND
Common Mistake: Changing your company’s positioning depending on the audience, marketing vehicle used, or person delivering it.

Although some companies have actually gone through the steps of clearly outlining their company’s positioning language, we find that many individuals within that company still have their own version. The result? A confused audience—unsure of who you are and what your company does—that is unable to convey your offering to anyone else.

3.) NOT INTEGRATING MARKETING WITH SALES EFFORTS
Common Mistake: Developing marketing programs or materials that fizzle out in the sales process and never get used by the sales team.

Not having a clear integration between sales and marketing can only result in failed marketing programs, costing you lost revenue opportunities and wasted expenses.

4.) MARKETING SOMETHING YOU DON'T ACTUALLY DELIVER
Common Mistake: Aggressively marketing a skill set, technology, product, or service that has not been tested or validated, or is simply not available yet…the “we could offer that syndrome.”

Your marketing team has created eye-catching materials, compelling positioning, and an aggressive campaign for the launch of a new company product or service. The campaign is very successful, however operations cannot handle the demands. This not only upsets your customers, it demoralizes your sales and marketing team. They stop selling and the pipeline dries up.

5.) NOT USING THE MARKETING MIX EFFECTIVELY
Common Mistake: Fixating on only one marketing vehicle to promote a company and/or its products.

Many marketing plans we see only focus on one activity like direct mail, or advertising, or public relations, or cold calling, and do not use several or all of these vehicles together in concert. Putting your eggs in only one basket may generate some leads for your company, but this strategy will ultimately limit your ability to maximize sales opportunities within a target market.

We hope you’re not making these mistakes, but if you are, we can help. Call us today.

Talk to you soon,

Kae Groshong Wagner

CEO, Founder — North Star Marketing
Award-winning Author, Speaker
Brand Consultant
CEO Advisor for Sales & Marketing

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