7 Naive Marketing Mistakes That Make Me So Angry – Part 2

Here's the second part of an article I released earlier on marketing mistakes to avoid.  To read Part 1, click here.

Lesson #4 - Tell Stories

You can explain things, describe things and talk about things.  People won't remember it.  It's a big mistake to do this.  Tell a good story and people remember.   I can't tell you how many websites I visit that say nothing about the owner, why they started the business, what is it that drives them, etc.  It talks about their products and services sure, but there isn't a story I as the reader can connect with, remember and become endeared to that company.

Here's an example, among many, that I use on my website.  The name of my business is Larry Jacob.  I named my company after my dad and grandfather: Larry and Jacob.  I get the question, "Who is Larry Jacob?" all the time.  So I recorded a video on the home page of the site telling people about how and why I named the company so visitors can learn something about me, my family and two important role models in my life.  I've added to the home page and about us page a story of how our family emigrated to Miami from Cuba.  It's a part of who I am.  Sharing that tells a story that people can relate to and connect with.

People love stories.  Make that a part of how you present your business to the world.  

They won't remember facts and details.  They'll forget names, dates and raw data.

They'll never forget a good story.  Your marketing, your presentations, everything promoting what you do should packed with stories.

NEVER, EVER FORGET THAT! 

Lesson #5 - Be Prepared for the Unexpected

I'm a big proponent of planning.  You have to be prepared.  However, way too often I see business owner jump into a panic when something unexpected occurs.  Big mistake.

Always be prepared for the unexpected.  Suppose you get a booth at a conference and you get really bad visibility.  It was something you did NOT expect.  It wasn't clear from the floor plan they shared with you.  It happens.  Suppose you start an ad campaign and you get really poor click thru rates.  A banner design you thought or sure would work, did NOT.

Sure you can go into a panic and freak out or go into woes me mode.  You can also take it as your learning lesson and decide what is the next best thing to do.

When running your business, always assume things things will NOT go as planned.  Be prepared to pounce on the unexpected seeing it as an opportunity.  Every business owner faces this same lack of predictability.  The ones that see these as opportunities to better promote themselves and know how to elegantly respond are the ones that will best move forward best and improve their  chances of success.

Lesson #6 - Don't Wait for Utter Perfection

I run into so many people that aim for perfection.  They work on their marketing programs and will not "pull the switch" until every single part of the campaign  100% perfect.  I'm not a proponent of doing things on the fly.  I am a proponent of getting something out there quickly, taking smaller steps, learning from what you are able to observe from the previous step and growing your solution gradually.

I've seen too many business owners paralyzed, overwhelmed and held back in their promotional efforts and in other aspects of their business because they perceive what they have isn't perfect.

Remember:  Perfection is the enemy of "good enough."

Lesson #7 - Relationships are Tops

Relationships are at the core of all sales and marketing.  You can use the Internet to identify potential prospects and to make an initial connection with someone.  But after making the connection, what follows is relationship building. By this I mean relationship building in the traditional sense and not necessarily the Internet sense.

Set up a phone call or Skype with people.  Get to know them.  Make sure to include something with them about your personal life.  I'm a long distance runner.  I enjoy drinking white wine.  Family is important to me.  Involvement in church is a big deal to me.  I bring this into my conversations with people I meet both in business and in my personal lie.  I really, really enjoy connecting with people and not just focus on business.

As much as people complain about social media, it's a great way to get to know something about people.  You can learn about what they like, how they spend their time, what music, books, food, etc. they like.  It's now easier than ever to learn something about people.

People do business with people and not with businesses.  What you know from relationship building in the "real world" applies to the online.  Don't throw out common sense in favor of online tech advice.

Hope this all helps!