5 Deadly Marketing Sins That Businesses Succumb To
The world of marketing is constantly on the move, evolving and shifting. There are certain tactics that worked in the past, but today, they do more harm than good. Some of them can even leave the reputation of the brand in tatters and its customers running to the camp of the competition.
We call them deadly marketing sins because they spell doom for your efforts to win people over and ultimately put a strain on all resources and organizational capacities. The list is long and sinister, but we have narrowed the sins down to those that are the most common and lethal.
Underestimating the consumer
Consumers are presented with a variety of options on the market and have powerful online tools at their disposal. They are quite educated and able to sniff out wily marketing. It is quite easy for them to go through multiple sources of information, compare offers, and read customer reviews.
Therefore, it has never been more important to be genuine and honest. Gimmicks do not cut it. For example, campaigns that target women can no longer adhere to the “paint it pink” logic. Recent years have shown that brands cannot publicly argue with customers either: like it or not, they are always right.
Submitting to promotional overload
Nowadays, there are a slew of marketing channels and tools businesses can employ. This is not to say that they should shoot from all cannons. Nobody likes to see an overflowing inbox or a truckload of pop-ups occupying screen space.
It all comes down to building meaningful relationships, not the number of ads you can bombard the customer with. Brands have to realize that the only way to foster trust and loyalty is to add real value with relevant info, great customer service, quality content, interesting events, engaging contests, etc.
Ignoring the competition
Competitive research is an integral part of the modern business game. You can learn a great deal by seeing what mistakes others make, but also how they manage to create campaigns that resonate with their target audience.
Insights you gain that way must be used to form your own unique strategy and flesh out ways of implementing it. In other words, apart from neglecting this dimension, another disastrous thing to do would be to outright copy what your competition is doing. Make an effort to highlight your unique persona and brand.
Putting all eggs in one basket
Digital marketing is stealing the show and it enables companies to achieve unparalleled reach. Still, traditional marketing is far from dead. It allows businesses to avoid the immense noise and crowdedness of the online landscape and easily target local customers.
Take the example of branded promotional USB drives that are exactly the kind of item that delights people in the digital age. You can also opt for other gifts, hand out flyers, make the most of newspaper ads, and create a radio commercial. Finally, remember that no amount of digital claptrap can replace the warmth of face-to-face interactions.
Not measuring results
To figure out what works and what doesn’t, one has to have a solid tracking system in place. Companies that fail to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and take advantage of metrics tools and services are bound to waste precious resources.
In the case of social media campaigns, for instance, it is highly advisable to keep an eye on the number of social signals that the posts generated. Use reports to gauge your performance and fine-tune strategies as needed. It is much better to get back to the drawing board than to stick to ineffective and low-ROI campaigns.
Marketing rites of passage
Marketing is a delicate art. It requires you to influence other people’s opinions and behavior in a way that seems organic and sincere. So, those who don’t want their campaigns to be dead in the water might want to steer away from the deadly sins of marketing.
Center your strategies around customers and always keep your finger on the pulse of what they want and need. Be sterling when crafting campaigns and track your efforts. See what contributes to your goals and dump what hampers your brand. And if you are guilty of any of deadly sins, it’s better to admit it and face the reckoning.
Author Bio:
Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls interested in topics related to finances and latest business technologies. In her free time she enjoys exercising and preparing healthy meals for her family. Follow Diana her on Twitter and Google+.
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